Olivia Prauner, Guest Writer
I’ve been in private schools my entire life, and while they’re often seen as “prestigious,” private school teachers struggle more than their public counterparts. In high school, I began to notice the number of teachers leaving to work for public schools, which paid more. Private school teachers are severely underpaid. The average annual salary for a private school teacher is $44,421 in Nebraska. Teachers cannot sustain a family of four on that wage.
As someone who is majoring in elementary education, more spots are available in private schools due to this issue. Which means I might end up working in a private school as they desperately need the staff, but I’d lack income and job security.
The root of this issue comes from the division of private school funds. Without sufficient government funding, these schools must divide funds amongst student needs before even thinking of teachers’ wages. If these schools allowed the government to aid in funds, they’d be no different than a public school.
Private schools can offer unique experiences and education for their students. My schools included mass and religious studies. This better fits my family’s core values than a public education. Additionally, a close-knit community of people with similar values was created.
To lose these experiences and communities would be horrible. The only way to ensure a future for private schools is to address the teachers’ needs.