COLUMBIA COUNTY, Fla. – On Jan. 14, educators, families and students gathered at the Columbia County School District (CCSD) Office to make their voices heard. Their message was clear: teachers in Columbia County deserve better pay.
According to the Columbia Teacher’s Association’s (CTA) current contract, the starting salary for a CCSD teacher is $45,275, while the state’s minimum base salary is $47,500.
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“There are days where I’m asking myself, not why I stay, but can I afford to?” Fort White High School teacher Corinne Gherna said.
Florida ranks among one of the lowest-paying states in the nation for teachers, according to data from the National Education Association (NEA). It also leads the nation in teacher shortages, according to national data from Brown University.
However, CTA says Columbia County pays less than some of its neighboring counties, like Union.
“It’s no wonder teachers are leaving left and right when a quick drive down the road can earn them thousands of dollars more a year.” CCSD teacher, Kristy Boeckman said.
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For over an hour, teachers shared their personal stories about the financial toll the current salary structure had on them, as well as just how much “skin in the game” they have.
The CTA says the phrase grew from a statement made by Chief Negotiator, Meagan Logan, during the December bargaining session, in which Logan stated the district wanted “...teachers to have more skin in the game.”
This came after the CTA rejected the district’s proposal to remove the one-time $35 fee teachers are paid when they work with Columbia Virtual Academy students in addition to their regular workday.
“There is not one lesson I teach, one thing that I buy I do for money,” Lake City Middle School Teacher of the Year Dawn Frye said. “Everything I do is for these students and my heart.”
Nationwide, teacher salaries have struggled to keep up with inflation. CTA shared that some members were unable to attend the meeting due to them working second jobs to make ends meet.
But as teacher shortages persist and classrooms combine, CCSD teachers say they are often forced to work beyond their regular contract hours to meet the needs of their students.
“Not only do I have skin in the game. I have heart in the game, I’ve got soul in the game, and all we want is what we earn,” Frye said.
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The meeting concluded with comments from school board members.
“Tonight, your comments have not fallen on deaf ears,” School Board Member Narrie Smith said. “We are listening to you.”
The next bargaining meeting between CTA and CCDS will be Thursday, Jan. 23. The next school board meeting will be on Tuesday, Jan. 28.
“The Columbia Teachers Association understands that Superintendent Couey inherited the current budget when he took office in November. We believe he will work to make teachers a priority,” President of the CTA, Jenee' DeLaney said.
News4JAX reached out to Columbia County Schools and Meagan Logan for comment but has not gotten a response.
