Legislators, School Boards: Please improve life for School-Related Employees like me

Misty Cash
·2 min read

Once again, School-Related Employees are being left out of pay increases as the Florida Legislature and local school boards only focus on increasing teacher pay.

Let me be clear, teachers deserve higher pay. What is not being discussed is how teachers cannot do their job without the help and support of school custodians, bus drivers, secretaries and office staff, security monitors, classroom aides, etc.

Boomers cover option 1
Boomers cover option 1

Leon County Schools’ School-Related Employees just got a pay increase of seven cents per hour. Seven cents!

While the legislature points the finger at districts and districts point the finger at the legislature, School-Related Employees are struggling to pay increasing rent costs, grocery prices, medicine, and more.

A single mom who is a secretary at Leon County Schools must pay almost $800/month to add her child to insurance. That same secretary who brings home only $2,200 a month does not qualify for Florida KidCare or assistance to help with prescriptions and the medical needs for her and her child. When she pays rent, utilities, etc., there is less than $300 for the rest of the month to pay for groceries, gas, prescriptions, and other incidentals.

Even working additional jobs, it’s not enough with the hours those jobs are willing to give to work around our school schedule. Now the legislature is pushing back school start times that will take away even more options for a School Related Employee to find work after school or at night.

State employees get pay/cost of living increases. What about us? Did you know that in Florida, over 50% of School-Related Employees are on public assistance? That is disgraceful.

I’m a School-Related Employee who loves my job but can no longer afford to stay. Supposedly, I make too much for any assistance. I can’t afford my medicines and basic things like clothes, gas, groceries, bed sheets, soap, pet care and more. My child has gone years without Christmas, graduation, birthday celebrations and things many people take for granted.

More: Rocky Hanna: Finding a financial balancing act that benefits student, school needs

Legislators and school boards are killing their School-Related Employees by not giving them pay so they can live and support their families. I am one of them. It’s killing me figuratively and literally.

Misty Cash
Misty Cash

Misty Cash is a Leon County Schools employee and resident of Leon County.

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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Elected officials: Please value School-Related Employees like me