TEACHER VOICE: Underpaid, my colleague and I are frequently advised to ‘marry a doctor or a lawyer’

“In wages adjusted for inflation, Arizona elementary school teachers are making 11 percent less now than they were in 2001. Patterns for middle and high school teachers are similar. According the 2017 Living Wage Calculator out of MIT, a family of three to four individuals necessitates a minimum annual salary of $46,000. Teachers are taking second jobs to cover their basic living expenses, not to ‘enjoy the finer things in life.’ Given these low wages, it’s no surprise that the first bit of advice many new teachers receive is to marry a doctor or a lawyer.”