EDITORIAL
Substitute teachers deserve better pay

Substitute teachers are a necessary, vital part of the school system.

On any given school day, some 1,000 subs are teaching in Hawai'i public schools. That means they are filling in for regular teachers in 7 percent of the classrooms.

That's more than just a fill-in here or there. These are teachers who have to jump into a variety of subjects, pick up other teachers' lesson plans and help students — even if for the short term — on the road to a good education.

The state Department of Education's position is that substitute teachers are well paid at $112.53 a day. Many of those subs would beg to differ and some are pushing for union representation.

Yes, they can turn down assignments. Yes, they don't carry the same workload as regular teachers.

On the other hand, they often don't know when a day's work will come their way and they don't get health benefits.

Substitute teachers are not glorified babysitters, they are an integral part of the education system.

Thus, it is essential that sub teachers meet increased education requirements, such as a bachelor's degree.

And subs must be adequately compensated. Their pay was cut by 6 percent in January based on a salary schedule for regular teachers negotiated between the Hawaii State Teachers Association and the Board of Education. It is only fair that when regular teachers' pay increases, so should subs' pay.

No one spoke up for substitute teachers during those negotiations. And, there seems to be a giant shrug over the issue at the DOE.

So, who can blame the subs for wanting to unionize? It appears to be the only way they'll get their case heard.

It will be to the detriment of our children's education if subs decide the pay and their perceived second-class status isn't worth it and walk away.

Students deserve adequately paid subs who are there to teach, not to babysit.