Teachers with side hustles discuss Gov. Ron DeSantis pay plan
PALM BAY, Fla. - Right now in Tallahassee, lawmakers are grappling with the issue of teacher salaries.
Gov. Ron DeSantis is asking for $600 million to set a minimum salary at $47,000.
But many teachers don’t support that proposal, like the two you’ll meet in this story. We found them in Brevard County. They have second jobs, or side hustles.
Hope Chybion puts her heart and soul into teaching fifth grade at Turner Elementary school in Palm Bay.
But teaching doesn't pay the bills these days and making extra money is in her blood. Literally. She sells her plasma for fast cash.
"Donating plasma twice a week, over the course of a month, you can make about $300," Chybion said.
DeSantis’ plan to raise teacher pay feels to Chybion like a slap in the face.
"I think it’s important to have a higher base salary so that we’re attracting people to the profession, but at the same time, it’s leaving veteran teachers behind. The base salary that he’s proposing, it’s 47,000, that’s what I’m making right now after 16 years, and I have a master's degree," Chybion said.
Chybion started donating plasma so she could afford a new car.
Speaking of cars, Chybion has friends who drive for Uber and Lyft and grocery delivery services.
We wanted to know where Florida is nationwide on the teacher pay scale.
When it comes to average salary, Florida is ranked 46th.
In Florida, average pay is $48,000 a year.
In Orange County, teachers make $48,000.
In Brevard County, average annual pay is $2,000 less.
In Volusia County, it's $8,000 less.
"The future of our society is in big trouble," Chybion said.
For teachers like Miss Chybion and Priscilla Hudder, students keep them going.
Hudder is a guidance counselor also at Turner.
Three or four nights a week, she drives to her side hustle, teaching adult education classes at Palm Bay High School.
Even with her day job and her night job, money is tight.
"It would be nice if when I went to the grocery store, I could say, ‘I’m going to get all of these things’ instead of saying ‘Well, this week it’ll be a few of these, and then maybe next week, maybe not,’ pick and choose," Hudder said.
Hudder and Chybion say a better solution for struggling teachers is a raise based on performance combined with years of service.
In the meantime, 59 percent of teachers in America have a second job.
So, there's a good chance your waitress, your kid’s tutor, the clerk at the store - they might have been in a classroom today.