With the end of the 2021-22 school year soon approaching, the realization that some of MVHS’s most beloved teachers are retiring from their teaching positions is beginning to set in. This, of course, has erupted concerns regarding who exactly will be filling those empty positions.

MVHS isn’t the only school experiencing worries when it comes to staffing; many schools across the United States have seen a decrease in people's interest in becoming teachers. One of the obvious reasons for this has been due to teachers not being satisfied with their paychecks. MVHS’s long-time janitor, Marty Immekus, comments on this subject saying that he believes that the reason why janitorial positions are staying empty is because “the pay is not there to make the job look interesting.”

School staff paychecks have steadily decreased over the years. According to an article from the Washington Post, “Average weekly wages (inflation adjusted) of public-sector teachers decreased $30 per week from 1996 to 2015, from $1,122 to $1,092.” It’s known to most of society that nobody goes into teaching to get rich, but with pay as low as it is, many teachers are wondering if the money and time spent to achieve a teaching degree was ever really worth it.

Overall, the concept of staff and teacher pay in schools is a rising concern for not only Mount Vernon, but everywhere across the country. Should teachers be getting paid more? This discussion is one that continues to grow year by year and is something that could even be affecting MVHS right now.