We can all agree teachers should be paid more.
Well, one Tampa third-grader put his money where his mouth is when he gifted his teacher a “pay raise” by using his own birthday money!
Parker Williams (pictured above) spoke to local news outlets about the act of kindness, telling KABC he’d like to show others the wonders of paying it forward. He said:
“I think more people should be nice. It’s just a better thing to do than being mean.”
It’s a healthier thing to do, too!
Because Parker’s such a nice dude, he immediately knew he wanted to give the small fortune of $15 he received for his birthday to someone he thought truly deserved it: his Gorrie Elementary School teacher, Mary Hall Chambers.
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The decision was an easy one, according to the 9-year-old student. He said:
“Well, I think she’s a really kind teacher, and she has her own way of teaching and she spends time on everybody.”
So, Parker wanted to pay it forward. Last week, he handed Chambers the money in class with a note explaining why he was giving it to her.
According to ABC News, the letter read:
“Dear Mrs. Chambers, I don’t think that teachers get paid enough for what they do so will you except [sic] this gift?”
Awwww!
Unfortunately, Chambers couldn’t accept the money — which she said she initially thought was for an upcoming field trip — but gave Parker a sweet message in response.
She told the outlet:
“When I looked at the note I said, ‘Oh my gosh, this is the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.’ I wrote the little [reply] note and I said, ‘Parker, this is so sweet and such a kind gesture… I can’t take your money, but I really appreciate you looking out for me.’”
Parker’s mother, Jen Williams, had no clue about her son’s plan until she saw the note he had written in his folder.
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She told ABC News:
“Tears sprung out of eyes and we said, ‘Parker, what is this?’ He said, ‘I love Mrs. Chambers and I wanted to give back. Teachers don’t get paid enough.’”
Jen doesn’t disagree there. She told the outlet Parker’s teacher emails her long after the workday is over to discuss the child’s progress with her — and she’s not getting rewarded for this extra work. Jen said:
“They are not rewarded entirely for the amount they [are] helping develop the next generation of children becoming adults.”
Honestly, can you think of a more important job!?
Business Insider reports the average salary for a public school teacher in the States during the 2017-2018 academic year was $60,483. Moreover, many teachers use their own money to buy school supplies, which can get very pricey as the school year goes by.
The government doesn’t seem to be recognizing the value of America’s teachers — but at least their students are?
[Image via ABC 7 News]