Teachers Take Side Jobs To Make Ends Meet

With budget negotiations still underway at the Capitol, teachers throughout the state are left wondering where they fit into the mix.

News 9 first met local artist and illustrator Eric Osborne at Comic Con last week.

News 9 soon learned not only does he have his own comic book and illustration company but he's also an art teacher.

It's a juggling act many teachers across the state are having to do to make ends meet, pick up odd jobs outside of the classroom to supplement teacher salaries.

Osborne chooses to stay in Oklahoma for now. 

To make it all work he has his own illustration company, teaches at Oklahoma Christian and Cimarron Middle School, and runs private lesson.

"We all do what we gotta do to make ends meet. We understand that, in terms of teacher pay, we're not on the high end of the spectrum," Osborne said.

The most recent discussions at the Capitol regarding teacher raises included a proposal to grant teacher $1,000 raises that would cost the state $60 million a year.