A Maine teacher's salary was so low she couldn't afford formula for her newborn baby — and she was forced to turn to government assistance

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November 13, 2018 3:31 PM

Allison Lytton was in her fifth year of teaching and a single mother of a newborn and two-year-old when she applied for WIC.

She was living as a single mother and couldn’t afford baby formula for her newborn.
She applied for WIC, Maine's special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children, and used the program for six months.
Now nine years into teaching, Lytton is working extra stipend jobs with her school and teachers union, as well as doing freelance photography to make ends meet.

When cost of living is factored in, Maine's teachers are even closer to the bottom of the barrel. Maine teachers make, on average, $16,439 more than what might qualify them for government assistance. — but that's the state's average. Teachers like Lytton live even closer to the poverty line. "I had no idea how I was going to buy formula, let alone stock my classroom. It was like $30 a can or so," Lytton told INSIDER.

according to EdWeek.

died in the state legislature in 2017.

DeVos unqualified for her job

she defended budget cuts that affect teacher programs and support programs of education.

advocate for charter schools

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