Stop Asking For The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders To Get A Raise
The sports fan's (and the left's) current cry shows a glaring ideological problem: Teachers are still underpaid while pretty privilege reigns supreme.
I was reading an article by Jose Rodriguez from MARCA about Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys. It mainly concerned the team's cheerleaders and how they weren't paid enough (at least, according to NFL fans). It talked about their part-time status and how they made between $50,000 and $75,000 per year. Of course, it came with other perks.
400% increase in pay! $75 per hour! Rah rah rah!
NFL fans, Redditors, and readers of publications like Defector started to rally around the cause and even mentioned Jerry Jones and the Cowboys on social media. It sounds like an extremely noble cause, considering that they've been underpaid for years. But there's a small problem.
That problem consists of teachers, specifically in Texas, not getting a pay increase. According to the Austin American-Statesman, Texas teachers earn roughly $11,000 less than the average American teacher ($74,495 average salary). That included a pay raise of 2.1%, which fell behind the average pay raise of 3.5%. That's in spite of the fact that the Lone Star State had the biggest educational workforce in the United States.
The cause inadvertently highlights the biggest problem with such Redditors and NFL fans in general. That would be the prioritization of model-esque women over educators, specifically when 77% of the public school teacher workforce is female, per the Pew Research Center. You know, the average underpaid woman who's not entertaining the people at an NFL game while the country crumbles.
Why we need to focus more on our educational system rather than the beautiful women on the sidelines
First, let's look at the percentage of American teachers who are women. As mentioned, roughly 77% of public school teachers are women. These are the same women who carry the burden of educating future generations and ensuring they're on a stable path.
"But the importance of the brand," shouted the NFL fan.
First, when your NFL team is still overexposed despite not making the NFC Championship in three decades, it's time to turn them off. It's time to stop getting in bed with Jerry Jones and trying to sleep with the cheerleaders, FOX. That's partially why you lag behind NBC, ABC, and CBS in the ratings. Second, teachers also carry the burden of dealing with overcrowded classrooms, buying their own school supplies for their students, and going through numerous training sessions. That includes conflict management and curriculum and instruction.
That's not even mentioning how the modern NFL Cheerleader also makes money as a social media influencer, whether it's on TikTok or Instagram. The cheerleaders easily generate over a million views for a single reel and also earn endorsement deals. Don't forget that they're generating tons of waste from said promotional products and "Get Ready With Me" tutorials.
"But the lack of health insurance," screamed the Redditor on r/DCCMakingTheTeam.
Yes, they deserve health insurance, too. But teachers have had it equally rough, if not worse. According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, 160 Clark County School District retirees were shorted on their pensions in July because of a difference in dates, which cost them thousands of dollars. I'm sure Morgan's thinking about going on the all-expenses-paid yacht trip on Lake Michigan because she's a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader, right? I'm sure that Abigail can't wait to go on a date with an NFL corner at the Kentucky Derby, right? I'm sure they're thinking about eventually being featured on TMZ or People Magazine frequently.
NFL Cheerleaders also typically last between one and five years in the position, while teachers are generally tenured for decades. These cheerleaders go off into great jobs and leverage their skills to get into the workforce. They also tend to come from well-off backgrounds, where their parents have high-paying jobs and better genetics. Meanwhile, teachers must again deal with changing curriculum, along with the growing number of unruly students and statewide budget cuts. But hey, gotta hook up Kylie with a cushy office job at Comerica Bank, right?
The latest obsession with paying beautiful cheerleaders a lavish lifestyle highlights America's distorted priorities
Harvard's Center for Educational Policy Research conducted a study that highlights America's educational dysfunction earlier in 2026. 83% of American school districts reported decreased reading scores, while 70% reported lower math scores. The scores cut across racial and geographical divides, highlighting a growing problem with America's educational system.
"But Netflix brought the average Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader's lack of pay to light," cried the Defector reader.
As mentioned, they get endorsement deals for their influencer lifestyles on TikTok and Instagram. That 77% of women who are educators don't have such a luxury. That explains why the attrition rate is at 44% for new teachers, according to the Berkeley High Jacket. Newer teachers cite the lack of pay and support as the reasons for leaving. But hey, gotta support Sophia and her wasteful promotion of beauty products for her influencer career and the Instagram likes, right, Reddit?
People can talk about supply and demand and what the market dictates. But the problem is that the market doesn't always get it right. Just look at FOX pulling out of a lucrative television deal with the WWE. $1 billion for five years down the drain after one deal. Again, the aforementioned 83% of school districts that have seen a decline in reading scores aren't benefiting from Kleine getting more money so she can go to New York and live the first-class life with everything paid.
That's not even mentioning how roughly 54% of Americans read below a sixth-grade level in 2024-25, according to the National Literacy Institute. 64% of America's fourth-graders didn't read proficiently in that same study, highlighting a gross neglect of America's educational system. The cherry on top is the fact that between 32 to 57% of young children want to be influencers.
The sooner the NFL fans and left let go of the celebrity fandom, the better off teachers (and America) will be
The moral of the story? First, turn off FOX and Netflix, for once. Let those entertainment outlets die off. If you're going to go all-in on feminism, let's focus on improving our education and the 77% of women in education before rolling out the red carpet for young supermodel-esque women. The average woman who's a teacher deserves as much of a voice in shaping America's future as the attractive cheerleaders that the Redditors and NFL fans are championing for more pay.
Second, the left needs to let go of the celebrity and glamour fascination. They've become enamored with seeing the beautiful American cheerleader from Netflix become a Hollywood celebrity and fantasize about them being in high-profile relationships while living a lavish lifestyle. Step off Reddit for once and start channeling that energy towards helping the educators in shaping our country's future. You're playing into the right's hands and are shooting yourselves in the foot.
If you're going to pay the cheerleaders more, pay the teachers even more. You don't see a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader dealing with growing class sizes, unexpected budget cuts, and unruly teenagers and children. Teachers (especially female teachers) deserve better and more, even if the "market" disagrees.
It's time to put the bread away, leave the circus, and focus on what truly matters. Then, we can revisit this discussion when the time's right. If we continue to focus on the pretty and privileged, then our children (and regular women) will continue to suffer.
Comments