— As North Carolina's largest educators association blasted the state's efforts on teacher pay Wednesday, Gov. Pat McCrory defended Republican efforts to do more for public schools.

McCrory faces Democratic Attorney General Roy Cooper in this year's gubernatorial election campaign. The issue of school funding and teacher pay has permeated that campaign and other campaigns, with Democrats making the case that the GOP has under-funded schools, particularly when it comes to teacher salaries.

In particular, an oft-repeated line that average teacher pay throughout the state will hit $50,000 for the first time this year has drawn criticism from the North Carolina Association of Educators and others. While it's true that state lawmakers raised base pay for all public school teachers as part of the state budget passed this summer, what any one teacher makes is greatly affected by the local supplement provided by the school system in which they teach.

"I'm an accomplished teacher according to my evaluation and colleagues, but according to my paycheck, I am not an average teacher," said Hannah Bethea, a Franklinton Elementary School teacher who has been in the classroom for 11 years.

"Let me assure you, I am making well under $50,000 a year," Bethea said. "This is not professional compensation."

Bethea, an NCAE member, says her raise amounts to $53 a month, most of which will be eaten up by the classroom supplies she has to buy with her own money.