Why are schools cutting teachers with Master's Degrees out of their budgets?

Tweet

I have been a teacher for 4 years now, and last year, after being in a school where I LOVED my job and I was about to get tenure, my contract was not renewed because they had to cut 2 teachers due to budget constraints. I had been there longer than most of the other teachers who were not tenured as well and did not think that I would be one of the two teachers chosen to lose their job. As it turns out, the two of us that they chose to cut both have our Master's Degree and nobody else in the "pool of untenured" has a Master's Degree. Now, I'm not saying that I am a better teacher than others, it just bothers me that because I chose to further my education more than they had, and because I cost more to employ, the principal just looked at that and cut me for that reason. I was unable to find another teaching job in my area for this year, so I had to settle for being a Title I Math paraprofessional, which, might I add, is an hourly position and has NO BENEFITS. I have a 15 month old and a husband at home, so this year has been a struggle for us. Does anyone have any advice for me, to help me to get another teaching position and to get me through these trying times and still have faith that I will be able to get a job elsewhere and become tenured at some point in my career???