Why does the United States pay their athletes more then their teachers?

Question

Yes it is true that the United States as a government does not pay the athletes or the teachers. I meant as a whole why is one valued over the other.

And we, as Americans DO pay the million dollar salaries. If it were not for the fan, athletes and team owners would earn nothing. So in a sense WE are paying the saleries.

Answer 1

Up until recently, education was a privilege reserved for the wealthy. In fact, many people still see public schools as nothing more than a necessary evil. Once upon a time, only the children of the wealthy got an education, and the reason was simple... it's easier to control and exploit ignorant people. An Ivy League graduate can make far more than a professional athlete, which is why Ivy League schools are reserved for the wealthy. Public education (like public health care) is a socialist concept, and professional sports are a capitalist concept. We live in a capitalist society, and public schools are not investment opportunities.

Pro athletes make a bundle, but nothing compared to the corporations and individuals who exploit them. The US doesn't pay athletes. Professional sporting teams are owned by corporations or private individuals. The player's salaries are based on the sport's popularity (attendance) and the skill and appeal (sponsor potential) of the athlete.

Not all athletes make more than teachers. The pros certainly do, but many, many athletes make far less than $100,000 a year. Many teachers make much more than this. Teachers also have tenure, pensions, benefits, etc, and little risk of losing their job due to a blown out knee.

The reason that teachers don't make the exorbitant salaries of athletes is because The K-12 public education system is funded mainly by the local communities, and the budgets are voted on by the residents of those communities. If people wanted to pay teachers as much as pro athletes, their taxes would go through the roof.

In the grand scheme of things, education is far more important than professional sports, but paying teacher millions of dollars isn't going to improve the education level of children. Most teachers already do the best job they possibly can, so giving them more money isn't going to make them teach "better." What would help immensely, would be putting millions of dollars into the pubic educational system, so that all schools had all the modern equipment, supplies, staff and space they needed, but don't expect that to happen anytime soon.

Answer 2

I agree with you that the value to society teachers provide far outweigh the value that a hockey, basketball, or boxer offers our communities. It's never been in doubt that teachers are invaluable and should be honoured.

As for pay? Well, it may not seem fair that a teacher makes $50k per year (or whatever), and a baseball player earns millions. Right?

Except, the reality is pure economics. These professional teams are HUGE businesses. They have millions or billions in revenue from ticket sales, and where else would the money go? Imagine you owned a basketball team, and earned 34-million dollars in ticket sales. Is if fair to play the players $20,000? No, that would be silly. So, professional athletes get lots of money, simply because there's lots of money to give them. If our school boards had lots of money to give, they'd give teachers lots of money.

Also, keep in mind, that the 'million-dollar-athlete' is VERY RARE. There are SO many athletes out there that come no where near professional status and are probably earning less or doing a non-athletic job just to make bill payments. Million-dollar-athletes are like Hollywood celebs. They're not what's normal, they're the rare breed that gets all the attention.


Food for thought.

Answer 3

Your question is flawed...The United States is a Government. and does not pay the Athletes at all. Ben Franklin came up with the idea of Public Education, So it has been around a good amount of time. Everyone born and raised in the U.S. today has had the opportunity for a free education for K-12. It was not just for the wealthy.

Answer 4

Simple, we put more importance on atlitics then education. While the skills to be a pro player is needed, teachers do just as much, if not more work.

The other key is sports in a private industry, which makes money by selling tickets and stuff, so they can pay more to get top players and make more money.

Teaching is a public service paied by local taxes with some state and fed. aid, and we don't want to pay taxes so we can afford the 300.00 seats at thr game.

It all a matter of how much money is avalible to pay out, and where we set piorites. (please excuse spelling)

Answer 5

because our priorties as a society are *** backwards.

Whomever said athletes train and practice harder has never been a teacher!! 4 years of college, credential program, state tests, 1 year full time student teaching for no pay, low pay once you are done, pressures of high stakes testing ,special ed students, difficult parents, classes with too many students to support learning, cultural and economic issues to deal with, politics that intefere with getting your job done...to start!

Give someone a fish and you give them a meal, teach them to fish and you have given them a life. Teachers need to be paid what they are actually worth. Never mind the money sports draws or capitalism ...if we dont have good teachers there is no future for America.

Answer 6

why does the US pay athletes more than soilders? Sports people are overvalued. HOwever, teachers are constantly complaining about how much they get paid. Well I work very hard and don't even make 10K a year with no benefits, I would be happy to make half of what a teacher makes.

Answer 7

Athletes attract fans, viewers on TV, readership of newspapers, magazines, etc., and advertisers pay for ads on newspapers and they pay lots more because there are more viewers (to watch the sports AND will watch the ads) TV and stadiums mega dollars. There is a great deal in sports, also, in terms of sponsorships for athletes to appear in ads for products, and that also generates multi-million sales of products, T-Shirts, cards, jackets, sneakers, jackets, sweaters, gym attire, etc., which is based on athletes' popularity. Teams need high profile athletes (particularly if they can help their teams win) to attract TV viewers and audiences at athletic venues.

Answer 8

Education funds have been ut for years now. Our kids have been falling further behind the rest of the world in education. Yesterday's kids have now become today's leaders. Short term gains for one has become more important than long term gains for all. Investing into the wealth of a few athletes is more important than investing into teachers so than they may educate the thousands of kids whom may go on to do great things.

Sad but true.

And to all the teachers, past, present and future, THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE, ARE DOING , AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO.

Answer 9

People are paid relative to the revenue they can generate.

Between ticket sales, merchandising and tv/media rights, the average athlete generates a lot more money than any teacher ever could.

It's the way capitalism works.

Answer 10

What athletes are you talking about? It must be the professional sports athletes. The salaries are govern by the "free market".