if our children are our greatest asset, why are teachers paid so little?

Question

if youre going to tell me they arent, include an unbias link to support your statement.

Answer 1

Well I cant provide the link but I remember my metal shop teacher in high school made like 70k a year. Granted, he had 20 years with the school but thats a decent salary.

Answer 2

Private school and a college education is very expensive.
Perhaps the people running the government and how they apportion your tax dollars don't have your priorities in mind.

I agree with your general point- but there have been solid examples of communities who raised teachers salaries significantly- and it resulted in no improvement in the education system. So- the problems are a bit deeper than teachers salaries. I know some brilliant and excellent teachers that get paid crap. Their problems aren't so much about what they get paid, but by so many other constraints on them that it seriously affects their opportunity to provide that education.

Answer 3

I think it is horrid the way teachers are treated. Both money and people's attitudes towards them. In todays world with all the broken families, teachers are also expected to be counselors, they fill so many roles. People think they get 3 months off every year. That is not true. They are in school 2 weeks before and 2 weeks after classes end for students.. They have about 2 months off. All the teachers I know work all their evenings and weekends making out plans for their students, grading papers .. getting ready for parent / teacher meetings. As far as I am concerned.. those 2 months are just comp. time. No one puts in more unpaid overtime than teachers do. Teachers starting pay is in the mid 30's . if that. They should earn at least 50 to 60K to start AND be respected. When I was growing up we RESPECTED our teachers !! I couldn't agree with you more. Good Luck! :)

Answer 4

Well my son's teacher is only at school from about 8 am to 3:30 PM...that is 7 and a half hours...subtract lunch and breaks(recess)..maybe he is working 6 and half hours.

Then factor in spring break he is not working and Christmas break and summer break...lots of breaks that nobody else gets.

And now consider the number of kids that are graduating who do not read... and also consider that that American public schools rate poorly compared to schools in other countrys


So now I can think of no justification for teachers to be paid too much at all.

Answer 5

They actuall arent.

http://www.aft.org/salary/2003/download/2003Table1.pdf#search='average%20teacher%20salary%20by%20state'

compared to the poverty level

http://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty/05poverty.shtml

and also, the lack of qualified teachers there are (not saying teachers are bad, but maybe we need better programs for them)

I am looking for the link of the study done proving teachers are improperly trained, under prepared, and not efficient (not all teachers of course). I will post the link when I find it.

Answer 6

I guess its because they make such a bad job of the teaching? Otherwise how come the US students are so poorly educated? full of "feel good science" and Politically Correct claptrap but completely devoid of any knowledge of physics, chemistry , etc?

Answer 7

Because the public thinks more of Terrell Owens than they do of the people who teach thise kids. They say their kids are important but look what they support. Talk is cheap.

Answer 8

they are government employees.