Do you think that teachers get paid fairly?

Question

I am a teacher in a critical shortage area in Mississippi, and I am just curious about what others think about the teachers' low salaries. We teach the future doctors, lawyers, computer scientists, etc., yet we are the lowest paid of all careers. People tend to argue that we knew what we were getting into before we chose that career path and get mad if teachers go on strike because of the low salaries. They say, "We pay taxes, so they just need to do their jobs," yet, we, too, are taxpayers who donate to our own salaries. Many of us have families to take care of as well. As a taxpayer, I think it's time for a change in teachers' salaries...

Oh, for those of you who think that the pay is based on how many months we teach, we spend our summers taking more classes and more professional development courses to keep our licensure. Some of us spend our evenings grading papers, calling parents, and preparing lessons...that is WAY more than 60 hours per week.

I love my job as a teacher...that's why I got into the profession. But we have some attitudes of "choose a different profession." That mentality is causing the good teachers to get out of teaching careers...where does that leave your children? If we are too stupid to choose different careers, then perhaps we are too stupid to be teaching your children...

Answer 1

Is this a trick question? Teachers are underpaid, underappreciated, undervalued....and all of the other "under" words that have negative connotations ;o) The world would be no where without teachers...yet the pay stinks! Here's something that made me smile.

What do you make?
The dinner guests were sitting around the table discussing life. One man, a CEO, decided to explain the problem with education. He argued: "What's a kid going to learn from someone who decided his best option in life was to become a teacher?"

He reminded the other dinner guests that it's true what they say about teachers: "Those who can do. Those who can't teach."

To corroborate, he said to another guest: "You're a teacher, Susan," he said. "Be honest. What do you make?"

Susan, who had a reputation of honesty and frankness, replied, "You want to know what I make?"

"I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could. I can make a C+ feel like a Congressional Medal of Honor and an A- feel like a slap in the face if the student did not do his or her very best."

"I can make kids sit through 40 minutes of study hall in absolute silence."

"I can make parents tremble in fear when I call home."

"You want to know what I make?"

"I make kids wonder."

"I make them question."

"I make them criticize."

"I make them apologize and mean it."

"I make them write."

"I make them read, read, read."

"I make them spell definitely beautiful, definitely beautiful, and definitely beautiful over and over and over again, until they will never misspell either one of those words again."

"I make them show all their work in math and hide it all on their final drafts in English."

"I elevate them to experience music and art and the joy in performance, so their lives are rich, full of kindness and culture, and they take pride in themselves and their accomplishments."

"I make them understand that if you have the brains, then follow your
heart... and if someone ever tries to judge you by what you make, you pay them
no attention."

"You want to know what I make?"

"I make a difference."

"What about you?"

Answer 2

I too am a teacher in a shortage area. I do not get paid nearly enough. I find it disgusting that I have 6 years of college including grad school so that I can teach and all I do is worry how I am going to pay my bills. Its rediculous and unfair. And with the 12 hour days and added stress of clubs and field trips, its not nearly enough for the time its takes away from my family.

Answer 3

I think salaries in every situation should be rooted in supply and demand. Sometimes, there is an overflow of applicants for a job, and we could afford to pay these jobs less. However, we have salaries that are overvalued (e.g. police in New Jersey suburbs where I live make over 100,000 a year in towns where there is absolutely NO crime at all). As you might expect, there is a waiting list for police jobs.
You teach in a critical shortage area in Mississippi. Supply and demand dictates that your critical shortage area should be paid more to attract more candidates IMHO.

Answer 4

I say:

PAY YOUR TEACHERS LIKE YOUR FUTURE DEPENDS ON IT!

PAY YOUR POLICE OFFICERS AND FIRE SAFETY PEOPLE LIKE YOUR LIFE DEPENDS ON IT!

I work as a certified educator in a state that puts its teachers through the absolute ringer! My state requires a Masters Degree, and numerous, on-going, required professional development hours- payed for out of our own pockets. Most candidates start in the high twenties or low thirties. It's not so easy to live on; trust me. High-stakes testing is daunting these days, and I fear MANY will leave the profession simply because they cannot afford to pay their bills.

There is an archaic belief that teachers really don't work that hard... and oh, yeah, we get "summers off." Well, I'm here to tell you that that feeling is completely based on ignorance! For those opponents of increasing teachers' salaries across the nation, I say, jump through the hoops, apply to a district, work for a year or two and come back to me when you realize how little you're actually compensated!

Answer 5

That would be a huge NO . Only in rare cases in America are teachers paid fairly . Maybe thats why they no longer are expected nor wish to teach kids discipline . We no longer pay them for these extra services in raising our children. Even though most still do more than lots of parents who are only managing their own kids a couple of hours a night . All this may also explain parts of manyother problems in our society.

Answer 6

Considering the workload they are under, I think they deserve more pay. They give more to society than they receive, and what do they get in return? I, for one, have great respect for teachers who are ready to make sacrifices and work for others' interests instead of their own.

Answer 7

When someone asks me if I think I make enough money, I say you know what, The only thing I make is a difference!!!!

Answer 8

In California, our teaches get paid a lot but I think it might depend on where you teach. Well they make more than minimum wage so I don't know if that answers your question.

Answer 9

The answer to your question is no one is paid fairly.

The rest is just comment to justify your position. Not appropriate here.

Answer 10

I would always like to earn more - it is a tough call -but I am with you.

Good Luck!!!