Teachers' poor pay just myth

Scottsdale Republic ^ | Craig J. Cantoni

[hsmomx3]

Contrary to union propaganda, teachers are not underpaid. I say this as someone with 28 years of experience in conducting salary surveys and designing pay plans.

According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, local elementary school teachers earn about the same average pay on an hourly basis as local reporters ($23.74). They also earn more than microbiologists ($20.60), zoologists ($17.36) and accountants ($22.49). Secondary school teachers even earn more per hour than civil engineers.

[CyberCowboy777]

What percentage of that national average salary is the "teachers" who have no class (In Portland, Oregon some huge number like 10% of "teachers" have no class and are not considered administrators)?

[MEGoody]

I'm glad that the teacher's pay thing is a 'myth'. On the other hand, we pay millions to men who play ball or people who sing songs. Kind of shows where the priorities of Americans are.

[justshe]

We're almost neighbors, neighbor. Or will be in about 3 yrs. Daniels Rd...I THINK that is off Skye.

[rwfromkansas]

7 years in college? yikes.

At my college supposedly you can do it in 4......but that is hooey.

Really it is 5 even to get the lowest level degree and certification. And then your certification is provisional until you submit your "professional portfolio."

And then your Masters.....

I plan on probably doing that through an online program; I don't want to go live on a campus for that if I can manage.

[CyberCowboy777]

Stalin, Hitler and the communist/humanist of this nation can all be quoted in their delight in public education for it's oppressive nature and removal of individual and moral thought.

The systems they discuss are not foreign or opposite of our system, they are almost identical. Born from the same origins and purposes.

[rwfromkansas]

Teachers can't strike in most states.

They have less rights than other unionized labor.

[CyberCowboy777]

I'll look for it.

Are you retiring to the property or just moving?

[Dead Dog]

Hey, if it's such a great Job, I don't see many Freepers lining up to do it.

[Carolinamom]

As a part of the basis/personal experiences for your perception of teachers and public schools, you say that you have worked "in the schools". In what capacity? Teacher? Teacher aide? Office personnel? Counselor? Cafeteria worker? Bus driver? Custodian? Other?

[justshe]

Figured I had talked enough about this on the thread. You have FRmail.

[rwfromkansas]

Dabney was a good man.

[Dead Dog]

Actually my fiance is a teacher, and my mother just retired from teaching after 30 years ($60K was the max she made, and that was with 29 years experience and as an admin.)

Cushie my a$$. They both work(ed) a minumum 60 hour weeks and have to deal with imbred parents who don't give a rats butt about education, didn't when they whent through, and want to know why little "Skyler" is failing.

The day my fiance figures out it's a crap job and leaves public edusitting will be the best day of her life. She doesn't even make $20.00 an hour, more like $15.00

[rwfromkansas]

I love Dubya, but No Child Left Behind will make it more difficult to get these bad kids out of the classroom.

[CyberCowboy777]

25,000 to 27,000 a year?

With or with out benies?

[Diva Betsy Ross]

I think good teachers should get high salaries and good benefits. I also don't have a problem with them having the summers off. I support public education in the sense I believe we should have a system in place that allows all people to get an education. That is not what we have.

Anyone who argues we do is not seeing the whole picture. I am in PA where teachers are paid very well. They even admit it when they have to. You would think the good teachers would want to get rid of the bad teachers. I am sure a few do, however the unions are to attractive. I have seen people who consider themselves anti- NEA join. They will have a hundred excuses why. The real reason IMO, it makes teaching easier and offers benefits .. We need to reward people who understand the delicate nature of child development and do not humiliate children into conformity. We need to reward students ,and not suck the joy of life out of them. I have no stats on that... but that is what I see.

There will always be problem kids and problem parents. We will always need to hire people to deal with them. Afterall, it is the NEA who thinks all people are exactly the same, or should be, and should be lumped together based on age not skillor ability. People should not go into teaching thinking that while they join the NEA, they are going to make a difference in education. They just are not. They may make a difference with one or two kids, or a classroom of kids if they are compassionate. And that is very worthwhile. But they should not scream about how unfair everything is while they are at it.

When the NEA is gone, and they will be within the next 15 years, good teachers will see the rewards. Job conditions will improve and kids will learn again. Why some teachers fight , I think, is because it is scary to be without big brother who has told them how to feel , what to do and how to think for so long. ( I also don't have any stats on that)

[Diva Betsy Ross]

Why people who go into public education complain about having to deal with the public is beyond me.

Why doesn't your future wife work as a tutor for a group of homeschool students she could teach free lance and charge as she likes, run an after school progaram tutoring in her subject area or go to private shool. Why doesn't she start a charter school on line ,or write text books.

[rwfromkansas]

Funny, I have to do a lot of paperwork prep to get ready to satisfy state requirements. I am taking ed classes and while some are not that difficult, some are. I am going to be taking one next year which will be incredibly difficult.

My intro to ed class was honestly the hardest class I can remember since my freshman year in HS. And I am a 4.0 student after two semesters in college, so I am not an idiot.

[Dead Dog]

Amen to that 100%. And I'm not b!tching that they get paid too little. The future Mrs. Dead Dog would like to get paid more I'm sure, but she loves her job (to my dismay) and plans to stay in it. ie. She's paid enough.

The NEA needs to be ended, they also need to be able to remove brats that present a real physical threat to teachers and students, and they need to get rid of the Prozac pushers in the Nurses office. Oh, and gut most Administrator's offices.

[July 4th]

Where else can you go to work for 6 hours a day, for 9 months a year, and make a decent living. Plus gubmint benefits too.

Sorry...but no good teacher works those hours. Most go from 7am to 4pm, and work about 3 weeks longer per year than the students actually attend school.

[tuna_battle_slight_return]

"Where else can you go to work for 6 hours a day, for 9 months a year, and make a decent living."

You forgot about extra days off (or delays) for fog, snow, etc. In some districts this may account for an additional 15 days of vacation per (school) year.

On the other hand, don't forget that teachers do work closer to 8 or 9 hours per day, given the planning and grading involved post-school day (still, no one can argue effectively one truth: teachers generally have 10 to 12 weeks off during the summer).

Just trying to be fair to the teachers...