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]

I never claimed teachers have it easy.

Do not put words in my mouth.

[CyberCowboy777]

You are quoting someone from over 100 years ago??

So it is not a good idea to quote Twains thoughts on education?

Or Jeffersons thoughts on the Republic.....

Too old?

[Diva Betsy Ross]

Oh right the old spelling thing. Right ,was it a typo, was a simple spelling error? Could it be getting used to a new keyboard, could it be an oversight of changing tense and not proof reading corectly. Who knows? I bet you have never made one spelling or typing mistake, right?

Why deal with the issue when you can send smoke and mirrors in.... how creative of you. Let me guess you are a " teacher". You think because you can pick up on other people's spelling mistakes or typos you won the debate. That is the problem with no ability to debate an issue, and no attempt at critical thought. You are left with having to look for what you think are spelling mistakes. You must feel so proud of yourself.

Your point was again... oh, that's right ,no point just a liberal's attempt to make fun of someone based upon some personal feeling of superority, which is based upon finding and pointing out spelling mistakes and typos. If that's all you got ,I would dare say you need someting more drastic than spelling lessons. You need thinking lessons.

[B Knotts]

Teachers only work 8 months a year and if they hang on for 30 years they can expect to receive a pension that pays them ~80-85% of what they were making while in the classroom.

Here in Oregon, some of them (government school teachers) actually retire with a retirement plan that pays them more than they ever earned while working!

[Mad Dawgg]

"I love this article. Bookmarked and sent to my lesbian/teacher/flaming liberal/sister!!!"

Let me guess, you wrote the screen play for:

I bet Thanksgiving dinner at your place is a hoot!

[KneelBeforeZod]

"Those who can't teach. Those who can't teach teach gym. Those who couldn't do anything ended up at my school"~~Radio Days

[ReagansShinyHair]

The thing that I think is so funny about people who complain that teachers are so highly paid is that they are usually people who have kids. They should care about kids, even if they're not their own. Do they want kids taught by the dregs of humanity? Educated people who put up with low pay are usually just not the type of people who excell at what they do. That's not who I want teaching my kids. Well, I want to homeschool, but that's another story.

Yes, there are many bad teachers. I had many of them. They should have paid ME to put up with their stupidity and meaness. There. I admitted it. Some teachers are terrible. There are probably many of them out there.

But teachers' hourly pay rate? That is such a total crock.

It's easy to lie with stats. I work a 10-12 hour day, not 6-7, which is just the time I spend with students. How does that figure out? I work weekends, often. Did he factor that in to my hourly wage? Usually I only work about 4 hours per weekend, so it's not that bad. I guess maybe we can let that slide. Although there are about 4 weekends per year that I work 20 hours. I do not take summers off, I spend at least 20 hours per week planning new units, reading teaching literature to be more effective, and getting ready for the new school year. Oh, but I suppose he factored THAT into the hourly wage as well. Of course he did. Then, there are the nights I wake up in the middle of the night every half hour, wondering how I will deal with different school problems. I guess I don't get paid for that, since it's only a high-stress job that's interfering with my sleep, and many people have those. That doesn't count. There are also numerous after-hours staff meetings. But, you know, I guess I should trust that he took those into account as well.

What about the fact that I have to attend many hours of extra training each year? What about the fact that I voluntarily attend extra training each year? You know, I'm just guessing that he probably forgot to add in some of these hours...

Starting pay for teachers has come up nicely in some areas. In others, it is dismal. In many districts across America they start you out at $24k per year. $24k per year? For 6 years' worth of education? Intelligent youth of America, would you like to be a teacher? I thought not. I moved out of my district this year, but if I hadn't I would have taken a $5000 pay cut. Oo, fun. Stable government job, my eye.

The only reason I actually started teaching was because teacher pay had increased so much. I always loved kids and teacher but wasn't stupid enough to put up with the low pay. I still took an $8000 pay cut when I began teaching. I thought I would work less hours. Hah! My yearly hours of actual work time have not decreased. You see, I used to be able to do my job in business in about 4-5 hours per day. The rest of the day I spent in my cubicle, websurfing and having fun. I was not CONSTANTLY ON CALL AND RESPONSIBLE FOR 20-34 little people. I could go to the bathroom whenever I wanted. Imagine that! My employer loved me, by the way. All my employers have loved me. It's just much easier to spend 40-50 hours in a cubicle than it is to spend 6 with kids, then another 2-4 prepping and grading. But, I'm sure he must have factored that in. Right?

Do not dare lump me in with the few slackers who do the bare minimum and then complain that kids are just dumber now. Most teachers do not slack off, either, it is only the few really bad ones that make the rest of us look bad.

I happen to be using teaching as a stepping stone to another, highler degree. I can go to school and do summer internships during my even *more* years of education. I fully realize that the public school system is terrible. However, I am well educated as to the real problems facing it, such as a hugely bloated beauracracy. The school system has worked before, and it can work again. The solution is not to prattle on with useless, slanted stats about "averages". Anyone who understands basic statistics knows how very easy it is to lie by using averages, and they really do not apply to any particular teachers.

Now, sorry if I sound bitter or something, I'm just very tired of hearing my profession slammed over and over again by people who mostly have no experience teaching. Get in the trenches, fight it out, and then come back with some solutions, not just complaints. I went into teaching to help kids and make the profession better. What has this writer guy done about the poor education system? Write about low teacher pay? I hardly think that's brave. We've been hearing that for as long as I can remember. It seems to be extremely popular to slam teachers and the school system in any way, shape or form.

It's drawing attention away from the most serious issues in education today.

[ReagansShinyHair]

Oh, yeah, I forgot. Do you have drive-by alarms at your place of employment? See, if there's a car that's doing a "drive-by" (you know, where they shoot out the car window at stuff/people on the street...you've probably seen lots of them), anyway, if they do that, there's a bell, and we all lay flat on the ground, whether we're outside or in. I'm sure you've done that lots of times at your work. There's another special alarm that says we all lock our doors and not open them for anyone, because someone dangerous is on campus. If the kids need to use the restroom before the all-clear, I get to make a tent out of jackets so they can pee in the trash can. I'm sure you've all peed in the trash can at your work because you were worried about someone killing you or the small, frightened children around you. Hey, how is that different from any other job? Teachers should just quit whining.

[Lady Eileen]

Truth endures the test of time.

Nearly 150 years ago R.L. Dabney noted: The education of children for God is the most important business done on earth. It is the business for which the earth exist. To it all politics, all war, all literature, all money-making ,ought to be subordinated; and every parent especially ought to feel, every hour of the day, that, next to making his own calling and election sure, this is the end for which he is kept alive by God---this is his task on earth.

[VOA]

Lack of familial support to be precise. No teacher can compensate for that.

Precisely why throwing more money at the education establishment doesn't
buy improvement in student performance.

Of course, that's pretty obvious already considering what teachers in private/religious
(=non-union/public) schools are paid...and the results are often much better.

[ridesthemiles]

You really mean 21 days of sick leave for 9 months of work....not a year like the rest of us..

[Centurion2000]

bump

[katiebelle]

If you can read this and spit out complete sentences flaming those who taught you to read, thank a teacher! Until you have walked in my shoes don't pretend to be the expert. The school day starts well before the first child ever walks into that room and lasts long after every child leaves. I started out making $510 every 2 weeks. That was with my Masters degree that I paid for and worked for after my day at work which was from 7-5.(I was so selfish I stayed late with my own child in day care to get everything just right for your child the next day) You do the math. And for those of you who think 6 hours are from 7-5 you missed something in first grade when they went over counting. By the way you can thank a teacher for that if you can do it. My how quickly we forget our roots. Unless you were home schooled or just born as smart as you are today thank a teacher. If you are employed and have marketable skills thank a teacher. I think most of you are forgetting that the NEA and other unions don't represent many many teachers. I never once paid the first penny to those organizations. Do you have any idea how they get most people to join? They promise unlimited legal counsel should you get sued. You can thank parents who think teachers are just a bit better than your average burger flipper and greedy lawyers sho could care less who they sue as long as they get paid. At $510 every 2 weeks you are getting a bargain. You are not only getting an educator but a counselor and a nurse. In many many cases you are also getting someone who gives those children more love in those school hours than they get all week at home. Instead of whining about us lousy teachers how about home schooling your child and just 4 other friends for a month and then see how you feel. Just one more math problem to leave you with....lets pretend for just a minute that the only thing you expected from a teacher was what you might expect from a babysitter on Friday night. At $6 an hour for 19 children for 6 hours a day, 5 days a week for 35 weeks a year that would be $119,700 a year and that doesn't include the first bit of learning, bandaging knees, finding lost teeth on the playground to send home to the tooth fairy, wiping away tears because their best friend likes the same boy, phone calls from parents at 10:00 the night before the book report is due findindg out what THEIR assignment is, checking for head lice, cleaning up the vomit, writing lesson plans, spending your own money to buy a child a costume for the play because the parent refused, holding a 6 year old on our lap crying his eyes out because his daddy left for good this time(we think), telling your class that their friend has cancer, reporting child abuse, cheering for that slow learner that finally gets it the 100th way you have tried explaining it, eating with 6 year olds who all chew with their mouths open, unstopping the class toilet, trying to explain how the class pet had babies last night, going to sporting events on your own time and your family's own time just to show you care, attending the funeral of a student, laughing yourself silly over the sweet things they say......I would say even at $50k a year your getting a great deal.

[laredo44]

he was making $105,000/year

approximately $70K - $105K.

Ok, I don't believe you. Time to shut me up by naming the district so these claims can be verified.

[katiebelle]

You can not be serious....

The only people I know who drive sports cars and have nanny's, and full health insurance , and pensions and summers off and DON'T have work on the weekends and at night , and have to travel all over the world for days on end, are public school teachers.

Give me a break with the checking the homework at night baloney.

Maybe if the are just teaching to have fun and are independently wealthy. Are you kidding me? Get a grip. Not one teacher that I have ever taught with have a nanny. As far as traveling we all taught summer school to help make ends meet.

[Jhoffa_]

I too am sick of the stereotype of the perfect teacher, bein cheated out of her "due"

Screw them.. If you can't afford to teach, then get a real, year round job like everyone else.

Otherwise, hush up. People are tired of hearing it.

They aren't conscripts you know.

[laredo44]

Well you have school from 8 to 3, thats 7 hours. But you get an hour for lunch. That in my book is 6 hours.

Don't forget the hour prep period.