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Low Wages Lead to High Teacher Turnover

To fix education we must invest in our teachers, not flawed studies

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As long as we pay people more per hour to take care of cars than we do teachers to take care of our children, we should stop complaining about why both are breaking down with increasing frequency.

Ebdavis of GA 1:35PM November 10, 2011

Soldiers may get paid less, which is a terrible injustice, BUT they don't have to pay for room and board, food, or clothing. There is some balance there. I'm really thinking YOU don't understand what this response was saying. Teachers get that time off, but they're still working during it. Weekends are spent grading papers, holidays are spent catching up on grades and lesson plans. Summers off? Well, if you were working round the clock the way teachers do (and getting no recognition for all the work you put in) I don't think you'd complain about that. Teachers work far longer than the school day. Once the bell rings, they're working on grading papers, conferences with parents, tutoring, organizing projects, etc. They spend their own money to make up for what districts can't provide the students and then being told they're over paid. I'm not saying they deserve to be making millions, but they're under paid for the amount of work they do put in and the stress they are stuck with. If you were constantly reading about how worthless you are in society and how you're paid too much, I highly doubt you'd be as dedicated to your profession as these people are. Yet, they're still putting in the same effort despite all the ridicule. Also, teachers today are spending more time "babysitting" than teaching. Parents refuse to believe their children are misbehaving. Who do they blame? Not the kids and not themselves...the teachers. So the teacher is being given the job of babysitter/parent/teacher, but they're over paid? Spend a week in the classroom working side by side with an elementary school teacher and I think you'll change your tune. I did.

Tommy of MI 11:52AM November 10, 2011

No - Teachers do choose the profession to become rich, but they would like to make ends meet. Our students know how much the public values education by the condition of the buildings, learning materials provided, and the level their teachers are paid and respected by the public.

Clifton R. Ogle of OK 9:52PM November 09, 2011

Database administrators deserve to be paid more due to the technical knowledge they know and constantly have to update and the huge responsibility they have to possibly millions of customers 24/7. Plus the job, at least from my perspective of having 15 years in IT support, is incredibly boring but it has to be done. I think you chose the wrong career to put Teacher against.

Karl of CA 9:25PM November 09, 2011

Forgot to mention that teachers get paid more than our military that are fighting for our freedoms. They don't have a union nor do they go on strike.

Joe of NE 7:57PM November 09, 2011

You state that teachers on average $55k a year. Compared to other professions of $64k - $75k a year. You fail to mention that the other professions work year round without days off for holidays(2 weeks for Christmas) and the entire Summer off. Factor in the pay and other benefits and you will see the complete wage compensation is great than the private sector.

You also fail to mention the failure to give raises or terminations based on merit.

I'm really thinking that you haven't take a simple econ course to understand how the world works.

Joe of NE 7:55PM November 09, 2011

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