Okay I'm going to take a step back because I know my tone is offensive, and I'm really not here to make enemies. I apologize for taking things too far, particularly to any teachers or loved ones of teachers I may have offended. This topic, for reasons I don't fully understand, is a sensitive one for people. That being said, I honestly think there is value in what I'm saying, but clearly not in the way I'm saying it.
First of all, teachers don't go into teaching to get rich so it's a little odd IMO for them to complain that their compensation isn't high. It would be interesting to see what type of people the vocation would attract if not for the unusually high amount of vacation time. That benefit is amazing...time is the most precious commodity any of us have, and teachers get more time in a twelve month period to do whatever they want than the overwhelming majority of non-teachers.
The comments in support of the hard work of teachers are focussed on the 9 months a year classes are in, but not on the 3 months a year where they are not working. I think it would be fair to the arguement if people would insert that caveat into any comment on how hard teachers work. There will never be the same type of financial compensation in the education sector there is in say engineering, but people know that going into teaching, so it's sort of an irrelevant point to make once they are already teaching. If you want to get rich, don't be a teacher.
Teachers are paid a very fair salary - I would argue high for the amount of work they have to do - but it certainly isn't low by any measure. Having to put 10% of your salary into a pension is not onerous. Your union has factored this into its negotiations with the government to ensure the 90% you live off of is more than adequate. Jobs without pensions don't have that 10% padding, and most of us save more than 10% towards our retirement, or should be at any rate.
Regardless, what teachers may not receive in financial compensation, they do receive in time off (this cannot be understated), pension, job security (wonder what's going to happen to all the high-paid engineers and geologists in the oil sector in the coming months?), etc.
They are rewarded greatly for what they do, and it is frustrating that they are never satisfied. As a taxpayer, it makes me want to compensate them in the exact same way this job would be compensated in the private sector. Look at responsibility, education required, and hours/year. I believe based on these measures teachers are paid an unreasonably high amount.
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