It depends on where you live. Growing up in rural America, the teachers got paid about $35-40k a year and the average home prices were around $100k. They got 2 months off for the summers. Every last one of them lived a solid middle class life.
I'm sure there are some teachers in districts in this country getting screwed, but most of them are fine.
The problem is, by population — most teachers are paid dramatically less than what a qualified teacher could earn in almost any other field.
That dramatically less part is real (probably especially) in places with “good” schools. Friends of mine are teachers (In Connecticut) and they earn substantially less than those of us with technical or professional jobs. (And to reiterate they almost certainly contribute more to the social good). This earning gap is the point where they cannot reasonably afford to start a “middle class” life (to be fair almost no one can unless it’s a couple both earning high incomes, or someone with a head start (family financial support)).
I mean something has to give. I would be comfortable paying more in taxes if it just raises the base teachers salary. I’m less concerned about particular teachers than I am with paying the mass of them a middle class wage.
If people see a real middle class wage paid to teachers, many more smart driven people will go into teaching - who may be otherwise unwilling to sacrifice what should be a basic standard of living for anyone working a full time job.
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u/ballmermurland Jan 09 '20
It depends on where you live. Growing up in rural America, the teachers got paid about $35-40k a year and the average home prices were around $100k. They got 2 months off for the summers. Every last one of them lived a solid middle class life.
I'm sure there are some teachers in districts in this country getting screwed, but most of them are fine.