Drew Sheneman for May 11, 2023

Some teachers work a third, and most buy school supplies for their students. If the military budget was like public schools, the armed forces would be shooting flintlocks, and hiring themselves out as mercs.

We throw our children at the teachers and demand they make something of them for next to nothing in pay. And then we throw billions of our dollars at pro sports and some rock star.

Why would any teacher demands more money when the outcomes of the system are horrible. Does anyone think paying incompetent employees more makes them do a better job?

Red state reality

So went to BLS occupational wage data by occupation for some annual mean wage data.

All workers – 61,900

Elem / Middle school teachers – 67,930

Secondary school teachers – 69,330

Special ed teachers – 70,110

Post secondary teachers – 96,130

Compared to the average worker, they are overpaid and get a lot more time off.

If you are or have been a teacher or know one well, you know how much work they do, what stresses and pressures they endure, and how much they are paid. They bear an awesome responsibility in one of our most vitally important professions and should be compensated commensurately.

Teachers starting out do not make nearly enough. However, us veteran teachers do OK, moneywise. I’ll settle for some respect, not being a pawn in the culture wars and a little more help from parents with their kids.

We have a sponsorship program here, and I usually spend $30-$40 dollars every six weeks., alternating between the two grandkids’ classes. Other members of the family also support and I’m sure other kids’ families do as well. So the elementary school they go to is well-supplied and they go on field trips. But not all schools have that support.

Click left if you missed the two previous cartoons.

For the states that have a republican controlled legislature and executive branch, it is Teacher Depreciation Day there

I always felt that I was paid reasonably during my career. That said, when I was in my first 2 decades I jumped at almost every opportunity to earn extra pay for chaperoning dances, proctoring tests, etc. (Kids, house, car(s)) I also held jobs in the private sector when I was teaching. People do what they think they need to do to meet their economic goals.

Some of the interesting things that I see in this decades old conversation: 1) how few recognize WHAT “success” of a student might be. How is it measured? Is it standardized testing? (Here’s a secret: they’re created by educators.) 2) “Success” can occur later. You truly never know when something taught might “kick in” for a kid. It’s not like a carpenter and knows with certainty that there is “success”. 3) Lower paid educators usually sounds nice for others, but in red suburban districts they’re often the highest paid on average. (Maybe don’t foist upon others that you wouldn’t accept for your own?) Remember, if “supply” is low, economically, the answer is to increase price (salary/benefits). Wouldn’t that attract “better” candidates? You get what you pay for, right? 4) The comparison to “other workers” is apples/oranges. How ’bout comparing to other professionals with degrees? 5) How often people use anecdotal evidence to confirm their beliefs.

When “Act 10” (2011) was first enacted here in WI, I read a piece that stated that what the right wants is a “7 year teacher”. No institutional knowledge, no mentorship, no higher end of the career salaries, no pensions, etc. Careful what you ask for: maybe THAT is why so few want to enter the profession?

basically