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Re: "the myth of underpaid teachers" no longer true!
Posted by Mark on 6/17/09

    On 6/17/09, Elena wrote:
    > First of all, not all areas of the country have unions.
    > Many of the states in the south are "right to work states"
    > in which there is no collective bargaining. Where I teach,
    > there is no such thing as tenure.

    You know, unions didn't just pop up in those states that have
    pro-union laws. People fought for them, sometimes literally.
    The Sit-Down Strike in Flint, MI, comes to mine, the actual
    blow-to-blow fighting against Henry Ford's goons is another
    example.

    Its actually hard times like these where unions gain strength.
    People realize they're expendable, get treated as such, and
    organize, instead of just slinking off to find another readily
    available job. Its not easy, but in my opinion, not just in
    teaching, but throughout America our way of life is being
    threatened. If we're serious about preserving the "American
    Dream," we might need to put some work in, especially in the
    right-to-work states. Laws can be changed if people mobilize.
    Heck, people in IRAN, where they shoot women for showing some
    ankle, are protesting for their rights right now! Are we so fat
    and lazy that we can't. Are they going to have to starve that
    mentality out of us through unemployment and suffering until we
    get that hunger back? Will it be too late? Just questions to
    ponder...

    > To me anyway, an average salary of $50,000 is not
    > great. You cannot afford to buy a home, send children to
    > college, or travel internationally on such a salary.

    Most people who I know who do the things you mentioned above do
    so as a professional couple. That's TWO people earning
    $50,000+. Of course it depends on where you live, as far as
    home ownership, but a combined income of 100,000 or more should
    enable someone to own a home (though maybe not a 500,000 5BDRM
    home in a posh neighborhood), send their kids to college (though
    Duke or Yale would be hard) and travel (though maybe not 5 weeks
    in Europe every year). If someone has a family (assumed because
    you mentioned sending kids to college) and they choose to be a
    one income family, then they choose to make sacrifices.

    However, I was single and a teacher for several years before
    getting marred. I didn't own a "home," but I did own a 2
    bedroom condo, which was more than enough for one person. I
    also managed to save quite a bit of money (more than I seem to
    now as part of a 2 income couple) and traveled a lot, including
    internationally.

    I also know single teachers, and married for that matter, who
    try to live the lifestyle of a rock star or even a rich banker,
    and they just end up in debt and unhappy. They have $500 meals
    at trendy downtown restaurants and drop the same at a nightclub
    on a regular basis, and complain teaching doesn't pay enough.
    It certainly doesn't pay enough for that lifestyle, and you
    shouldn't get into the profession if that's what you want.

    >

     
     

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