Some of these responses are rather interesting, but I do have a few responses of my own. First, to say that teachers are paid through the summer is ABSOLUTELY incorrect, and uninformed. We select to be paid either 21 pays (through the school year) or 26 pays (through the summer). If we select the pay through the summer, our paycheck is proportionately less during the school year. We are salaried workers, most of us with education beyond masters degrees. Comparably, in other positions - say lawyers, the private business sector, or equitably educated, we actually earn less money. Teaching is still a calling, one does not go through the education and work the hours necessary to do the job appropriately for the pay that we get. The radical ends of the political spectrum have equally damaged education in America. The ultra conservative has stuck its fingers in common core and tolerance (or lack thereof), and the ultra liberal has damaged the behavior of the student/ parent/ teacher discourse.
Secondly, when considering the income of teachers, in the state of Michigan, teachers have lost thousands annually due to corrupt government agendas, an illegal 3% garnishing of wages for "retirement" and health care investment, (A ruling which has been overturned in appeals and may be heading for the Supreme Court) and the restrictions placed upon us by private sector interests.
Finally, I find it interesting that no one has addressed the fact that individual parents may be able to address a specific discipline or two in regards to curriculum, but there is no way that individual parents can address all curriculum at the high school level. Sorry, parents simply do no have the time or curricular knowledge.
Respectfully, this is the issue in America. Just because individuals have attended school, they do not have the knowledge or expertise to be a teacher. I have been to the doctor, but I will never claim that I have the knowledge to be your surgeon. That is just plain naive.
