They help shape your children’s minds, spending countless hours teaching them reading, writing, and arithmetic—and little is thought about their wages until a strike is called and your children are sent home. Some parents (and teachers) argue that they are not paid enough, while others believe they are vastly overpaid—especially since they get 2 months off each year and leave work hours before many other employed people. Suffice it to say, in the US and Canada, one of the most common societal debates involves teachers’ pay in relation to the services they provide.
One common theory today is that one of the main reasons the educational system fails students, often resulting in poor educational outcomes, is that teachers are underpaid for the amount of work they perform. After all, today they are held to high standards, with their performance often measured by data from standardized tests and student achievements. This brings up the question of whether teachers are truly solely responsible for the ability and success of every child’s learning experience. While teachers may control what happens in the classroom, they have little to no control over what happens after the bell rings and children go home to their families. This is just one reason why teachers in poverty-stricken and crime-ridden school districts report high burnout rates and often quit, feeling as though they’re making little to no difference while being burdened with the responsibility of educating children.
Despite the benefits of days off, shorter hours, and an average income that is 35% higher than the typical employee’s salary, teachers are government employees. As such, in the United States, teacher pay consumes about 30% of local, state, and federal government tax dollars. As public servants, their salaries and compensation are tied directly to taxpayer money. According to Forbes, in the U.S., around 50% of tax dollars are spent on paying administrators and personnel in public schools, while only 5% goes toward first responders such as EMTs, firefighters, and police.
Teacher Salaries and Public Perception
So, what happens when teachers go on strike and demand more money? Tax dollars are simply increased. Teachers enter the field of education fully aware of the pay and benefits. However, due to mounting demands on performance, as well as the typical responsibilities of acting as parental figures for children, teachers often burn out. This leads to resentment and calls for higher pay. This was the case earlier this year in Canada when teachers went on strike, though many argue that government employees should not be allowed to strike over pay, given that they voluntarily work in public service.
It’s also interesting to look at actual teacher wages. The following chart, provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, shows the average wage for public school teachers. This chart doesn’t take into account the additional benefits such as retirement, healthcare, and savings options that are available to teachers. When you look at these numbers, do you still think teachers are overpaid or underpaid?
Of course, teachers also have to deal with challenging students, learning disorders, behavioral issues, and often end up working from home. Does this justify higher pay? While there is some debate about the availability of qualified teachers, universities are graduating educators at an expansive rate, which helps keep the consequences of supply and demand (higher pay) in check. While teaching may be a government job in the public sector, there are still plenty of teachers to fill positions, and those willing to work for the pay usually have no trouble finding jobs.
Certainly, teaching is not an easy job. There is a lot of stress involved. Teachers have to deal with parents, challenging children, and are responsible for shaping young minds and the future generation. There is considerable value associated with the work they do. But to date, that “worth” cannot be properly tied to a specific salary. As a result, the conversation about whether teachers are underpaid or overpaid will likely continue.
What do you think? Are teachers paid too much, or are they gravely underpaid for the service they provide to society?
One Response
What utter nonsense. I left teaching after three years earning about 41k and yes, I burned out. The chart is not referenced. Where is the link? The MEDIAN income for teachers is probably about half that of engineers or auditors. And in most states, teachers can’t strike. Clearly the author (“staff” LOL) learned absolutely nothing in school. It is absolutely true, however, that teachers have no control over what happens at home, and the often-unstated fact is that teachers also have no control over that child’s prenatal care, economic circumstances, upbringing and preparedness for even the most basic learning. It is a thankless profession and I am one of the many ex-teachers who found the entire exercise laughably ludicrous. I taught math and science and trust me: NO ONE GIVES TWO SHITS especially parents.