In my opinion... the people responsible for teaching our children, shaping the future for them, should be paid more.
It shocks me, that we pay our state legislators more than three times the salary of a starting teacher.
Yes, these same legislators that can't seem to pass a budget, earn three times the salary of a starting teacher. This doesn't include the extras that these politicians have access to (i.e. state paid travel, etc). I know that my company does not pay for me to get to and from my office. Why are these people entitled to this benefit? And I don't think that teachers are paid to get to and from their school each day.
What if a teacher decided that (s)he didn't do a major portion of their job for 50+ days of their work-year? Would the state consider that acceptable performance of the job duties? I am sure the answer would be 'no'!
References for notes above...
Job Postings for Clovis Unified School District - starting salary listed at $39,370
Salary for Mike Villines - salary listed at $133,638.96
(Note - I am not related to any teachers or legislators... just my personal opinion on the matter. This is not a personal attack on Mike Villines, he happens to be the legislator that represents the Clovis area.)
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How much money for teachers would be enough? But while you are contemplating that, you can't compare legislators and teachers salaries as apples to apples, because they are not. Any teacher that wants to run for state office can do so (many have) but they have to convince a majority of voters that they are the best person running for the job. If elected, as Mike Villines was, they have to take a pass-fail test every other year called an election. While legislators have time away from Sacramento, it is a time to get reconnected with their constituents who sent them there--hardly a vacation. In addition to many individual holidays, teachers enjoy a week break in the Spring, 2 1/2 months in summer, Thanksgiving break and two weeks at Christmas. Teachers have great retirement; legislators have none. Teachers have tenure (job security), Legislators have elections and term limits. Teachers shape our students, our future, but Legislators shape the textbooks, overall school policies as well as every other state issue. As the Assembly Republican Leader, Mike Villines and the three other legislative leaders earn more than the other 116 legislators, which he more than earns. Teachers get automatic pay increases for years served, and more pay for education completed, in addition to cost of living, while a beginning Legislator makes the same as one with 12 years experience. For the record, I don't live in Mr. Villines district, and have no relation to him. I'm thankful my parents were teachers, and not legislators. And if you are still ruminating on how much a teacher should be paid, click your mouse over to the NEA website where you will discover that California teachers are the highest paid in the nation, but are not coaxing the highest student results for that money.
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