Pay Inequality
Some time in the recent past, I saw an ad in the Help Wanted section of the Piqua, Ohio newspaper, looking for candidates to take the Civil Service exam for a position as a police officer or as a fire fighter. The police officer starting salary was about $50,500 and the firefighter salary was about $49,500. Neither position had an education requirement, but a 2-year degree in Law Enforcement was sure helpful to become a police officer.
To be a public school teacher in Ohio, one must obtain a bachelors degree in education and then pass a state certification test. On top of that, once one gets hired as a public school teacher, one must obtain a master’s degree in education within five years.
The starting salary for a teacher with a bachelors degree in the Piqua School District is less than $30,000 a year.
So, a person can go to college for four years and make $29,000 a year OR go to college for two years and make $50,000 a year.
Kinda tells us how we, as a society, value education, doesn’t it?
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Liberty Street 
September 11, 2012 at 7:22 pm
Not to say police officers and firefighters are overpaid–they earn every penny. But yes, teachers are absurdly underpaid, given the weight of the nation is on their shoulders…
September 11, 2012 at 9:10 pm
I agree. Police officers and firefighters do earn their pay. I have friends in, or retired from, each of those lines of public safety.
But, public school teachers are grossly under paid. And they are not respected.
September 11, 2012 at 9:29 pm
It sure does! Are you a teacher? I spent 33 years in teaching and am now blogging about some of my experiences and ideas. I would enjoy your thoughts. Thanks!
September 12, 2012 at 4:09 am
I am not a teacher. After I retired, I got a license to be a substitute teacher, which I did for a few years. My oldest has a Masters in Spec Ed.