In order to compare salaries with other fields of employment, you need to take the yearly salary and adjust it by the relative number of hours per year actually worked.
For example, I just looked up our school district board minutes. They're hiring a special-ed teacher with BS and 1 year experience for a little over $42K. Taking into account the actual number of educational days in the year (180 versus 250)means she should be compared to a private-sector employee making $59K, which is VERY good money for somebody just out of school.
And in my kids school district, the teachers are out the door and unavailable at the end of the 6 hour school day, versus minimum 8 hours in the regular world, making her salary compare to somebody making $78K.
My wife's friend is a special ed teacher, and to her base salary gets added quite a bit of $$$ for tutoring on the side after school and in the summer (for which she gets an hourly rate)
Problem is there is no comparison in the public sector where you can compare teachers salary with another position in industry. Teachers work doesn’t end with the school day. I’ve helped my friends in the evening going over the tests, homework kids turned in. They have spent several hours before class and after class. Again, they get a fixed salary and it’s up to them how they want to receive it; either in 12 month segments or 10 month segments. They do not get paid a years salary for just ten months work.