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Teacher Salaries: More Attention Needed to Specifics ( The Millionaire Next Door)
EducationNews.org ^ | June 16, 2006 | David W. Kirkpatrick

Posted on 06/17/2006 5:15:15 AM PDT by wintertime

One of the ongoing controversies in the public schools is the issue of teacher salaries. Teachers largely claim they are too low while taxpayers are equally vehement that they are more than adequate.

(snip)

Then there are the actual salary levels. Statistics in 2005 showed the average teacher salary in the nation was $46,762, ranging from a low of $33,236 in South Dakota to $57,337 in Connecticut. Even this ignores the additional compensation teachers receive as fringe benefits, which may add an additional 33% or more to the costs, primarily for very good retirement and health coverage plans. Further, averages include starting teacher salaries, which may begin at $30,000 or less, which teachers gladly mention, but ignore the high salaries of career teachers at or near the maximum on their salary schedule, important because retirement pensions are often based on the best three or so years.

(snip)

Last year, the New York State Department of Education issued a study that reported maximum teacher salaries in that state of $100,000 or more and median salaries as high as $98,000 per year. That is, there were districts, in Westchester County for example, where half of the teachers earned more than $98,000 a year.

A novel approach a few years ago by Michael Antonucci, director of the Education Intelligence Agency in California, compared teachers average salaries to average salaries all workers state by state. First prize went to Pennsylvania where the teachers received 62.5% more than the average employee. That difference is even greater when it is further considered that teachers average a 185 day work year while most workers put in 235.

(snip) Women who had been educators were 7.4% of the total deceased that year but 20.6% of them, nearly three times the statistical expectation were among the affluent few. Former male educators didn't do quite as well but even they were represented among the wealthy decedents by a ratio nearly 1.5 times the anticipated numerical ratio.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: education; educrats; govwatch; notbreakingnews; teacherpay; teachers
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To: MissEdie
I don't think so. Watching a child with Learning Disabilites gain a sense of pride and belief in themselves is worth it.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

And there are THOUSANDS of competent teachers throughout the nation who are doing the same without having paid a ton in tuition at pricey schools.,,,,Many even are graduates of community colleges.
61 posted on 06/17/2006 6:09:58 AM PDT by wintertime (Good ideas win! Why? Because people are not stupid.)
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To: raybbr
"Why is it okay for only a few in this country to make exorbitant salaries..."

Define "exorbitant". Who decides what is exorbitant? You? The media? Class warfare mongering liberals? What do you mean by "only a few"? Get real.

"...but the average joe is lambasted for the same ambitions?"

More nonsense. This has nothing whatsoever to do with "ambitions", and face it; the "average Joe"'s salary isn't paid by the taxpayers. If I have to explain the difference, let me know.

62 posted on 06/17/2006 6:10:18 AM PDT by RightOnline
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To: Plutarch
You forgot to mention the teachers' remarkably high rates of absence, which can average 15 days of the measley 185 annual working days.

A major reason for that is the large number of women of childbearing age in the profession. A lot of maternity leave in that demographic, not to mention staying home with sick children.

63 posted on 06/17/2006 6:10:26 AM PDT by Amelia (Education exists to overcome ignorance, not validate it.)
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To: raybbr
Why does everyone begrudge teachers, dockworkers, mechanics, autoworkers, etc. when they make money yet ignore the officers and CEO's of companies that make millions even when the company loses money?

I don't think it's a matter of people begrudging teachers and the like (this article isn't about dockworkers, mechanics or other gainfully-employed people). Rather, it's more of a reaction to the constant whining that the teacher's unions make about wages. I could understand if those wages were paid solely by the people using their services, but as one that has no children in any school, I am strongly opposed to the betterment of teachers' salaries when it means that I must have even more money stolen from my paycheck each week to support them.

The mechanic has his wage, and I can take or leave his services. The executive has his, and I can choose whether to buy the product or invest in the company. But that choice does not exist in the public education world. Instead, the taxpayer is tapped for a continuously larger portion of their income to support a system from which they receive NO benefit.

So you see, much of the begrudgement that you observe has nothing to do with people wanting a higher wage - most of us would gladly have a higher wage. Rather, it is about the idea that the wage exists outside of the marketplace and is paid out of confiscated funds rather than out of funds willfully paid by those that benefit from the service.

64 posted on 06/17/2006 6:13:12 AM PDT by meyer (A vote for amnesty is a vote against America.)
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To: Strutt9
It maybe due to the fact that Teachers' are paid by Tax payer dollars. CEO & Officers of companies payrolls do not come out of taxpayers salary.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

It is the CEOs who are making these teachers millionaires by managing the teacher's pension money wisely.
65 posted on 06/17/2006 6:13:34 AM PDT by wintertime (Good ideas win! Why? Because people are not stupid.)
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To: q_an_a
i'm with you. the only problem is that some people trying to make a good living do so by claiming that it benefits others i.e. the children. The CEO can't use that logic except when he gets a big reward for sales and profits.


^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Another bumper sticker:

I can not capitalize. Thank a government school teacher.
66 posted on 06/17/2006 6:15:07 AM PDT by wintertime (Good ideas win! Why? Because people are not stupid.)
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To: raybbr
First, CEO pay is capped by legislation. Huh? Where?

section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code

The first $1 million in compensation can be expensed normally. Anything over $1 million must come from after-tax income.

67 posted on 06/17/2006 6:15:15 AM PDT by Erik Latranyi (The Democratic Party will not exist in a few years....we are watching history unfold before us.)
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To: Erik Latranyi
I'll bet you do not know one teacher you have worked with that was terminated for poor performance.

Well, since I just finished my first year teaching you would be correct. I don't know that many teachers. Here is my premise: Don't assume that all teachers are poor preformers, and that they whine about their salaries. I gave up a legal career to become a teacher, and took an enormous cut in pay. Why? Because, like many of you I felt there was a problem in the public school system. So, instead of coming onto some board and complaining about it, I decided to put my money where my mouth is, and am attempting to do something about it, one student at a time. Believe, me I didn't get into this profession for the money.

68 posted on 06/17/2006 6:16:07 AM PDT by alvindsv
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To: 9999lakes

Well 1 more word -- $400,000,000 -- The amount of money given to 1 EXXON employee as a parting gift, while the oil industry was accepting fed tax subsidies and pushing their "low profit margins".

Yet no one word from you complaining about the tax subsides. You blame Exxon rather than the government that grants certain businesses unfair competitive advantages with your tax dollars. Are you ignorant or chanpion of big-government fascism?

69 posted on 06/17/2006 6:16:14 AM PDT by Zon (Honesty outlives the lie, spin and deception -- It always has -- It always will.)
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To: alvindsv
I would agree with you, that's why I am one of the few. I refuse to join the teacher's union for the simple fact that I think they do more harm to teachers than good.

Actually, you are lucky that your allowed the choice of joining the union or not. In Pennsylvana, you do not have a choice.

70 posted on 06/17/2006 6:16:35 AM PDT by Erik Latranyi (The Democratic Party will not exist in a few years....we are watching history unfold before us.)
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To: 9999lakes; wintertime
Utterly absurd comparison Lakes.

There is ONE CEO of Exxon. There are maybe a couple hundred people total who can do his job. There are several hundred thousand teachers. There are 10s of millions who can do their job. When you can do the CEO's job, you will get his pay and perks. It is utterly absurd to compare teacher to CEOs.

71 posted on 06/17/2006 6:16:46 AM PDT by MNJohnnie (The Democrat Party! For people who prefer slogans over solutions!)
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To: alvindsv

1. Give every teacher in this country a 50% salary increase, effective September 1.

2. Now make them pay for health care like everyone else in private industry.

3. They can have their summers off but that will count against retirement. Or they can work in the school teaching summer school to students that don't score well enough on the new tests.

4. There is no accumulated sick time or vacation time. When you leave, you leave with your pension which you will now contribute to.


72 posted on 06/17/2006 6:16:57 AM PDT by EQAndyBuzz (Democrats - The reason we need term limits)
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To: Amelia
Why isn't everyone hear here trying to become one instead of complaining about them?

Need more coffee....

73 posted on 06/17/2006 6:17:45 AM PDT by Amelia (Education exists to overcome ignorance, not validate it.)
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To: raybbr
Why is it okay for only a few in this country to make exorbitant salaries but the average joe is lambasted for the same ambitions?

Maybe, just maybe, b/c those few are considered worth those salaries by those who pay them.

As far as the "average Joe", the tax returns and history books are filled with men and woman who went on to earn "exorbitant" salaries.
As far as the average Joe even having the same "get-to-work-before-dawn-get-home-from-work-after-dark, 80+ hour work weeks, 24/7" ambition...well, everything in this life has a price. And, if the truth be told, 98+% of us just don't want to pay it.

74 posted on 06/17/2006 6:18:02 AM PDT by yankeedame ("Oh, I can take it but I'd much rather dish it out.")
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To: raybbr

You missed the point.

Teachers salaries, predominately paid for out of the taxpayers pockets, are frequently higher than the salaries of "the average Joe" in many places and I would venture to say that their health and pension benefits are almost always better than "the average Joe". That's the point.

And, as far as the total financial burdern to the country there are a few exhorbitantly greedy corporate CEOs and hundreds of thousands of teachers - so which do you think has a larger financial impact on all of us?


75 posted on 06/17/2006 6:18:19 AM PDT by Wuli
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To: raybbr
But, if a CEO of a poorly run, or even a well run company, makes millions, no one says a word....

Ha! Ever hear of banks? Wall Street? Pension Funds? Insurance funds? Bond holders? Board of Directors? Middle Americans and their IRAs?

76 posted on 06/17/2006 6:21:16 AM PDT by yankeedame ("Oh, I can take it but I'd much rather dish it out.")
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To: Erik Latranyi
I'll bet you do not know one teacher you have worked with that was terminated for poor performance.

It happens every year. They used to get a lot of them in the first 3 years, before they got tenure.

New hires don't get tenure anymore in my state, but I know there were several teachers at my school who weren't offered contracts for next year.

I'll grant that it's much harder with people who have been in the system for years...

77 posted on 06/17/2006 6:21:19 AM PDT by Amelia (Education exists to overcome ignorance, not validate it.)
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To: raybbr
Be prepared to NEVER have a vacation....NEVER!
Only if you choose not to.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

More whinning and economic illiteracy from teachers!

If a daycare operator choses to take a vacation and closes that business down, and if they leave the parents of these kids stranded, they will go BANKRUPT!

Even if they can manage to keep the business covered while away,they must cover the extra cost of doing that. The responsiblity NEVER goes away, and a ton of work awaits them when they get back.

Again we need a bumper sticker:

I am an economic illiterate. Thank a government school teacher!
78 posted on 06/17/2006 6:22:32 AM PDT by wintertime (Good ideas win! Why? Because people are not stupid.)
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To: meyer
I am strongly opposed to the betterment of teachers' salaries when it means that I must have even more money stolen from my paycheck each week to support them.

I wonder what percentage of your local school board's budget goes to pay teachers?

Many districts have a really top-heavy organization, and you wouldn't believe all the administrative people at the board office "supporting" the teachers...

79 posted on 06/17/2006 6:24:20 AM PDT by Amelia (Education exists to overcome ignorance, not validate it.)
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To: 9999lakes
$70,000 IS a lot of money for a teacher, but $70,000 divided by $400,000,000 = When this teacher has worked 500 years {!!} they still will not have earned as much as the parting gift to one oil company employee.

In all of America, how many teachers make on or about, or expect to be making in the foreseeable future $70K? In all of America, how many business CEOs retire with $400M?

80 posted on 06/17/2006 6:24:37 AM PDT by yankeedame ("Oh, I can take it but I'd much rather dish it out.")
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