The Importance of Teachers

Due to the recent drive to reduce teachers' rights and take away their ability to negotiate for benefits and pensions, I have come to realize that lack of importance many in this country place on teachers. Perhaps I am biased, but I think teachers have a tremendous stake in the overall current and future success of this country. Teachers, from kindergarten through college, instruct our youth and impart to them the knowledge that keeps America running. The education of our young people directly impacts our economic success. Therefore, I find it perplexing when people are lamenting how much public school teachers make. How much is too much to give the people that shape the future doctors, lawyers, writers, politicians, etc?

I find it comical that people believe public school teachers make so much. On average, in my area, school teachers make 40,000 dollars per year. This does not seem like an exorbitant wage. It seems like a decent wage, far less than people make in many other professions. While there are some teachers making more, a lot of people don't take into account what area of the country they are living in or for how long they have been teaching.

Now, I should address the argument of those that say the teachers of this world are unsuccessful and should not be paid if they are ineffectual. I would have to agree with this. I do agree that teachers should be held accountable because their position is that important. However, lowering the amount of money teachers make, or reducing their pensions and benefits, is only going to encourage people who would make outstanding teachers to seek more lucrative employment elsewhere.

It seems that this country is very short-sighted. To save money in the now, we cut the livelihood of teachers without seeing that this paralyzes the economy of the future. Without quality education our children have no foundation on which to build the success of the United States.