<< "In return, they got security and great benefits, including what amounts to a part time work schedule (at least from my POV.)" >>
#1 It is a part time job. Only politicians "work" less time than teachers [and professors].
#2 Their pay is no where near as bad as they will have you believe.
Now I respect those dedicated teachers who do work hard & make a difference. IMO, this group is the exceptional few. No matter how you slice it, it's a part time job. The pay is at or above average for an equivalent white collar full time job in the private sector.
As an auditor for ED/OIG/OA I spent more than enough time in many different schools in many states. Below is what I witnessed a vast majority of teachers at "work".
A typical school day is about 6 1/2 hours in length including all breaks. They have 180 school days with a few "in service" days per year.
A typical full time job in the private sector is 8 1/2 hrs long & approx 230 - 240 work days per year.
And like the Federal gov't, teachers have plenty of 1/2 days that count as whole "work" days. Plus, there are plenty of assemblies, field trips, recitals, ET AL, that count as "work".
In this short 6+ hr work day:
- They get a lunch break,
- They get a free period,
- They monitor a study hall,
- They monitor Home Room,
- They get time between each period [4 or 5 minutes x 7 or 8 periods a day adds up],
- They show movies, documentaries & internet webcasts, ET AL, extensively in class in lieu of actually teaching.
I could go on with other non teaching activities in that "work" day, but you get the point.
At the end of the work day it's a mad rush for the parking lot [around 2:15 pm].
And from my personal experience most teachers do not take any work home. |
