How Teachers Came to Be So Underpaid in America

Re:How Teachers Came to Be So Underpaid in America by booleandilemma on Friday September 14, 2018 @06:06AM (#17986013)

If people know they’re going to be underpaid, why do they pursue that career path? No one becomes a teacher by accident.

Let’s have a shortage of teachers so that they’re forced to raise wages.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:How Teachers Came to Be So Underpaid in America by GoMonad on Friday September 14, 2018 @06:16AM (#17986045)

Having a long period of too few teachers could lead to large class sizes and a reduction in education quality. Those that could afford it would switch to private schools and we could end up in a feedback loop of reducing funding, worsening education and less support for public education.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:How Teachers Came to Be So Underpaid in America by darkerside on Friday September 14, 2018 @06:23AM (#17986075)

Some would argue that's already happening

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:How Teachers Came to Be So Underpaid in America by goatherders on Friday September 14, 2018 @06:30AM (#17986107)

Believe it or not, some people see educating the next generation as a worthwhile endeavor despite the crummy pay.

(Son of two teachers)

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:How Teachers Came to Be So Underpaid in America by yesenadam on Friday September 14, 2018 @06:29AM (#17986104)

If people know they’re going to be underpaid, why do they pursue that career path?

Why do people choose their job based on something other than money? To ask that is to answer it. (Hopefully)

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:How Teachers Came to Be So Underpaid in America by TomMarius on Friday September 14, 2018 @06:36AM (#17986126)

Why do they complain if they knew beforehand and decided it doesn't bother them?

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:How Teachers Came to Be So Underpaid in America by shakestheclown on Friday September 14, 2018 @12:34PM (#17988632)

If you like 80% of your chosen career and wish to improve 20%, does it not make sense to speak out about the 20%?

Else, how would we ever improve working conditions anywhere? I don't think that is going to happen externally.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:How Teachers Came to Be So Underpaid in America by Yoric on Friday September 14, 2018 @07:43AM (#17986434)

What would you do?

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:How Teachers Came to Be So Underpaid in America by TomMarius on Friday September 14, 2018 @08:39AM (#17986745)

If I decided that low pay doesn't bother me, I definitely wouldn't complain. My choices are entirely in my hands. Additionally, I could (and I actually do, btw) teach privately for a much better pay, scrapping any reason to complain.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:How Teachers Came to Be So Underpaid in America by scarface74 on Friday September 14, 2018 @07:54AM (#17986508)

There are benefits to being a teacher as far as work life balance. Your schedule is the same as your kids schedule as far as holidays, and summer breaks. Teaching is especially good if you are a dual income couple.

It won’t force them to raise wages. What a lot of cities are doing are getting teachers from overseas.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:How Teachers Came to Be So Underpaid in America by crdoconnor on Friday September 14, 2018 @06:37AM (#17986129)

>Let’s have a shortage of teachers so that they’re forced to raise wages.

In the absence of a strong union presence keeping political leaders in check the shortage is likely to simply lead to larger class sizes, more stressed out teachers and the use of privatization to "solve" the associated problems.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:How Teachers Came to Be So Underpaid in America by eloisant on Friday September 14, 2018 @06:49AM (#17986185)

> Let’s have a shortage of teachers so that they’re forced to raise wages.

or you will get incompetent teachers

[ Parent | on HN ]