Performance for Pay

I'm not sure when being a teacher became synonymous with being a saint.

It seems they can do no wrong and one should speak only adoringly of them.

Compared to the average Iowan, whose students they teach, teachers have it pretty good!

Average Iowan's salary for 2005...$31,800

Average Iowa teacher salary for 2005...$40,877

So now Chester wants to add an additional $70 Million dollars
to teacher's salaries for the 2008 fiscal year.

That would make this the largest single increase in teacher pay ever made in the state.

All that and they get the summer off, time off at winter festivus and spring equinox.

Plus, they take time off during the school year too!

Let's not forget health insurance and IPERS retirement.

Teacher activist's will tell you that they work into the evenings, during the summer and they continue their education.

So does the average Iowan, who pays their salary and probably gets two weeks of vacation per year.

I doubt that higher teacher pay will translate to higher graduation rates or improved test scores.

Teachers are people, some good and some bad.

One of my sisters is a teacher and I have long time friends who are teachers too.

They deserve our respect, but no more than any other human being.