Warning! Possible controversy ahead

This past Saturday, while perusing through the newspaper, I saw that the United States Department of Labor has published what the median salary was by profession. Imagine my surprise when I saw that the national median for elementary and secondary teachers were $45,000 and $48,000 for Minnesota teachers. I will not go so far as to say that teachers are overpaid in this country, but I will also flat out say that teachers are not underpaid either. Please keep in mind that $48,000 a year would put teachers in the top 25% of earners in the state. Also, teachers do not work summers, they have spring breaks, winter breaks, fall breaks, MLK Day, Good Friday, Presidents Day, and an assortment of other holidays that I don't get off. I make less then $48,000 a year and I only have ten days of holidays a year. Plus, nobody gets as good of benefits package as teachers. I don't want to hear how teachers don't leave the school at 2:30 like the students. My neighbor was an English teacher and you better believe I saw him every afternoon. Plus, at Jefferson High School, all teachers get a break period during the day which was supposed to be for correcting papers, meeting with students, et cetera. I have done a little bit of math here.

I worked 244 days in 2007. The average teacher in Minnesota works between 170-180. That is an enormous difference!!!

1. Yesterday, I saw the movie 21 with a high school friend. I would recommend this movie. No, it's not going to win any academy awards but it was just a fun movie to go see. The acting was good, and the plot moved along quickly. I enjoyed it.