so as I'm putting the finishing touches on my final...

[cornerofmadness]

i hear my students arguing that high school teachers often make MORE money than small college professors. The debate is getting heated (because you know, why do any last minute studying) finally they come and ask me. I tell them that if I went back to Pittsburgh and worked in high school i'd instantly double my salary. They looked at me as WHY would I be here then (good question) and then demanded to know how that was possible since I'm more highly trained...well isn't THAT the question. Either way I'm rather amused (otherwise I'd think on my salary and cry)


ETA - I'm wearing an all black shirt white cotton lace arround the scoop neckline. Guess where the coffee i spilled hit?

so i head to the restroom (because of all that coffee) and let me set the stage. We have exactly one female faculty toilet and it's handicapped so the toiletpaper holder is above the handrails. I pull off a few sheets but the morons who filled it DIDNT lock it so it swings down and cracks into my face. Now my eye is black...and i can't even claim workmen's comp and take a few days off...this is my last day until the fall semester.

Comments

[marenfic.livejournal.com]

wisteria_ and I had a salary conversation when she visited last month (we were swinging on the front porch swings- ah, summer) and she was shocked to find out she made more than me. She teaches junior high.

Now, sure, I have more years of education *but* I think her job is much harder than mine. It does not bother me in the least that she makes more than me. I think she deserves it.

Not that I wouldn't mind a higher salary :) I think we all deserve more.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

oh i agree. ESPECIALLY junior high. I'd rather take a flying leap off a cliff than teach that. though if I could get the AP only biology student job back home for 85K (plus PA gives like 80% of your salary for retirement a year) I would probably do it

[sita-137.livejournal.com]

I always thought the pay for high school teachers was the only way to get them to teach there in the first place...

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

i don't doubt that at all

[makd.livejournal.com]

Bingo!!

Traditionally, the movement to increase salaries for elementary and high school teachers was related to (1) the need to motivate people to work as teachers, (2) the desire many parents have to secure the best [which in their minds equals the best paid.] [Lordy, but are they misguided!!] teachers for their children, and (3) the cynical fact that many parents will pay ANYTHING to avoid a teacher's strike.

Also: traditionally, college professors came from the upper classes and had families that subsidized their work. consequently, money was not important to academicians. Also, college faculty are late to the union dance. In the American South, IIRC, there aren't ANY unions. period. In much of the US, college teachers are not unionized, so their salaries continue to be low. However, their friends who teach in public schools are pretty much universally unionized, so their salaries are higher.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

nods, i've noticed that. And seriously as a result I have thought of moving to PA to teach high school (as much as I'm fairly sure I wouldn't like it as well). Their retirement package can't be beat.

[mulzrule.livejournal.com]

Ouch, the coffee. I did something similar with a tray of steaming hot water at work. We practically had a wet t-shirt contest on the job. >_<

No workman's comp? Damn

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

comp never works in my favor anyhow

[chaos-by-design.livejournal.com]

I think you might actually be as accident-prone as I am.

*comfort* on the low pay level. I'm surprised. I thought public school teachers got paid crap. Damn.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

they don't make a mint that's for sure. I get paid crap hence my loan issues