Seriously?!?

All of you working in education must be exhausted! As if your job isn’t tiring enough, you probably have to expend any little bit of energy left defending that what you do is worth your salary to taxpayers who think teaching is “an attractive job” or “not worth what they make.”
Yes, those quotes were taken directly from the mouths of a couple of my co workers who make probably more than most teachers, yet spend a good 2-3 hours out of their 8 hour work day to have discussions about such political issues as teacher making too much (one of these people I often find sleeping at his desk- $60,000 a year to talk politics and sleep at his desk- now that’s an attractive job!)
I can often ignore their political rants, but when teachers come up, I can’t control my urge to defend the profession. It’s absolutely amazing the misconceptions people have about what teachers do. I actually believe that they think teachers work from 8-3, drawing rainbows and playing with toys, then go home early watch tv and get a good nights sleep for the next day of childish fun for a way too big paycheck; counting the days until all their unnecessary days off. They have no clue. In fact, I strongly object the quote about teaching being “an attractive job.” I can say, as a person preparing to teach, that there is nothing “attractive” about it, which makes me respect the people who choose to do it all the more. What is attractive about mounds of paperwork, discipline issues, state tests, laws, difficult parents, and long days- all this for a pay which is really pretty measly? In one of the most affluent districts in my state, the average salary for an elementary school teacher 20 years (not 5 not 10, not even 15 but 20 years!!) into his/her career is $65K. That is probably considered a pretty high pay, but in reality, we aren’t talking about a lavish lifestyle here. Isn’t a teacher entitled to have a house, a safe car, healthy food, and some spending money for (dare I say it) enjoying life?? A $65k salary pretty much is necessary to have those things. I can’t believe that people would even suggest that teachers do not deserve to live above a poverty level.
I could go on an on…and on… about this topic and the numerous arguments I have engaged myself in with these very ignorant people I work with but I am going to cut it out now before I get any more upset than I already am. I would just like to add that as a tax payer myself, I am happy to see my money going to such as an important job as caring for and educating children. I think teachers deserve way more and that there are far too many people making far too much money doing things that have been negligent and harmful to our society. Knowing what teachers do day in and day out, I would say this even if I wasn’t going to be in this profession. I just have to get that off my chest, no one at work will even listen, arrgh! I really hope this is the minority opinion, but something tells me I will encounter these types for the remainder of my career.