Teachers have a tough job and deserve to be paid well

I am not a teacher, but I used to be, I taught mathematics in a Michigan High School for four years. As the primary provider for a family we qualified for food stamps. I left teaching, went to industry, doubled my income and cut my workload in half. Admittedly that was not in Washtenaw County.

I don’t believe (as claimed in a letter in Oct 29 edition) the average public school teacher in Washtenaw County earns $70,000 per year, but I wish they did. It would be great to think that teachers are valued as professionals who make significant contributions to our society. The students of Washtenaw County continually receive higher than average scores in state and national testing.

A teacher in Michigan must have earned a bachelor’s degree from a state accredited university as well as completed coursework in teacher preparation (that’s at least a second minor). They also must pass a proficiency exam in all disciplines they hope to teach. That’s just to get started! If they want to continue teaching they must take graduate level courses at a rate of about two per year (thousands of dollars each year, out of their own pocket). So much for summers off.

Teachers are public employees and their pay scales are public knowledge. It is easy to look at a wage scale and assume most people are earning the top wage. Unlike most other wage scales, each step represents at least one year not weeks or months.

Public school teachers are hard working professionals who spend at least as much waking time with our children as we do as parents. They deserve our respect, appreciation and to earn a living wage.

John Muszkiewicz Lima Township