[Vision2020] Logical Error! Letter to the Editor: Teacher salary article

[Dale Courtney]

Ted wrote: 
> To answer your question at the bottom of your post, I should 
> point out I do not own property, so I do not directly pay 
> property taxes, though in other ways I must pay for these 
> taxes because rent and other costs get tied to property tax rates.

Indeed. I've heard others ignorantly say that only home owners pay property
taxes -- as if the rental costs don't go up when property taxes go up. 

No, property taxes affect everyone -- even those who don't own property.
Even the homeless are affected by property taxes. 

> I am inclined to agree with you though that the system has 
> problems in not rewarding the best teachers sufficiently 
> based on performance.  My anecdotal experience in the public 
> school system led me to conclude the system does allow 
> sub-par teachers to continue teaching.

Oh, clearly! The union contracts protect sub-par teachers; and the excellent
teachers get lumped in with all of them.

Recall, we base teacher pay on a) years taught and b) college credits
completed. But: 

a. Research shows that only 4-5 years of teacher experience contributes to
student learning. Experience beyond that has no payoff except in pay.
b. Pedagogy credits don't contribute to learning. Advanced degrees are
productive only at the secondary level and in the subject being taught.
Credits are used mostly to climb the salary grid.

Because there's no easy way to get rid of a teacher once he/she has "tenure"
(what is it now, Don Kaag, the 5-year point?), they are along for the
E-ticket ride to the end.

> Still, as everyone knows who honestly looks at the options, 
> the best and brightest at our universities who consider their 
> financial future, do NOT seriously consider teaching in the 
> K-12 public schools as a path to financial success.

However, as with *any* job, monetary remuneration isn't the *only* benefit.
Stated another way -- there are benefits that are non-monetary; and that's
true of any job. 

Best,
Dale