There are a number of reasons:<BR><BR>1. Tenure<BR><BR>2. Not the hardest undergrad program<BR><BR>3. Student deferrment during Vietnam era<BR><BR>4. Two months off<BR><BR>5. Two income family as teachers<BR><BR>6. 2nd income in family<BR><BR>7. Get home same time as your kids<BR><BR>8. Professional satisfaction<BR><BR>9. Lack of perfromance pressue like in sales for example<BR><BR>US

Hey Uncle,<BR>With all those perks you must feel pretty lame for passing up such a cushy job! I'm just glad I jumped on that gravy train early! Now after 12 years experience and a master's degree I make $34,000 per year!

My sis-in-law teaches 2nd grade. As a fairly new teacher in a Catholic school, she makes 16,000. For a 180 day year, that works out to 11.11/hr. Convert that to a "standard" 2080 hour year, consider 3 weeks paid vacation and 5 days holidays, her "comparable" pay is about 21,000. Most she can ever hope to make in the classroom is about 30,000, with a masters and 30 years experience. That would be why I changed my major! Yes, she is off when her kids are, and she loves her job, but no one can ever tell me teachers are paid fairly! So, if they can get a discount at a museum, go for it!

My Dear Teachers,<BR><BR>A word of advice:<BR><BR>Never argue with an idiot. You can not bring him up to your level, but he can quickly bring you down to his.<BR><BR>And thanks so much for all you've done for my children and me.<BR><BR>Vagabond

Vagabond,<BR><BR>Resorting to name calling, typical!<BR><BR>I merely shared the economics of teaching school and the reasons "some" choose the profession.<BR><BR>I have a friend that teaches and her sister's step son plays in the NBA and makes about $6,000,000 per year.<BR><BR>She constantly complains about that injustice. She ought to do a couple of things:<BR><BR>1. Grow to 6:7 and make the three or<BR><BR>2. Find someone willing to pay $250 for up front seats in her classroom to watch her teach.<BR><BR>Neither will happen and it isn't "fair", but...<BR><BR>I do however, get a bit tired of these teachers that decide to teach knowing the pay and then they complain and whine about the pay.<BR><BR>It is the old adage...no risk...no reward. So teachers try getting a sales job with a quarterly quota and you will make the $$$...you do not, however get tenure!<BR><BR>US

My Dear Uncle,<BR><BR>Whatever made you think I was speaking of you?<BR><BR>Vagabond

Many years ago, after 12 years or so of teaching on the junior high level, I was sent on a sales mission to the South Pacific by the Scholastic Book Company. What astonished me more than anything about the experience was that, in comparison to teaching, there was no work involved whatsoever. And I mean that sincerely. I've been involved in sales ever since.<BR><BR>Gerry K

Vagabond,<BR><BR>Obviously gave you a lob didn't I...nice smash!<BR><BR>US

GerryK.<BR><BR>That's why most of us have handicaps in the low teens.<BR><BR>US

Your previous two posts are unfathomable. Lobs? Smashes? Handicaps? (Proof I'd say that a few of your own teachers didn't relish their jobs.)<BR><BR>Lonniel<BR><BR>

Lonniel,<BR><BR>I suspect you must have led a very sheltered bookish life.<BR><BR>"Smash and lob" come from tennis and " handicap" comes from golf.<BR><BR>Merely sports metaphors.<BR><BR>I'd suggest you really do need to get out more!<BR><BR>US

Last Fling:<BR>I don't know of any specific discounts for teachers in Italy, but I do know that such discounts do exist in principle. Many years ago my husband and I used to accompany school kids from the school where my dad was headmaster, to Paris and the Loire Valley, and the teachers on the trip - and sometimes we, as chaperones, got many a discount at museums and other attractions (don't believe we ever got one at hotels - those were always arranged well ahead of time through an agency that dealt with group student travel).<BR><BR>To my mind, teachers deserve a whole lot more than discounts, especially these days. There's no group of people I admire more. If it were up to me, teachers would be making the CEO and NBA salaries, and the corporate giants and basketball players would be getting by on $40,000 a year.<BR><BR>It can't hurt to ask, so inquire wherever you go. And let us know what you found out when you return.

Amen StCirq! RE:teachers would be making the CEO and NBA salaries, and the corporate giants and basketball players would be getting by on $40,000 a year.<BR>I agree! Same for policemen and firemen. They all deserve any discounts they can get and more.