All I can say is thank god for my NEA, thank god for my local teachers union, otherwise I would have no protection in my profession from uneducated parents who go off the deep end anytime little Sally got her feelings hurt.
Simply put, teachers have extreme expectations, high education cost, low paying jobs, students with all sorts of issues, etc.
Families are a mess, the courts are full of juvenile offenders.
Here is a quick list of issues from the 40 or so kids I currently work with.
5 currently on probation for various offenses from violence to drugs
2 currently in jail for violatinig parole plus other items
3 teen mothers trying to raise their child on their own(one is pregnant with her second child).
7 kids who were taken from families by the courts
6 identified with sever emotional problems
1 that recently survivied a suicide attempt
3 that are homeless and living in a variety places
1 that lives in a buick, and works part time at Taco bell
1 with definite Gang Affiliation
3 with parents Currently in jail for anything from murder to drugs
2 females living with guys that 10+ years older
All but 2 kids have parents that are divorced or are in the process of Divorcing. One of the 2 has parents that live on other 1/2 of state. The other has parents that are homebound, and makes the student responsible to raising little brother.
Several that have drug problems including Cocaine and Meth.
The list goes on. The sad part is that I am not in a big school district nor a large town. I am in Craig, CO. Population around 10,000. If you think that my $32,000 a year salary is enough so be it, but come try the shoes on for a bit. Work with kids who are afraid everyday to go home. Work with kids who do not have any food. Work with kids who are violent, lazy, addicted to drugs, teen parents, etc. Then try and take those kids to a mandatory test and have the results of the test say if your a good teacher or not.
I am paid for a contract year of 185 days. I am at work for an average of 9 hours a day. Thus my hourly salary is $19/hour. I could make $26 an hour driving a coal truck locally.
When it comes to pay, consider this. The average cost of daycare(babysitting) here is $15 perday per kid. If all I did was babysit for my 185 days for 40 kids my contract pay would be: $111,000.