Come on Jim, are you really going to resort to the old scare tactics of decreased snow removal and fire and police coverage? Are you aware of where the money comes from for teacher saleries? It doesn't come from anywhere near where road crew and emergency personnel get paid. The school districts pay a portion (mostly from property taxes) and the state pays the rest (about 35% last time I checked).

Road crews, police, fire, and EMS are paid out of several funds, most noteably speeding tickets. Most fire departments are voluneteer and raise money through other means. They don't get much from the state or local governments (which makes no sense to me, but I digress).

If we see bad roads and no fire, police, or EMS, it won't be because we're paying teachers any more money. If you really want to blame somebody, blame the state that gives school districts less money, so they have to raise property taxes just to make budget.

I just can't understand why it's ok for the rest of us to want more money, and even ask our bosses for it, but for some reason teachers can't.

Can someone explain that to me? Why is it ok for anybody else to ask for more money, but teachers can't? Why do we set up a society that strives for wealth and teaches our kids that the only true happiness comes with more money (don't even deny it because you know its true), yet we lambaste teachers for doing it too?

Maybe its because we think we should be holding them to a higher standard then we live ourselves, and we get disapointed when they don't meet the artificially high standard.

Any thoughts?