Sorry Edward, but I disagree. I was a customer service rep in a past life. You are comparing 1 job where the employee works 40 hours/week, 52 weeks/year (we didn't even get Christmas Eve off) to a job that works 30 hours/week, 36 weeks/year (a week off at Christmas - and 3 months off in the summer!). Customer service reps don't make anywhere near $50,000 year - at least none that I know of. Tell me where I can be a customer service rep and make upwards of $36.00/hour and I'll be first in line to apply.

You are forgetting that a teacher CAN work in the summer - if they choose to.

Make the school year 52 weeks a year like the rest of the world. Students would be better prepared, taxpayers wouldn't complain about teachers lounging around in the sun all summer long and the US MIGHT be able to compete with other countries. We are falling behind in every aspect of education. Why should we reward the people who demand that we stay stuck in the agrarian society of a hundred years ago? How many students really need to stay at home all summer to help bring in the crops? The whole 180 days/year idea is completely ridiculous. Then the $50,000/year salary would be justified - and it would also be interesting to see how many dedicated teachers opt to remain in that profession.