In a country where NBA players make an average of $5.15 million, one might expect teachers to make a lot of money since they are the ones who educate the next generation. In reality, the national starting salary of an average teacher in the U.S. is $39,000. Most ending salaries are $67,000 after 25 years of working. The amount that teachers are paid shows the lack of respect and compensation they get for what they do; teachers who do their job well should be paid more and given more respect.

Education is very important, since it can completely change someone’s future. Education isn’t valued as much as it should be. Teachers help students grow and the many who do their job well lead their students to success. Teachers have to make sure not to show favoritism, plan lessons, sometimes deal with rude students, make sure all students understand the lesson, maintain professional standards, and keep track of a class full of students.

Freshman Micaela Zelk said, “Since my mom is a teacher, I feel that teachers should get paid more. The majority of professional athletes aren’t educated that well and their education is paid for. Then, once they get a lot of money they spend it all and end up bankrupt. This has made me so annoyed and mad all my life because I personally feel the irony.”

Teachers are required to have a bachelor’s degree to get a job. The money that they spend in college could take a while to pay back, since they can spend anywhere from $25,000 to $100,000 for a bachelors degree. Still, they make 14% less than professionals in other occupations that require similar levels of education.

Zelk supported these statistics. “Teachers, who put so much time into their job and education, get paid such a minimal amount compared to other jobs,” she said.

Freshman Delaney Sanders said, “Teachers get paid poorly while people like pro athletes and supermodels are making way more money. Some teachers do their jobs really well and I feel the teachers who do well should be paid more.”

Not only are teachers paid very little compared to NBA players or professionals in other fields, but a majority also pay out of their own pocket to provide their students with more classroom resources.  Marketplace found that 99.5 % of teachers spent an average of $485 last year to stock their classrooms. They didn’t have to, but, if they didn’t, students would have much fewer resources. The National School Supply and Equipment Association found that 77% of teachers buy the school supplies needed for their classrooms.

Showing appreciation for teachers is a way that we can make their job worthwhile. Models, NBA stars, actors, and singers are adored by countless numbers of fans, so why not show some of that same support for teachers?  Teachers have the ability to impact students’ lives, and the ones who do their jobs well should be respected and compensated better for their work.