Why is a Teacher Taking My Dinner Order?

The waiter at our table in a nice Italian restaurant looked familiar. His jovial manner seemed familiar too, although he appeared a bit tired. Finally, when we were almost finished eating, I heard another waiter call him Oscar. I realized that he had been a teacher of one of my kids a few years before. By that time, acknowledging that I recognized him would have been rather awkward.

On the way home, I wondered how a teacher could start a workday at about 7:00, deal with all kinds of kids all day, from the rambunctious to the sullen, then go to a night job. Just the thought of it is exhausting. No wonder so many people who would make excellent teachers decide to pursue other careers instead. It is possible for teachers who have been working for years earn decent salaries, but not all can afford to stick it out that long.

If the job of educating the future work force shouldn't be well-paid, what should? If motivated young teachers discover they can't pay the bills unless they work two jobs or change careers, who suffers? Districts end up filling positions with mediocre teachers who extinguish the flames of interest in students. If a student's interest in biology or composition or geometry or history is squelched, it can change the focus of the student's plans, perhaps affecting college choices and beyond. Part of the job of a teacher is to encourage students to want to learn more.

The argument that there is a three-month vacation in the summer doesn't hold water. During the two and a half months between school years, someone has to teach summer school. Red tape needs to be tackled for the Board of Education. Plans need to be made for the upcoming year. Requirements for continuing their education in order to maintain certification mean some teachers are students in the summer. Others increase their hours in restaurants.

Oscar took good care of us in the restaurant that night. He takes good care of classrooms full of children every day. I left a fairly generous tip, as I always do when the service warrants it. Tips can be the bulk of some people's income. That shouldn't be the case with teachers. They should be paid what the job they are doing is worth. It is very unlikely that there is any danger of anyone doing such a challenging job just for the money.