[randallscott35]

Euro,
if you think teachers will be able to hold on to health benefits and pension by the time I'm 55 I have a bridge to sell you. It won't be there....I have no problem with you saying that teachers know the pay going in. Very fair and I really don't complain about. I'm much more angry when they say teachers are overpaid. Last I looked I got about a 3% raise last year. The cost of living in New Jersey went up by 3.5%. Do the math, I am losing each year, not gaining....I can't think of another job where people say you "should get paid this or that." I don't go to a doctor's office or a mechanic and tell them what I think they are worth. I think the issue is that everyone went to school and everyone thinks they could do the job....You should realize, however, if you have kids or want kids that schools are about as important as it gets. And if you do, you'd also realize that without changes to the pay scale, the teacher pool and moreover the quality of the teachers will continue to diminish. If that's what you want for your kids then that's fine. It's not what I want.