Public Opinion Says Teachers Should Get Paid $60,000 [INFOGRAPHIC]

by SodaHead Infographics Posted 2011/09/06 22:37:08

Related Topics: SodaHead Infographic, Infographics, Deep Dive, Teachers, Salaries, Salary, Income, Wages, Teaching, Education, Money, Median, Infographic, Teacher, Investment, SodaHead

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Last week we asked SodaHeads if they thought teachers should make $60,000 a year, and after nearly a week of voting we've got the results.

We asked about teacher salaries after Secretary of Education Arne Duncan suggested teachers should receive a $60,000 salary to start out, with the potential to make up to $150,000 a year.

Compared to what teachers currently make -- just over $50,000 on average -- a hike like that could mean serious investments from an already over-burdened government. But it looks like a strong majority is still in favor of going along with the salary boost.

We thought this would be the perfect question to dive into for today's infographic, so we took a deeper look at SodaHead votes and scoured the Internet for an in-depth look at relative salaries.

Let's dive.

votes scoured internet in-depth relative salaries dive click view story

votes scoured internet in-depth relative salaries dive click view story

+13

Fef 2011/09/06 23:25:40

+21
I think those with diplomas said "No" more than kids in school because those with diplomas found out the quality/results of their education.

I believe good teachers should get paid good money -- and bad teachers should get fired.

Unfortunately, our public employees unions prohibit either -- the unions want all teachers to make a lot of money and that just bankrupts the system and punishes the kids.
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nolibsp... to jeepster4 2011/09/13 14:33:46

Well for one thing a true American who cares about GOD and country. The moral values and the constitution which does'nt include anything Obama supports.

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jeepster4 to nolibsp... 2011/09/13 19:02:20

Which God are you referring to? Oh, that's right..you retain the right to define God as you please and, in your view, a true American is any one that agrees with you. Now I understand where you are coming from.

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nolibsp... to jeepster4 2011/09/13 21:53:35 (edited)

Correct on a few points. Now were getting somewhere. The understanding part is a little hard for me to believe from someone who is dead from the neck up.

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jeepster4 to nolibsp... 2011/09/13 19:03:29

Opinions are like belly buttons...everyone has one.

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nolibsp... to jeepster4 2011/09/13 21:56:28

You mean arce oles don't ya.

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RobJohn 2011/09/07 00:11:42

+2
Public opinions says give parents school choice and vouchers

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Adam to RobJohn 2011/09/07 00:39:40

+2
School vouchers will always flounder until we stop pandering to these teachers unions who are vehemently opposed to them. the whole reason teachers unions are so opposed to school vouchers is due to the fact that they understand, even though it goes against their own teachings and dogma, that success in school is more about the student and the teacher. teachers are,of course, necessary to instruct but they can only do so much if the student doesn't want to learn. the difficulty is trying to make that student learn, that's what makes a good teacher. but if you decide to allow those who want to learn but can't get the education they need in the public school system to go elsewhere then you're going start seeing test scores drop even more, which will then look bad on the teachers because it will show that there are so many teachers in desperate need of some sort of performance initiatives to ensure that they are teaching to their fullest.

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RobJohn to Adam 2011/09/07 01:35:15

+1
It's not about the schools, teachers or aggregate scores. Each student must be given the best opportunity, those who work hard and apply themselves should not be denied or held back. More freedom is what parents and students need.

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Adam to RobJohn 2011/09/07 01:42:32

+1
I don't disagree in the slightest,in fact that's what I stated in my previous comment. teacher unions oppose the school vouchers and they will continue to oppose the school vouchers and as long as the teachers union gives so much money to political candidates,particularly democratic candidates but that's neither here nor there at the moment, we will never see a school voucher system that is nationwide and comprehensive solely for the fact that it will decrease the scores and it will decrease the perceived importance of these public school teachers in these public school systems. I am very much open to school vouchers, I think it is an excellent program and should be further implemented nationwide. for now though it is never going to see the light of day, it's just never going to happen until the right people politically take a stand.

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jeepster4 to Adam 2011/09/07 04:01:06

I gather your mother was scared by a union member.

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RobJohn to jeepster4 2011/09/07 04:06:45 (edited)

Is this all you are capable of ... talking about peoples mothers? If you have nothing of value to add to the conversation you should leave it alone. I would think at 72 years of age you would be more capable.

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Adam to jeepster4 2011/09/07 04:36:52

What an exceptionally mature response! If only I could come up with a witty retort... Actually no, there is no need since you are clearly ignorant and incapable of actual intelligent conversation.

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Pablo to RobJohn 2011/09/07 04:01:52

....and charter school availability.

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RobJohn to Pablo 2011/09/07 04:10:24

I'm not so keen about charter schools. Seems only a few can attend them. I'd rather see a free-market.

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Pablo to RobJohn 2011/09/07 04:17:12

Seems to me charter schools is a 'free market', in the matter of competition for public schools. If you have more charter schools, more kids will attend. Currently, there are drawings for students who can attend, many are turned down because of limited space, and the demand grows. How more free market can one get ?
Pablo

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RobJohn to Pablo 2011/09/07 04:20:13

make all schools charter schools

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Pablo to RobJohn 2011/09/07 04:30:25

+1
I believe there is little reason for that now. The public school system had better get back to basic three R's.....and get away from nonsense subjects that should wait until higher grades, or not be taught at all. Point is, public schools CAN be equal to charter if streamlining of subjects are allowed, and allow for students who are slower or quicker to have special classes for them, not put them all together. Also, parents must be encouraged to participate with their children....so much more. Yet, it all goes down to education....opening up the childs mind for a better future, and telling them its important to get an education.
Sorry......enough for now.

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Eric to RobJohn 2011/09/07 05:17:50

+1
After sacrificing two children on the altar of public education I finally wised up and sent my youngest to Catholic school. Best decision that I made. And I am an agnostic. I should have done what the Principal of the public high school did and sent all my children to private school. He knew something that I had to learn the hard way.

And there are potential government savings here. I am not rich by any means but I could afford the private school. If I would have had a voucher for, say, $8K/yr, and it costs $10K/yr at the public school, the government would save $2K/yr per student or spend more, per student, on the remaining students. Sounds like a win-win.

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Prime Time Lime 2011/09/06 23:59:13

+2
Teachers have the most important jobs in the world,much more than other public professions.To little is spent on education,and too much is wasted on the military.It is time to stand up and have the educational system have double in expenditures.

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RobJohn to Prime T... 2011/09/07 00:14:22

+1
Parents have the most important job, and what about farmers and many others. What makes the job of teachers the most important in the world?

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True~Male to RobJohn 2011/09/07 00:41:03

Don't ask a custodian that question -LOL

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DavidK to True~Male 2011/09/07 01:18:34

+1
why? You might get a straight answer! ;)

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True~Male to DavidK 2011/09/07 01:23:03

Right on

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Prime T... to RobJohn 2011/09/07 00:50:17

Because they teach literacy,math,etc. A person cannot function,nor get far in this world without a good educational system.So funding should double for schools,or the USA will be left behind other educated countries.It is already happening.I would not mind paying much more in taxes to give the next generation the opportunities for learning as I had.

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twhitin... to Prime T... 2011/09/07 01:02:07

Wrong

A person can get quite far 'without a good educational system'.. It's called home schooling, something countless children do every year. Guess what happens there? They TEST better, on average, because the people schooling them actually pay attention to them and CARE about their education.

Paying more money to obviously incompetent teachers isn't going to solve the problem, it's just going to throw money away. What we NEED to be doing is firing these tools that are producing failures that can't even figure out the difference between to and too.

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Prime T... to twhitin... 2011/09/07 01:10:41 (edited)

Not every parent has the capability to teach their children at home,especially in the higher grades as in high school.You are speaking of a very small percentage of society,and it is unlikely that mass education would be home based,at least not until most parents have the educational level to do so.
Secondly schools are needed for many cannot afford to pay for schools other than in taxes,and the only way is that people pay taxes so all can attend school,even the poor.

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RobJohn to twhitin... 2011/09/07 01:37:01

Don't forget we have a lot of clueless parents, that raise careless students. Teachers are not solely to blame, and a lack of money is definitely not to blame.

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RobJohn to Prime T... 2011/09/07 01:15:54

Seems home schoolers get a better deal without the system. Why is it as we have continually increased spending on education all of my life, that education has continually become worse?

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Prime T... to RobJohn 2011/09/07 01:22:30

Schooling should be treated as it is in Europe.The taxpayers pay 100% of tuition and students even go to universities at one fraction of what a person pays in the US. When I was in Italy I talked to some American students studying medicine.I found out their tuition through the training to become a doctor was about one fifth what it is in the US. Universities in the US are for the chosen few,which is very very wrong.

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RobJohn to Prime T... 2011/09/07 01:28:01 (edited)

the cost is not less, just their share of it. Why should I get a education at someone elses expense?

Did you forget to answer why education costs increase while the quality goes down? Changing the subject isn't cool.

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Prime T... to RobJohn 2011/09/07 02:39:06

I agree that for what is paid for education the quality should be better.Maybe there should be a group or organization that monitors schools to improve teaching methods so students get what the taxes pay for.

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RobJohn to Prime T... 2011/09/07 02:41:25

I agree, that group is called parents and taxpayers screaming bloody murder.

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Prime T... to RobJohn 2011/09/07 02:42:51

+1
I just hope that the taxpayers,for a change,are listened to.

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True~Male to Prime T... 2011/09/07 00:37:37

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True~Male to True~Male 2011/09/07 00:38:49 (edited)

Proven fact : Clean Schools = Better learning .... We are there to support the teachers !!

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DavidK to True~Male 2011/09/07 01:21:07

The good ones that is! They are either under paid or in most cases over paid. It's a union thing. They are the ones who help the sour grapes clinging to the bunch.

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Adam to Prime T... 2011/09/07 00:47:33

+1
Teachers may be important but the facts don't support your conclusion. we have been spending more and more on education and we continue to see diminishing results, in fact the results seem to be going down the matter what we do...so clearly what we are already doing isn't working. one of the things we've been doing is instead of taking a careful look at not only the teachers but the entire system as a whole we've just been continuing with the status quo and dumping more and more money into it and that just doesn't work.

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Prime T... to Adam 2011/09/07 00:57:45

+1
That makes sense,it is not surprising that the Asians from Japan etc. realize the importance of education and have very great schools.Even Europe has great schools and people are actually getting educated and if the US does not do something quick they will be left behind. It seems the government wants uneducated people for they are easier to handle and manipulate.

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RobJohn to Prime T... 2011/09/07 01:38:05

Its because of good parents.

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Pablo to Prime T... 2011/09/07 04:08:16

For one thing, the military gave us the United States of America, way before public education was instituted. Farmers may not be as well educated as, say teachers, but those who can, do, and those who can't, teach.
Spending ones career with children, while challenging, is not like spending a career working with adults of various positions and industries.
A job that does not allow for firing due to negligence and getting nearly full pay after 55 or 60 years old, if that long, with benefits that exceed just about all of private industries', well, I think thats quite enough. They can always leave to go into private industry, or better yet, go to a charter school and REALLY TEACH.
Pablo

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