Curiosity,
In short, you’re woefully uninformed about the specifics of the job. It’s not a part-time job. And even if it was, in order for a teacher to be committed to a teaching job, he has to be paid a living wage. Otherwise he’ll find work elsewhere and you’ll be without a teacher. So even if you don’t believe the fact that teachers do work full-time, you’ll still have to pay them a living wage in order for them to actually be there to teach.
We’re not over paying them. It’s disturbing you think we are.
Regards to you being a parent in order for you to understand the job, it’s not that we don’t respect your opinion. It’s just that you’re misinformed about the aspects of the job that doesn’t occur at the school setting. Most parents end up speaking to their child’s teacher after school numerous times throughout the year. And if there is any type of problem or issue that has to be discussed on a more personal level, parents are sometimes in contact with their teachers numerous times a week.
Multiply that by 25 children per class, and many teachers teach multiple classes a day. It’s not a pretty picture.
It’s possible that the teachers in your life complained for no reason. It’s possible. But they’re definitely not overpaid.