Responding to a message by Ruth, to Charles on ...
RL>I always get confused in what a blue collar worker is. But I think that
RL>is not an office type worker, would I be right?
Blue-denim workshirts are quite popular among those who work in 
factories and those who do manual labor.  They are cheap, rugged and 
clean well.  Professionals used to always wear white shirts and 
ties.  It became popular to distinguish professionals as "white 
collar workers" and laborers as "blue collar workers."
RL>If so how can they compare the two?
I can only speculate, but I think there are a number of reasons 
that teaching is equated with non-professional labor.  For one, 
there's tradition - just 50 years ago some teachers were still 
getting jobs having completed no more than a high school 
education and others were attending two-year "normal" schools to get 
training.  I suspect another reason for the connection is the role 
women have played in the profession - teaching, especially at the 
elementary level, was considered women's work for a long time and 
women just didn't get paid as much as men.  Further, I suspect that 
the 10-month work year contributes to an image problem teachers 
suffer from. 
RL>Think of what the average plumber can make an hour - we
RL>could make a fortune at those rates!
Yeah, but plumbers actually work for you for a share of your money 
and the customer can actually see what has been done at the end of a 
day.    What teachers do costs EVERYONE for something we do to 
someone else - either their children or the neighbors' children, and 
there's not much to show for our efforts at the end of a day.
I think that a lot of the attacks on taxes and the schools that 
we're facing today are rooted in a newly emerging selfishness among 
our population.  Few people want to spend their money to educate 
someone else's kid.  This shortsighted attitude might save the 
taxpayer money in the short run, but the lack of an educated 
workforce will damage the economic fortunes of our nations for a 
long time to come.
RL>I don't see them comparing our wages to that of doctors'
RL>do you? Of course in the U.S.  your doctors are not paid by the state so
RL>that might make a difference in thinking.
No, not many people draw a comparison between teachers' salaries and 
doctors' salaries, but then, I'm not sure they should.  Whereas the 
teacher need complete only 5 years of education, doctors often spend 
9 years or more.
RL>What kind of wages do teachers get over there - where you are?
Starrting salary is about $33,000 and our schedule tops out at about 
$62,000.  In some districts that are wealthier, salaries can 
approach $75,000 (U.S.).
RL>If figures seem high remember that we have a much lower dollar than you
RL>do and an extremely high cost of living index. You would be horrified if
RL>I told you what we have to pay for some things here in Metro Toronto -
RL>and in most places in Ontario or even Canada.
Yeah, but you've got a very nice city there.  I drove up to see 
Phantom of the Opera last spring and enjoyed my brief stay (2 nights).
I hope to get back again - you're only about a 4-hour drive from me 
- shorter if I didn't have to drive around the lake .
Chuck Beams
Fidonet - 1:2608/70
cbeams@future.dreamscape.com
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* UniQWK #5290* My other computer's a... er... well, it's a piece of junk 
o.
--- Maximus 2.01wb
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