Really? I'm over-payed?

Do you really believe that to fund the State of Michigan and at the same time make budgetary concessions to spur economic growth in our state we need to take it from the education system and public employees in general? And don't start believing statistics that say that as a public employees I'm over-payed. Those statistics try to contrast my wages/earnings (and my 7+ years of schooling, and endless years of retraining) with those of the uncertified/HS Diploma job holders. Compare my job to jobs that require similar levels of ed/training and you will see that the public sector lags behind in wages (-3.3%), and keeps up only because the benefits are better on average (+5.3%). However, public sector professionals are beaten out in total compensation by private sector professionals overall (-0.7%). (Data for calculations source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, March 9, 2011).

So when you say I'm over-payed, check your sources.

All that not withstanding, it's not what any teacher would tell you is the main point. The real problem (in Michigan, at least) is that they are taking money from the children (no joke!) because MI schools are financed based upon the students served and in my area the students go where they want to for school. The parents can "vote with their dollar" because their student, again in my region, is worth approximately $7,000 to a school district's funds. The current MI budget proposal will decrease this by over $700, over 10% of the "student" money is taken away. I don't have to tell you what this implies, but I will tell you that the old adage 'you get what you pay for' comes to my mind.

Don't mind me, though. I'm not really a professional. I'm just a middle school math teacher with a B.S. in general mathematics, provisional teacher certification, a Master's in education, and a bill for $1,400 for a pointless class the State made me take to get my professional certification.