I am sure I will get blasted for saying this but if you count days on vs off teachers work roughly 180 days a year. So when you average their pay it is north of 33 an hour. Furthermore, if a teach decides to work during the summer like everyone else than they have the opportunity to make additional income and bring that number up around 40 an hour, which by any standards is good money. I understand that teachers have to do "homework" but most people do that these days, I also understand that they have to put up with kids all day, but that is a choice they made. Most peoples jobs are not withouth its rough points.
I actually have two teacher friends that approach the profession much differently. One understands that he gets more days off than any other profession in the world and always keeps a part time job to fill his summers and breaks. He makes north of 70k a year as a teacher/hotel guy. The other guy is a teacher becuase he LOVES the holiday schedule (and is quick to call and remind me every july that he is home, doing nothing) and the fact that he gets paid for months that he does not work.
I understand and feel for teachers, but remember, its their choice to do it and they do get paid well for hours worked and have the BEST vacation schedule on the planet..