Teachers are, indeed, professional employees, required in this state to get a Master's degree and pass through what has become a quite rigorous certification process, and who must renew certification throughout their career. Yes, there are financial increases with additional degrees. However, regardless of what the writer of the other letter claims, there are indeed raises and bonuses for learning in the private sector, often for the passing of a certification test. Truth be told, the other writer left out salary numbers entirely, and, in doing so, failed to make the significant point that many, many professions' salaries far exceed teachers' wages. Of course, the time issue always comes to the fore when the money issue is laid to rest.
Teachers get summers off.
That is, if they aren't scrambling to go to training and courses to maintain their certification, or teaching summer courses, or rewriting curricula, or working another job. Still, the time is there, and resented. However, it is needed time, time for absolutely essential rest from demanding jobs. It can be utterly draining at times, and, after a few months, even the very best teachers begin to show signs of deep fatigue. To be absolutely alert, active, decision-making, questioning, counseling, and improvising while monitoring a group of youths, all for 50 to 84 minutes at a stretch, is hard to do.