LETTER: Why teach?
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Sir: I was amused to hear of Tony Blair's desire for teachers to have parity of esteem with doctors. The Green Paper on teachers' pay and conditions holds out the prospect for a small proportion of classroom teachers to earn pounds 35,000 per annum, and outstanding heads who turn around failing schools, which may have over 2,000 pupils and several hundred staff, up to pounds 70,000.
Such remuneration compares with over pounds 50,000, and in many cases much more, for a GP , and up to pounds 112,000 for a hospital consultant whose weekly contracted hours amount to only 35, thus leaving much free time to earn still more enormous sums from private practice.
Ambitious, highly-achieving school students in maths and science with a vocational bent will continue to choose medicine as their career of first choice, and anyone who believes potential earnings is not the most important factor is ignorant of human nature.
STEPHEN USHERWOOD
Nottingha
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments