Yesterday, as I was scrolling through my Twitter feed expecting to see the usual memes and other random tweets, I came across something that really stuck out to me. Twitter user Michael, also known as @Pablo_The_Bean, posted his thoughts on why teachers should not get a pay raise. Here is his argument:

After reading this, I was APPALLED. I could not believe how ignorant and uninformed he was. I know we are in the United States, which means freedom of speech. Just like Michael here has the freedom to speak his mind, I do as well, which means that I'm not going to pass up the chance to state my own opinion.

Okay, Michael. Let's get this straight. I understand that teaching is one of the lowest paid jobs out there. And you're well informed that teachers are asking for a pay raise. However, you believe that the only task that teachers perform is the act of grading papers. Yes, teachers do grade papers. But you are COMPLETELY misinformed. There is way, way, way more to teaching than just sitting around and grading papers. If that was the only task that teachers had to do, their jobs would be so unbelievably easy. Have you ever heard that teaching is an extremely difficult job? Yeah, you probably have. And it's because there is way more to it than grading papers.

You know what else teachers have to do? Here, let me tell you. Prepare yourself, because it's a pretty long list.

First off: teachers are required to use state standards for their lesson plans. What does this mean, you ask? It means that each state has their own unique curriculum that teachers have to abide to when they lesson plan. This is put into place in order to ensure that children are actually learning what they need to be learning. But lesson plans don't just take five minutes. They can take hours and hours. Sure, you get better at them as you go, but as an education major myself, my first time creating a lesson plan was just plain hard. Teachers have to adapt their lesson plans to all students. Each student is different. I can 100% guarantee that almost every teacher will have students with learning disabilities, intellectual disabilities, emotional behavioral disorders and more in their classroom. They have to adapt that lesson so that it will benefit children who learn differently. This lesson does not just have to adapt for average children, but for everyone. And creating something that will meet that is difficult. It's up to teachers whether the students learn or not. Their future is in our hands.

Next, teachers must deal with children who come from chaotic homes or abusive parents. We are there to be their mentors. If we suspect that a student is suffering abuse, we need to investigate. We must call Child Protective Services. This takes a lot of courage and bravery. If a student decides to tell us that they are pregnant, we must decide what to do. Being a teacher takes a lot of ethical sense.

Teachers are often torn between ethics and the law. We must do what is right, but how will it affect us in the long run? Will we get in trouble? Will we get fired?

Teachers must also deal with parents. Often times, many parents are angry and insensitive. Many are too protective of their children.

There's so much more that teachers do, but if I went into it, I'd be writing this article for days. But think about it yourself, Michael. Won't you have kids one day? Won't they go to school? Do you not care about the quality of education they are receiving? Will you not care about the fact that teachers are one of the most caring people on the planet, and they will give up most of their time and energy in order to do what's best for your own children? Will their teachers not teach them well enough in order for your kids to become successful doctors, lawyers, social workers, and maybe even teachers? If your children are happy, don't you think teachers deserve only the best? When your kids grow up and become successful, who do you thank? That's right, their teachers. Who will you thank because they installed a sense of good ethics in them? That's right, the teachers.

So Michael, I bet you're at a loss for words now, huh? I bet you think they deserve a pay raise now. Oh, and by the way, yes, everyone is offended.