If you were given an ultimatum, who would you choose: A teacher or LeBron James? The question is a difficult one, since choosing between meeting a teacher or LeBron James is much different than asking which is more important. Educators, along with other public servants, such as police men and firemen, actively integrate themselves within local and national society to protect, encourage, and enforce the values that are seemingly the most important. Not at all implying that LeBron doesn’t give to his community, but do he and other professional athletes and celebrities truly give this country what it needs to advance?

Speaking as a future educator and daughter of a public school teacher, it’s hard for anyone to justifiably say that teachers do nothing for society. Now more than ever, a high degree of education is valued not only in order to get a job, but also to maintain a stable career. With job opportunities asking for a minimum GPA to even be considered for an interview, it’s almost impossible to argue that education and educators do no good. Since education is becoming so valued for personal and societal advancement, especially to advance within pay-grades, it brings up a quite interesting question: If a solid educational background is so important, why aren’t those who teach paid for the quality of work that they provide?

The people who teach children to read, write, communicate effectively, and to stay safe are shown that there is no monetary upside to pursuing such a career, and yet they do it anyways, showing that there is some intrinsic value to the field. While it’s true that simply knowing that you’ve helped a child learn the basic necessities of survival in this society provides an overwhelming sense of value, there is no doubt that in this economy, a decent paycheck would solidify that thought in many minds. Teachers provide the education that the current and next generations will need in order to have even a basic job let alone a career, yet sometimes have to spend upwards of $500 out of their own pockets to obtain the materials they need because the school can’t or won’t supply them. To many, this price might not seem like much, but many teachers and public servants do not always have an extra $500 or more due to the cost of living in this economy.

According to Payscale.com, public elementary and middle school teachers are annually paid between $42,000 and $46,000 on average. The average pro-basketball player on the other hand, is paid upwards of $5,000,000. That’s an insane difference. Congratulations to the ballers, but why put those who work just as hard down? Physically exercising is working hard in a much different respect than being on patrol or teaching, but the pay difference does instill some thoughts that an individual player has a higher importance and is literally "worth more" than an individual teacher. Shouldn’t those who put so much time and effort into advancing future generations and protecting the public be considered "more valuable" than 12 people on a court shooting at a hoop? This society is based on money--those who have are considered more important while those who need it are seen as a disgrace and the "bottom feeders" on welfare and food stamps. The truth of the matter is that people cannot chose how much they make while society pushes views upon the different classes.

I’m a firm believer that money is not even remotely the most important thing in the world, but I do believe that the people like my fellow education majors and all the teachers I have encountered so far should be recognized as indispensable to the future of this country and generations to come. It is my experience that

sports players and celebrities are entertainment; they are fun to watch, but even the best Celtics game doesn’t compare to the most basic realm of education. There seems to be a clear bias towards sports and entertainment over education, as everything is in the hands of the media, but biases do only lean towards one side. Perspective, on the other hand, is formed by looking at all sides and coming to a real, rational conclusion. The wealth of this country should be divided throughout many fields not because of how well a person plays, or what a person protects, or how a person teaches, but rather how the overall knowledge gained changes the future outcomes. It’s time that all carers were treated as equally important, whether you are a professional athlete or a regular old professor.