fully loaded costs are not at issue.
Base salary - taking into account inflation isn't even close to being meaningful salary for the nature of the work educators perform, the constraints of budget, resource, and curriculum changes - not to mention the reduction in support for schools, extra-curricular activities, means teachers actual hours spent in & outside the classroom far exceed what most of us 'endure' in a regular 40 hr work-week.
Finally - take a macro-view of the impact of a reduction in the quality of education a child receives here ... is it any wonder why children that are raised in other countries come better prepared, educated and qualified to assume higher quality jobs ?
If our young generation is to have the best opportunity to contribute to the future global economies of tomorrow, we should recognize that impeding their access to highly qualified, well paid, and adequately compensated educators is part of package. Cheap out on this, and our communities and local workforce should not surprise anyone when it is made of people better educated and prepared for the jobs of tomorrow -
take the long view on this one ... for the benefit of those that will come after us, and for your own benefit as you age and become more reliant on those 'kids' that will come up through the years having been educated and making decisions that will affect your future. An educated population can vote, discern and think critically, and be in the best position to make meaningful inputs to policy decisions, innovate and draw from history.
Educators at all levels are a critical piece of our overall success as a community ... and simply can't be short-changed without long-term consequences. Taking a stand for their best interests means an investment beyond their contributions ... that will pay dividends long into future after they are gone.