Social Workers VS Teachers

-artist unknown

When I read of Teacher's Union strikes, I am reminded of how little social workers get paid in comparison. It's apples and oranges, even for those with a Master's in Clinical Social Work with a private practice, and most are caseworkers. Yet, social workers often do not complain in mass numbers when teacher's ask for higher wages by striking. They after all support the idea of unions and wage fairness in general! In reality though, when a school district gets shut down basically over some minor pay issues, or amount of yearly paid holidays and vacations, or throwing a fit over some other luxury benefit that most Americans Don't Have At All, it is pretty aggravating for the average social worker, or at least this semi-social worker. The focus COULD be more on educational techniques for their students when students are failing, which are FREE- because those would have been learned in college then implemented in the classroom, and then school districts would have an easier time. They wouldn't be forced to keep paying teacher's high salaries who can't teach, just because they are protected by their Union. Plus, parents and kids would be less stressed, because the homework brought home would have been taught in the classroom already for instance. This instead of thrown in the lap of the parents to teach to their child for sake of teacher laziness or lack of comprehension, whichever- but it happens! I think that Social Work as a profession needs to be more recognized than it is. They definitely need a wage that reflects their effort and hard work, and it's very lacking compared to other professionals- they make poverty wages and it requires 4-6 years of college first. They have to fight to keep their jobs. If they mess up, they are out of a job and a license, because they have an ethics code just like doctors, lawyers, and nurses do. They impact society just as much as teachers, if not more, and are needed everyday!

-artist unknown