Not getting your point. I'm not complaining about working at all. I taught special ed behavior disordered students, Downs kids, LD, Autistic etc for 28 years plus subbing for the last 5. Coached football, basketball, track etc for extra money as well as serving as team leader and dept head. Worked side gigs in the summer and weekends. Worked my whole life and never complained for a second.
My point was regarding the low pay. Sounds like you may have worked at a fairly affluent rural district where the cost of living was low and the pay was decent if you think teaching pays so well.
I worked in an affluent area right outside of Louisville where the pay was crap and the cost of living was high relative to my pay. Not even complaining about it...just pointing out that there was a times I was literally so broke that I could barely afford to heat my house, keep my car running and provide properly for my wife/kids. I was not born into money and was used to living cheaply.....but it was really bad at times on my teacher pay with my wife at home with the kids.
We were so broke I considered taking canned goods from the room my school was storing Thanksgiving supplies in for our indigent students. Clowns on here telling me it didn't happen and that teachers are rolling in the dough are the clueless ones.
**Side note--I also did early morning bus duty and crowd control till kids were released from the gym.