Great teachers are easily worth 80,000 + a year.
The trouble are the bad teachers...which by far out number the good. This is where the unions come into play.
Get rid of the unions and get rid of the bad employees.
Disclosure:
I am a non union electrical contractor whose employees EARN very near to scale. They have health insurance, paid leave, company matched 401 and education assistance. THEY are in control of what the EARN and no one else.
I was an IBEW member for 2 years before leaving. While there I was a project forum running 4- 5 projects with as many as 35 electricians. The biggest thing I didn't like was that the guy working next to me was making the same as I was with half the effort. Maybe it was being raised on a farm (and I still farm today) I believe in the old 8 hours pay for 8 hours work.
One more thing.....my wife is a union teacher....with a masters degree +45.....and is at the upper end of her pay scale....BUT WORKS EXTREMELY HARD FOR HER KIDS...for her pay. <----- notice the priority order.