How on earth is this insightful. My wife starts at least 30 days prior to school starting to write her lesson plans. You are apparently under the impression that because teachers don't get paid during the summer, they must screw off the entire time the kids are on vacation. Nothing could be further from the truth. Additionally, the first 2-3 weeks after the kids are out of school she spends each day moving classrooms, packing up all her stuff so the janitorial staff can redo floors throughout the school, bring all the material home she has purchased with her measly paycheck (it ends up "disappearing" otherwise) and doing crap the principal dreamed up - team building garbage, "required' training (more principal dreams) and a host of other, unpaid, ridiculous stuff that has no bearing on teaching the children. Did I mention all those hours are UNPAID but expected. And oh by the way, she has to earn at least 6 semester hours a year of education, whether it be working towards a masters or just education related. I'd go on, but there isn't much point. I can't think of a job that has more importance that is so looked down upon.

In short, the school (state) provides a curriculum, NOT lesson plans. Teachers are expected to do that in their own time - which is why many are obviously willing to part with hard earned $$$ to not have to do a lot of that work.

After I realized what you did there - coffee came out my nose!!!

+1 Jeep Reference!!!! ./ rabid off road fiend