James, some good points there but I'd be astonished if your 80% quote was true of the UK. I personally have known a fair number of teachers during my 57 years, of whom only a very few went into teaching as a second career - they mostly went the Sixth-Form/TTC or Uni/Teacher route. Not calling you a liar, just saying that 80% doesn't hold up against my experience - maybe I got a weird sample!

Also my point's not a criticism of teachers - simply my opinion, gained over a great many years, as to why many (but not all) teachers have a distorted view of the difficulties of their job and their monetary worth when compared with middle-managers in industry and commerce. Incidentally, I know a number of teachers who agree with my point.

I don't subscribe to the 'All teachers are moaning wasters' point of view that quite a few people have put forward here, but neither do I agree that the rigours of their job and inadequacy of their financial rewards are any worse than those of their non-teaching counterparts (which is what I thought I'd said in my previous post!). And regarding the hoary old chestnut of the 12 weeks holiday - a number of teacher friends/acquaintances of mine have expressed a view that I can cheerfully go along with, which is that it's very nice and helps to compensate for some of the less enjoyable parts of the job. Just wish I got 12 weeks instead of the measly 4 that I make do with.

And finally, I'm an accountant, bald and overweight and I constantly take stick, sometimes very personal and abusive, for all three. But I don't moan about it. :0)

Johnny.