--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We don't pay our teachers what they're…" description: "\"We don't pay our teachers what they're worth.\" — Tate Reeves" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abd/tate-reeves-5339_education_we-don-t-pay-our-teachers-what-they-re-w_1888246.png" --- # We don't pay our teachers what they're worth. ![“We don't pay our teachers what they're worth.” quote by Tate Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abd/tate-reeves-5339_education_we-don-t-pay-our-teachers-what-they-re-w_1888246.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abd/tate-reeves-5339_education_we-don-t-pay-our-teachers-what-they-re-w_1888246.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abd/tate-reeves-5339_education_we-don-t-pay-our-teachers-what-they-re-w_1888246.png) > “We don't pay our teachers what they're worth.” [Tate Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tate-reeves/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Teachers are underpaid relative to their societal value, indicating a mismatch between compensation and contribution. **In simple terms:** Teachers aren't paid what they're worth. Key Takeaway Advocate for fair teacher pay. Themes education economics justice Mood concerned determined Type political activist When to use this quote - school board meetings - union negotiations - parent‑teacher associations - policy advocacy Key Concepts labor market public policy Questions to Reflect On - What policies could align teacher pay with value? - How does underpaying teachers affect student outcomes? A Different Perspective Budget constraints limit salary increases. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Our](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our/) [Pay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pay/) [Pay Teachers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pay-teachers-695596/) [Teachers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teachers/) [Teachers Worth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teachers-worth-2710460/) [Worth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worth/) ## Related quotes > [We must invest in tomorrow. And pay our teachers for teaching as we pay our coaches for coaching.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-giovanni/we-must-invest-in-tomorrow-and-pay-our-teachers-for-teaching-as-we/) [Nikki Giovanni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-giovanni/) > [We gotta figure out a way to pay our teachers more. They're like surrogate parents away from home. They have such a huge responsibility…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-timberlake/we-gotta-figure-out-a-way-to-pay-our-teachers-more-they-re-like/) [Justin Timberlake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-timberlake/) > [We can pay teachers a hundred thousand dollars a year, and we'll do nothing to improve our schools as long as we keep the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-glasser/we-can-pay-teachers-a-hundred-thousand-dollars-a-year-and-we-ll-do/) [William Glasser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-glasser/) > [Good teachers have joined Presidency from different parts of the country and even abroad. We have got idealistic teachers, and we are relying on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashoke-sen/good-teachers-have-joined-presidency-from-different-parts-of-the/) [Ashoke Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashoke-sen/) > [“You can find anyone that will tell you what you want to hear, but the only one worth valuing is the one that tells…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/you-can-find-anyone-that-will-tell-you-what-you-want-to-hear-but-the/) [Shannon L. 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Kenji Lopez-Alt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-kenji-lopez-alt/) ## More by Tate Reeves > [When we stand united we will emerge stronger as a state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tate-reeves/when-we-stand-united-we-will-emerge-stronger-as-a-state/) [Tate Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tate-reeves/) > [Every kid in our state deserves an opportunity for success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tate-reeves/every-kid-in-our-state-deserves-an-opportunity-for-success/) [Tate Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tate-reeves/) > [No business is non-essential to those who rely on its paycheck for food, for supplies and for shelter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tate-reeves/no-business-is-non-essential-to-those-who-rely-on-its-paycheck-for/) [Tate Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tate-reeves/) > [I'm not afraid to tell people, 'No.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tate-reeves/i-m-not-afraid-to-tell-people-no/) [Tate Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tate-reeves/) > [Our commitment to our pro-life values must never waver.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tate-reeves/our-commitment-to-our-pro-life-values-must-never-waver/) [Tate Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tate-reeves/) > [I strongly support anyone's right to peacefully protest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tate-reeves/i-strongly-support-anyone-s-right-to-peacefully-protest/) [Tate Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tate-reeves/) > [We need a governor focused on job creation, bringing better and higher paying jobs to Mississippi.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tate-reeves/we-need-a-governor-focused-on-job-creation-bringing-better-and-higher/) [Tate Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tate-reeves/) > [I don't know how many ways I can explain this to y'all but I'm opposed to Obamacare expansion in Mississippi because it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tate-reeves/i-don-t-know-how-many-ways-i-can-explain-this-to-y-all-but-i-m/) [Tate Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tate-reeves/) > [We think that - that our elections process, which has been in place for many, many years, is a - ensures that we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tate-reeves/we-think-that-that-our-elections-process-which-has-been-in-place-for/) [Tate Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tate-reeves/) > [When we talk about public education, we don't worry about a district. We don't focus on an individual school or a building when we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tate-reeves/when-we-talk-about-public-education-we-don-t-worry-about-a-district/) [Tate Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tate-reeves/) > [We don't need union bosses to tell us how to take care of our people. We never have, and we never will in Mississippi.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tate-reeves/we-don-t-need-union-bosses-to-tell-us-how-to-take-care-of-our-people/) [Tate Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tate-reeves/) > [I don't support vaccine passports. I don't think it's necessary and I don't think it's a good thing to do in America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tate-reeves/i-don-t-support-vaccine-passports-i-don-t-think-it-s-necessary-and-i/) [Tate Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tate-reeves/) > [I don't believe there is any constitutional or statutory authority for any president to shut down Mississippi's economy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tate-reeves/i-don-t-believe-there-is-any-constitutional-or-statutory-authority/) [Tate Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tate-reeves/) > [Eliminating the franchise tax is really about economic growth on Main Street.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tate-reeves/eliminating-the-franchise-tax-is-really-about-economic-growth-on-main/) [Tate Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tate-reeves/) > [We need a governor strong enough to take us to our full potential. Jim Hood won't, but I will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tate-reeves/we-need-a-governor-strong-enough-to-take-us-to-our-full-potential-jim/) [Tate Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tate-reeves/) [Explore all 101 Tate Reeves quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tate-reeves/) ## More Education quotes > [I put myself in the student's place and remember the frustrations, doubts, determination, and desires I felt when I was going through the initial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-martinez/i-put-myself-in-the-student-s-place-and-remember-the-frustrations/) [Ted Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-martinez/) > [“In school you are taught to obey and not to think straight for your own good. 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But when I got to school and tried to share learning with other students that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/where-i-grew-up-learning-was-a-collective-activity-but-when-i-got-to/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [There's no authoritarian structure at Reed College, but the education is conservative. So what you have is a lot of students who are very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/there-s-no-authoritarian-structure-at-reed-college-but-the-education/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [“What's the best thing about being in college? Good teachers. They inspire you, they entertain you, and you end up learning a ton even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/what-s-the-best-thing-about-being-in-college-good-teachers-they/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [“If one has not a head of steel it will burst; if he has not within it a brain of liquid quicksilver, he will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ioannes-amos-commenius/if-one-has-not-a-head-of-steel-it-will-burst-if-he-has-not-within-it/) [Ioannes Amos Commenius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ioannes-amos-commenius/) > [“let us not teach / what we have learned badly / and not profited by”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-d-hilda-doolittle/let-us-not-teach-what-we-have-learned-badly-and-not-profited-by/) [H.D. (Hilda Doolittle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-d-hilda-doolittle/) > [“It took me years to learn to sit at my desk for more than two minutes at a time, to put up with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/it-took-me-years-to-learn-to-sit-at-my-desk-for-more-than-two-minutes/) [Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/) > [According to Plato, we don't learn anything. Our soul has lived so many lives that we know everything. Teachers and education can only remind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/according-to-plato-we-don-t-learn-anything-our-soul-has-lived-so-many/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [“I only began to enjoy studying after I got through the educational system and became a so-called member of society. If something interested me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-only-began-to-enjoy-studying-after-i-got-through-the-educational/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you had made the acquiring of ignorance the study of your life, you could not have graduated with higher honor than you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/if-you-had-made-the-acquiring-of-ignorance-the-study-of-your-life-you/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [How wonderful it would be, I thought, if only we could practice the teachings of the Buddha as he really taught them from his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dzogchen-ponlop-rinpoche/how-wonderful-it-would-be-i-thought-if-only-we-could-practice-the/) [Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dzogchen-ponlop-rinpoche/) > [English teachers tend to put more thought in the books than the author did](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/english-teachers-tend-to-put-more-thought-in-the-books-than-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When will society, like a mother, take care of all her children?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-mann/when-will-society-like-a-mother-take-care-of-all-her-children/) [Horace Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace-mann/) [Browse all 37,666 Education quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We don't pay our teachers what they're worth.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tate Reeves" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tate-reeves/we-don-t-pay-our-teachers-what-they-re-worth/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Education" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tate-reeves/we-don-t-pay-our-teachers-what-they-re-worth/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abd/tate-reeves-5339_education_we-don-t-pay-our-teachers-what-they-re-w_1888246.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abd/tate-reeves-5339_education_we-don-t-pay-our-teachers-what-they-re-w_1888246.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abd/tate-reeves-5339_education_we-don-t-pay-our-teachers-what-they-re-w_1888246.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We don't pay our teachers what they're worth.” — Tate Reeves", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Tate Reeves", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tate-reeves/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We don't pay our teachers what...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tate-reeves/we-don-t-pay-our-teachers-what-they-re-worth/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tate-reeves/we-don-t-pay-our-teachers-what-they-re-worth/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```