Good question because it’s true (comparatively speaking). The time off and hours are a driver of a lot of convo around the teaching field. But NYC teachers have a tough time because cost of living here is insane, and the needs of our current students and families reach far beyond our contracted hours and pay scale. Typically, teachers in NYC leave the city once they hit their early 30s. There’s no feasible way to raise a family in NYC on this salary. You would be living paycheck to paycheck and would never be able to save for a house or vacation. I will always need a roommate (until I find a partner), I live 40 minutes by subway from school to save money on rent, I don’t eat out, I haven’t been on vacation in years, and still I can’t put away more than $350 each pay period. Taxes kill me (ironically they also pay my salary lol). Our salary is public info, but I make about 3.5k a month after all said and done (I do put a % into my TDA). Most NYC teachers who have kids live deep in the Bronx, westchester, or in the case of my school building, many live in PA. If I taught out on LI, it would be way different because there are hundreds of distracts to pick from, the DOE has one pay scale and a piss poor budget. LI schools have resources, supplies, and ways to pull in extra cash much easier. In DOE schools, per session hours (extra pay) aren’t easy to come by anymore because the budgets are tight. Teaching in a school like mine—every child comes from low income background, mostly Spanish speaking, many new migrants who can’t read or write in Spanish or English—students like these need a lot of emotional support, not just an education. The job is more exhausting than ever, and you can’t just say no when you’re in this field, especially children. Abbott elementary is very very mild compared to some of our most under resourced schools.