As a teacher in the Chicago Public Schools I must put in my two cents. During the school year I am at school 12 hours a day ( no I am not exaggerating). I leave my house at 4:30 am, and do not return to it until 6:30 or 7:00 pm, later if there is a performance by the school band, choir, theater department, or if one of the three sports I coach has a week day game or meet. In addition I am at school on Saturdays for games or meets which due to the disorganization of CPS sports also mean a 12 hour day for me. I love teaching, I love coaching, but if I had to do it year round (especially if it was for the same low salary) I would quit and do something else, as would a lot of teachers. Good teachers. Because the effort level that must be put in to be a great teacher cannot be sustained week after week year round. You would have massive teacher burnout.

I agree. As a middle school principal, I am at school, most days 12 hours daily. On a good day, I get home early, spending only 10 hours at work. The job is emotionally and mentally taxing. Even though I am at work during the summer months, I need the time without students in the building to rejuvinate and get ready for the next school year.

I agree, I am a 2nd grade special education inclusion teacher, I have been for 22 years. I am also at school at least 10-12 hours a day, and I get home to a family of 5 and have a second job ahead of me until about midnight. Take it from a teacher that literally did burn out this year, mentally and physically I was drained. Also, with No Child Left Behind school has been drained of fun and excitement. We have become educational "institutions" our freedom has been taken away, there is no time to have fun and really enjoy and get to know our kids. I think the kids burnout too. Recess is a thing of the past. People behind thier desks making the standard for our classrooms, need to get into a classroom and see that we are raising kids who will not get along in the real world just because they can read and do their math, they will have no social skills, or passion to work together. It's a sad sad system......we ALL need summer!!!!!

mnielson, do you have a lying problem? You just contradicted something you said in another thread.