I would refine this to say that teaching is not sufficiently respected as a profession. A large part of this is the low pay. Another part is the top-heavy burea

I would refine this to say that teaching is not sufficiently respected as a profession. A large part of this is the low pay. Another part is the top-heavy bureaucracy, and that we take our best teachers and push them out of teaching because administrators are the only ones making decent money. Other posters have pointed out that there's plenty of spending in schools, but it is in frivolous activities on the periphery of education. They did not mention facilities, which I believe is another huge point of financial irresponsibility when it comes to how municipalities fund their schools. Any town pointing to a dilapidated school as proof of need for a new one is among the least likely to be a good steward of that school, given that it is deferred improvements and maintenance, not age, that really causes problems (to a point, of course). Worse yet, they move these schools to huge complexes on the edge of town so that no one can reach it without a car or bus. Then they get to spend more good school money on buses.