Yes and no
Gave a +1 for the beginning of your comment. No, not surprised at all, and actually laughed that there WAS such an 'institute'.... Probably just a loose collection of overly 'Politically Correct' idiots looking to make the rest of us act the same way...
As for the 'no'... Many teachers are underpaid, while they may have a decent annual salary, especially when you think of all the time off they get... Most teachers tend to work closer to 60 hours a week between classroom work, class-prep, grading and more. That's also not to mention the level of stress they are under in that they are severely hamstrung in doing their jobs the majority (My view) of the time. They can't teach many things because it is now 'not PC' (more of that idiocy), they cannot 'correct' a student for being a bully or acting out (those bullies would straighten-up some with a ruler brought across the knuckles), their jobs are subject to the whim of the kids half the time ('But, he TOUCHED me!.' .... need I say more?)
While generally, yes, teachers salaries, at least in good districts, are a far cry better than any low-end retail job, the people, the kids and other issues they deal with put as much pressure on them as any doctor or lawyer, if not more, and easily just as thankless a job, if not more so. On top of that, they are trying (one would hope), to improve our kids and our society... At least as much as a backwards educational system will allow them.
