“yet they earn more then police officers”
Not true. Starting salary for NYC teachers is $45,530 with a BA, and for NYPD officers $46,200 after they leave the police academy. Pay scales increase much more rapidly for police officers. And police officers have better health and retirement benefits.
My source for these numbers are the UFT web site and the NYPD web site.
Surburban police officers earn even more than NYPD. And I do not begrudge them one cent.