I'm a retired art teacher. I know there is a lot of bad press about teachers' unions, but let me tell you, I owe my union a lot. They kept the standards high for all the teachers and the kids and now I have an excellent pension and benefits.
I taught for 38 years in an excellent, but not wealthy, district. Retirement is lovely. And now I am the back-up babysitter for all the working moms and dads where I live.