Teacher Salary When was the last time you saw a teacher showing off a brand new Lexus? Or when you heard about a teacher who owns a ranch? The answer to this question is probably never. While material possessions like owning a luxurious home or driving a fancy car may be a trifle to the likes of the rich and famous, for teachers this type of expense is literally an arm and a leg. Even the simplest necessities are beyond the reach of a teacher's salary. The reason for this problem is due to our nation's budget. Teachers, along with other members of the school system, are underpaid and are not adequately compensated for their services. Instead of rewarding teachers with higher salaries, the government is undermining their work. As a result, teachers are unable to buy that expensive car or even pay off that Honda they bought when they were in college and working towards their teaching degree. School budgets must be increased dramatically to ensure the educational growth of students and the professional development of teachers. There are four main reasons discussed in this paper why more money should be spent on education. There are a number of key reasons why we need to ensure adequate funding for our schools. For starters, we need to increase Internet accessibility in our schools. With our ever-growing society, the need for technology is rapidly escaping. Today we are heavily dependent on the Internet to provide us with fast information. It is used in high-tech companies, homes and schools. Through the Internet we enable students to explore new and interesting questions. In addition to the books in our local library, the Internet is a critical tool for education. With all the resources provided by the Internet, not all schools have them available. “According to a 1999 survey, conducted by Education Week, only 87 percent in states like Pennsylvania had access to the Internet” (Gazette 99). “However this figure rose to 90% in 1999.” While the numbers have increased, there are other states that aren't even close to that number of hits. This presents a big problem because while other students are developing their skills and learning more, others continue to rely on books and articles. Through the use of the Internet students will not only be introduced to a wide range of topics and search engines, but will also be able to familiarize themselves with technology.