Governor Rauner vetoes bill that would set state minimum teacher salary at $40,000 within five years - Chicago Tribune

Very true. Tax rates in Illinois are insane though; homeowners easily pay $5k+ per year in property taxes. Paying off bloated pensions instead of current teachers sure doesn't create a positive view of the future.

average income in the usa is now like 50K

some teachers think that since teachers are so valuable (only your kids education and all that) that maybethey should not get a below average income

but your mileage may vary