Giving Compass' Take:

• Today, teachers earn almost 20 percent less than other college graduates. Low teacher salaries have made it difficult for schools to attract talented educators equipped to handle such conditions.

• How can we change this unfair system around and get teachers the wages they deserve? How does this directly affect our children and our schools?

• Read about ways to increase teacher wages. 

Teachers in the US have long been underpaid, but today their wages are currently lower than ever, according to a new study published by the Economic Policy Institute on Wednesday, reports CityLab.

In 1979, teachers earned 5.5% less than their peers, but that pay gap has now widened to 18.7%. Adjusting for inflation, researchers found that, on average, teachers' weekly pay decreased by $27 from 1996 to 2017. Meanwhile, average weekly pay has risen by $137 for college graduates in other professional roles.

Though the cost of living has gone up by nearly 50% in 29 states, most teachers in those states will earn less this academic year than they did in the 1999-2000 school year, CBS News reports.

Read the full article on the teacher pay gap crisis by Sophie Maes at Global Citizen.