I knew when I chose this profession it was not considered to be valued in a way I would be compensated monetarily. Education may be considered vital to you, but to the country as a whole, really only college is funded like it is really important. Junior college salaries stink in this state however.
The avg. US citizen thinks pre college education stinks. And in some states and especially poor urban areas, it really does. Texas just happens to have public schools as good as any private, because public education is funded mostly by the surrounding communities. And some communities are very interested in public education. They pass bonds, etc... for public schools.