I don't think that is necessarily true. I think a certain type of young person gets sucked into the liberal (in this case not a bad word) ideals of being a 'helper'. Teachers are role models because they are in front of you at that age for 6 hours a day. The good ones, make an impression. (Actually the bad ones do too) There is no thought as a 12, 13, 14, 15, 16... year old that teaching is not a lucrative profession. It is not a thought that at that age enters the average kids mind... especially ones that tend to want to be 'helpers'. I knew early on that I wanted to be an architect... I had zero idea about the financial rewards of that profession. My favorite teachers were the ones that nurtured that in me. My drafting teacher gave me special projects and allowed me to do my own thing towards that end. I knew math was important, so my math teachers were focused on my success. I love those people to this day, and I would bet if my name came up to them (the ones still alive) they would know that and it would be something of which they would be proud. I doubt any of them were multimillionaires.