NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Long after your school days are finished, a teacher's wrath can still make you want to hide under a desk.

That is the lesson to be learned by reading many of the letters written to CNN/Money after a recent story discussed the economic situation of educators.

I will not provoke teachers. I will not provoke . . .

The article, "Do teachers have it easy?" described the findings of a study by Richard Vedder, a professor at Ohio University. His key point: "Teachers are not underpaid relative to other professionals."

Using government statistics and data from school districts and labor unions, Vedder found that teachers nationally earn about $30 per hour for their work, even after factoring in large amounts of extra, unpaid preparation and volunteer time they put in.

That, according to the professor, is a higher hourly wage than many other kinds of professionals.

Vedder got demerits for both his math and his impertinence -- as did the humble scribe reporting on his research.

"I found the article insulting and one sided," wrote Teresa, a kindergarten teacher.

"Shame on you for even running this story," added another reader, taking issue with the very question.

Many found fault with Vedder's computation of an average annual wage, because they felt it minimized the amount of time teachers put in "off the clock."

The story noted that "teachers routinely talk of having to work an extra two or three unpaid hours a day beyond the terms of their employment contract." Many letter writers said that failed to describe the true length of a teacher's day.

One writer named Frank said he added up the number of hours he works: "Arriving early, staying late, student conferences, grading reams of papers, lesson and test construction, lecture prep, college classes, meetings, extracurricular responsibilities, ad infinitum."

Frank claims to work "3,000-plus hours a year." Spread out over a 40-week school year, that would mean 12 hour days, six days a week, resting only on Sundays.

Others made less aggressive estimates, but still argued that teachers got shortchanged.

"I work a full year in nine months," wrote Pat. "The contract time does not even come close to representing the time a caring teacher needs to spend just to survive in the profession, let alone do a good job."

Citing figures from the American Federation of Teachers, a labor union, the article said the average salary for teachers in the United States is more than $44,000.

Many in the CNN/Money audience were skeptical, despite the fact that the statistic's source was a pro-teacher lobby.

"Where I come from, a starting teacher makes $24,000," according to Jennifer.

"I was an educator from 1969 to 1999 in Florida with a Master's degree," added Ann. "I did not ever make $44,000."

The AFT's figures are broken down state by state, with the highest average salaries going to places like California and New York. Clearly, the job does not pay as well in many smaller states, particularly ones in the South.

"As a third year teacher, I would love to make the $44,000 a year salary," wrote Amy. "Those that make that much money per year have been teaching for at least 20 years (at least in Arkansas)."

As if those paychecks weren't skimpy enough, many readers noted how out-of-pocket expenses pile up. "I routinely spend $500 a year for math materials that will appeal to the young students I teach," one said.

Though it's impossible to cite data, some letter-writers raised the point that students today seem more unruly, or at least less disciplined, than they once were.

"Students want to be Eminem and Jay-Z," wrote Betty. "They couldn't care less about having to learn Shakespeare or algebra." (If you don't recognize those rap musicians, you are out of touch, or perhaps just old.)

A handful of writers drew explicit comparisons between teaching and baby-sitting.

Joel, for example, estimated that babysitters are paid $5 an hour or so per child. Multiplying that by the 30 students in his class, Joel figures he would make $162,000 a year as a baby-sitter.

He then asked, in a tone not uncommon among the story's critics: "What does it say about a society that pays its baby-sitters more than three times what it pays its teachers?"

The original article also contained an unscientific survey that drew more than 38,000 respondents. Its results suggest an evenly divided audience.

Of those who voted, 52 percent said teachers were either "fairly paid" or "overpaid." The others, 48 percent, took the position that teachers are "underpaid," even when you consider the amount of time they are off during the summer.

There were even a few readers who said they enjoyed the piece.

"That was an excellent article on teacher's pay," wrote R.R., a high school teacher for 27 years.

"I've come to the conclusion that the trade-off of working 80 or so fewer days a year, combined with the slightly more altruistic environment of education," he added, "make this modestly paid profession a good career choice."