Teacher contract hours and what they actually work are two very different things. My daily life is surrounded by teachers who often have to prepare lessons and grade papers well into the night, and especially on weekends. They often sacrifice time they should be giving their own family in order to catch up with work. In some businesses, they only meet with the customer at the customer's convenience when they want the customer's money; however, most businesses I know have set hours of operation. In professional sectors such as dental and medical offices, EVERYONE has to comply to set hours. If you don't believe me, try getting a dental or doctor's appointment outside regular office hours. Finally, teachers do not disappear during the summer, they are often getting trained and attending professional development programs, again at their own expense, to keep their credentials current and to become better teachers. They are often cleaning out their classrooms two weeks into the summer and are usually in their classrooms preparing and setting things up two weeks before their contracted school session begins.