[swingdjted]

Ads don't bother me so long as they're not distracting. Tracking cookies do. I have opted out and use a dummy email account, but most people have no idea that it's even going on, and I don't feel that's ethical to exploit. I donate to Wikipedia, and it's self-sustaining without the ads. Google in general is one of the lesser offenders though.

The teacher thing is separate. Teachers get paid far less on average than anyone else with their credentials. They do what they have to just to keep from leaving the profession. Also, if what you describe is what you're seeing, that's not the action of teachers, that's the action of a superintendent making recommendations to the school board, and then the school board voting to agree. Teachers don't have the power to use that kind of blackmail, although I'll admit, many would like that kind of power, at least for a little extra job security.