LAUSD bonuses

Some people might not object to a high school science teacher getting paid more for having a master's degree in biology.Connie Llanos in the Daily News

Or raising the salary of an educator who has learned another language.

But should teachers be able to boost their salaries for going to the opera to enhance their music appreciation? Or for attending union conferences?

Los Angeles Unified spends $519 million each year - or a quarter of the teacher payroll - on salary bonuses for teachers who have taken additional coursework, according to a report released last week. Those classes range from graduate courses taken at a university to online seminars and art appreciation classes.