Preparation or Restriction?

I think Holland's article in reference to the teacher in Virginia is a prime example of how our current teacher preparation system is lacking. At Baldwin-Wallace, I received and phenomenal education that prepared me above and beyond for my teaching career. However, the current continual certification renewal and set time for the completion of you masters I find to be more of a money making scheme by the state, than a genuine focus on continual acquisition of skills by educational professionals. Teachers are not encouraged, financially, to continue their education, yet are legally bound to do so. In most other occupations, of any origin from the labor field to the business arena, employees are encourages AND financially supported or wholly reimbursed to continue their education and gain further knowledge of their field. Taking into consideration some of the facts we were shown in our hand out during the presentation, concerning how teachers are treated in other countries, it causes me to wonder: How can we gain the professional respect we deserve, when our own system does not support or encourage our success?