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CA Mustang wrote:

mrydel wrote:I worry about the future of educating our kids because apparently teachers are too ignorant to know that the job does not pay well enough. If teacher pay is too low then people should quit taking jobs as teachers.

If everyone follows that logic, then who will be left to teach? Only those that don't need the money? Or just those desperate for any salary?

Maybe someone that wants the job and not someone that wants to be paid more than they agreed to and have summers off. I know that it is a unique concept in today's world but some people choose a profession because it is want they want to do for a living, they do a good job and they are paid for doing the job for which, in this case, they sign contracts.

Realize I am not saying they are over paid or under paid. I am just saying the rules are laid out ahead of time and it is kind of ridiculous to take the job and then complain about what you knew it was going to be.

On the surface it seems disgraceful to me that any ISD should spend that kind of money for a football stadium. There are do many other needs for those dollars. How about hiring tutors or providing other support for struggling families? I love this country but we seem to have our priorities out of whack quite often.

Disclaimer...I don't live in Allen and I don't care about HS football. I could also not buy TCU season tickets and give the cash to the Food Bank so I do recognize the hypocrisy....

The whole Texas school finance system is out of whack, which is basically what allowed this to be defensible on some level, at least (two different buckets for teachers/salaries and for buildings/capital). The district (and supporters of the stadium) argued that the money couldn't have been used for teachers or more tutors due to the fact that the bucket for those funds was already full....

So that's why they raised taxes last year...after getting the stadium bond approved. I fully recognize that a new stadium was needed, that's really not the issue here. The issue is the fact that a $60 million stadium is unbelievably excessive by any measure, even if it will be nice.

Ah, the joys of OPM. Wish I could tap into that easily.

mrydel wrote:Maybe someone that wants the job and not someone that wants to be paid more than they agreed to and have summers off.

Where are teachers asking to be paid more than they agreed upon? Or is asking for a COLA outrageous?

mrydel wrote:I know that it is a unique concept in today's world but some people choose a profession because it is want they want to do for a living, they do a good job and they are paid for doing the job for which, in this case, they sign contracts.

What value is the contract when pay can be cut via elimination of stipends, reduced schedule and/or layoffs?

mrydel wrote:I am just saying the rules are laid out ahead of time and it is kind of ridiculous to take the job and then complain about what you knew it was going to be.

That's not the issue. The teachers I know (CA & TX) are dealing with the fact the rules are being CHANGED to their detriment. So if the conditions are materially different from what they were when they signed up, how is it unreasonable if they complain?

I was involved in a community task force to meet with teachers who were demanding more pay than their contract just because they wanted more. And confronted with the fact that they had contracts, they went on strike and our children went without education until terms were renegotiated. It was a greedy appalling sight to witness.

If you are telling me that teachers have contracts and the terms of the contract are not being met, and are being changed to the detriment of the teachers, then it is just as appalling form the opposite perspective.

I am not seeing what you are referring to in Arkansas so we may be seeing apples and oranges. But I listen to teachers who are working and receiving what they knew they would get and what they know they had signed for and then want to strike for more. It only punishes the students.

Teachers deal with the same BS ad everyone else who has a job. They just feel entitled to complain more.

couch 'em wrote:Teachers deal with the same BS ad everyone else who has a job. They just feel entitled to complain more.

Ding ding

couch 'em wrote:Teachers deal with the same BS ad everyone else who has a job. They just feel entitled to complain more.

Do they really complain more?

I have worked for major corporations and complaining about wages is rampant. For example, my division kicked a'ss this year (basically, the entire profit of the company), but everyone's bonus sucked b/c other units threw up all over themselves and other units are start ups with no profits (and all losses). Basically, our units made sure everyone got a bonus.

My wife is a public school teacher. With 10 years of experience and a masters degree, she isn't making $65,000. In terms of workload, good teachers spend a large amount of time at night and on weekends preparing for classes and grading papers. If you want to ensure your kids are taught by C students, cut their pay some more.

If you want to better manage school spending, look at the following areas:
1) The number of administrators hired to manage the various "programs" schools set up;
2) The enormous amount of money spent on any kid who manages to get diagnosed with a learning disability. One that happens, the kid gets an "IEP" and the money starts to flow like water.
3) The enormous amount of money spent on special education kids. In NYC, they are spending $120,000 per year to send ONE child in a specialized ambulance to school. Once the child is in school, I would not be shocked to find out he has his own teacher and nurse.

mrydel wrote:I am not seeing what you are referring to in Arkansas so we may be seeing apples and oranges.

I think that's the case. While there undoubtedly are cases where teachers are striking for more, the ones I am referring to are fighting to hold on to what they have.

Yep firing teachers in Texas because funding is short.