That is optional. You can teach w/o school "projects". I have to buy a briefcase for work, maybe I should make that an "out of pocket expense". also once the first few years of teaching, it becomes automatic. you do the same lesson plans and have a system...everything is rather repetative.
I am a teacher, I work hard and I didn't negotiate my contract or pay. My pay is on a set scale and determined by the amount of education I have and my years of service. I applied for a job and got it, and attached to that job were certain promises. I worked in the "private" sector for several years before teaching, and the same thing was the case. I applied for jobs and got them, and attached to those jobs were certain promises. In either situation if those promises were not kept I am sure that I would be angry. Regardless if you are a public or "private" sector employee, I think you should feel secure in what you have been promised. That is why you have a contract, so that both sides honor it. My PERS situation can change, but as it stands now I pay in and my district matches. That is the same situation I had at every private sector job. Just like the private sector jobs, I am earning my retirement benefits based on years of service and how much I contribute. I am not sure where I have leeched, taken advantage, or stolen from anyone. I work an honest days work, and live up to my professional responsibilities. I don't break the law, I am a upstanding member of my community, and I serve the government of my state and country. I work with other peoples children to make them better individuals, and often find that several adults have not done a very good job of parenting. I have broken up fights, stayed late to make sure kids had transportation, counseled students living in terrible situations, and done my best to demonstrate compassion and humanity. Then I come read statements like many made in this thread and I am disgusted at the ugliness of some people and their views of what my profession. The hatred some have for the government in this country is simply unhealthy, and as a result it turns into politics rather than government. I don't appreciate the insults from some of you posting in this thread, I am an honest person working hard to take care of my family.
The best part of the story is the Democrats walked out of the state house. If Democrats and Republicans walked out of the states' houses for like, 365 days a year, we'd be in much better shape.
Well, if the materials offered aren't good enough or sufficient to teach with then no, they aren't optional. Plus, if I'm at work and need something (if reasonable) I can expense it. For teachers, that isn't an option. You may get more efficient over time, but you're never going to eliminated all non class time work. You still need to prep, you'll always have to deal with parents and/or students and you'll always have to grade papers, homework and tests.
What are some examples of promises made for your job in the private sector that were taken away? Every job I know of or have had has an at-will clause in which case either side can terminate their employment at anytime. Did somebody force you into being a teacher, or did you choose that line of work?
Are you paid by the hour? Many salaried employees in the private sector work outside of the "normal" working hours. To suggest that teachers are the only ones that do so is ridiculous.
Its all optional. I was a teacher for a year and I did have to go out and buy my own things (chemistry teacher). It sucked and I was getting shit pay. But it was a private school with little benefits and no experience really needed. But teachers salaries are pretty middle class for the most part. People don't go into teaching to become rich. Its a decent salary and a decent life style. The thing is if you want to make money, you go into professions with risk or which are just shitty for the most part. Teaching has a high intrsinsic value while at the same time not being underpaid for the work performed.
I don't appreciate teachers like you being unwilling to renegotiate your exhorbitant pensions to try and keep some of your students who have parents in the private sector from losing their homes. In the real world, people don't "earn" their retirement by service, they contribute to it with their own money. People like you are bankrupting states, and if somebody even suggests a tiny bit of sacrifice from you and your union, we get what is happening right now in Wisconsin. Since I'm paying for your salary and your retirement, perhaps you should stop posting lengthy posts whining about how bad you have it, and instead come up with a lesson plan tonight that actually educates kids. All around the country, your bosses (yes, I am your boss, since without my money, you don't make a cent) are waking up to the scam your unions are running. Now that people in the private sector are starting to struggle, or have struggled for an extended period of time, the obvious questions on why you public leeches shouldn't also sacrifice are starting to bubble to the surface. Have a great day.
Many people work through lunch even though it violates the law. On call on your blackberry at nights and weekends. Overnight trips. Its not like working beyond the call is unique to teachers. Shit, I had a dinner meeting last night that went until 9:00pm. Missed a great blazers game.
I once had a salary job where I was quite literally always "working". It became too much for me, although the money was very nice. I respect what teachers do; I just don't think it is so special that they should be set for life without any skin in the game. Taking a tiny pay cut now to preserve their own retirement seems like a reasonable request, doesn't it?
Teachers make a decent living. Especially when you figure job security, benefits and the general nature of the job.
I appreciate teachers, but I don't think that they will ever have to be paid their "actual" worth. Why not? Because many people WANT to teach. They receive utility from helping people and watching kids blossom, and they are not alone. Compare that to, say, steel workers. Steel workers are working in environments that most people wouldn't put up with for any reasonable sum of money... because we are afraid of heights. It's a supply and demand thing to me, and teachers are at a natural disadvantage... but to society's benefit. Ed O.
I don't have PERs. I provide my own retirement, and since I have my own business, I don't rely on anybody else to pay it for me. My wife does have a 401k through her work, which is a 50/50 set up. Again, though, no taxpayers are helping out that fund. How does it feel to have people like me as your boss? I do understand the "promise" point you made, but the fact is in most teacher unions, it is impossible to fire a teacher, and the private sector economy has no impact on any "promise" made in the past by Democrats who gladly accepted union money. Er, private money that was laundered through the union. Sorry about that mistake!
You are being dense on the PER issue. People like you are not my boss btw, just like the people that spend money at your business are not your boss. You are my revenue stream which is much different. So thanks for your hard earned cash, I am writing this message on a computer that you funded. Thanks for the money honey! How does it feel know that you are paying for my life and the future of my family? BTW there is no way for you to stop paying me either, again not my boss hehe but my revenue stream.
It's part of living this society. I have to pay for some ungrateful morons to babysit kids during the day. Not all teachers are like that, probably hardly any of them, but I think I know what camp you're in based on your sob story and your lack of any basic economic understanding. I'm long past being upset about it. Enjoy your life, and in a few years when the state doesn't have the money to pay for you, good luck in the future! I mean, you're sitting in a classroom posting on this board as soon as your students leave the room. Tells me a lot about you, doesn't it?
Well they work for me because they are public employees, I will just tell them to look the other way.
Well thanks again, and btw I was already at home on my personal computer that I bought with your money when I made that post. Paparevenue I love you buddy, you blow a gasket daily on this board about things that you really don't understand. I hope you find peace in your life, because at the end of the day life is too short to worry about money.
