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| Post Number: 1
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Clovis 
Group: Members
Posts: 247
Joined: Feb. 2004
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Posted on: Feb. 11 2004,8:11 pm |
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| Quote | No...think of what you're really saying. You want to tax everyone more so the government can redistribute that money to schools---->That means employee money.
So let me guess...your a teacher and would be on the recieving line of that money...LOL 
Selfish...oh it's really not to increase your income...it's for the children...
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This cite from the Current Events forum is courtesy of Minnow. I hope there are other educators out there... and parents... who will be similarly outraged.
I did not go into teaching for the money. No one in their right mind says, "By God, I think I can capitalize on this teaching opportunity and make a bundle!" On the contrary - I received my dream job last summer, teaching a level 4 foreign language class at a high school in my home community. I was unpaid for my first semester of teaching because I was also student teaching (per district regulations that are absolutely unethical... but that's for a later post!). I teach one hour and am paid for that hour - however, no benefits (you have to work at least .5 time and I'm only .17). I hold four other jobs in an effort to buy food and pay all the bills on time.
My district is in the middle of a budget crunch, and we have to choose between letting teachers go and letting teachers who have 30-35 years in keep their career ladder benefits... or keeping most of the teachers and smaller class sizes. I was very angry to see that most people voted to keep career ladder money - BUT I'm also a recent college grad and don't have to worry about supporting anyone but myself. Some of the families in our district are 2-teacher families and need that money desperately to support their children.
I'd rather have more money, yeah. Pulling in $500/month from teaching ONE class (before taxes) plus about $250 from other jobs isn't glamorous. However, for anyone to imply that I -and other teachers - want more money for schools to get a bigger paycheck is absolutely ludicrous. We want the respect we deserve for our work and to impact lives. I could spend time and effort arguing that I should be paid for my first semester of work... but I could spend that time more effectively planning meaningful lessons for my students. We want money to have adequate resources to do our work, and schools that are in good shape so we and our students don't get sick. Money to provide services like free/reduced lunches and breakfasts that some students need to get by. Money to give elementary students playgrounds and play fields to get exercise and physical activity that they need. THAT is why I want more money for schools, and I think most educators would agree.
I propose this as the first post, and any educational issues like No Child Left Behind, astronomical college tuition, etc. are welcome to be debated here. Please be civil and considerate.
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On ne voit bien qu'avec le coeur. L'essentiel est invisible pour les yeux. --Antoine de St-Exupéry
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| Post Number: 2
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irisheyes
Group: Super Administrators
Posts: 3040
Joined: Oct. 2003
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Posted on: Feb. 11 2004,9:10 pm |
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| Quote (Clovis @ Feb. 11 2004,8:11:pm) | | We want money to have adequate resources to do our work, and schools that are in good shape so we and our students don't get sick. |
Money so kids don't get sick? So now it sounds like if we don't pass more referendums our kids will get asbestos poisoning. Sorry Clovis, I'll have to agree with minnow on this one. I don't agree with the arguement that if we spend more, kids will learn more (and be safer, not do drugs, and all the other threats that they tell the voters).
If you started out in teaching strictly to help kids, and give back to the community, more power to you! I just don't agree with your opinion on spending, though.
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You know it's going to be a bad day when you cross thread the cap on the toothpaste.
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| Post Number: 3
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Clovis
Group: Members
Posts: 247
Joined: Feb. 2004
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Posted on: Feb. 11 2004,9:33 pm |
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Money is **occasionally** needed for schools to clear asbestos and mold (the high school building I'm in is 77 years old... and one of our district junior highs turns 93 this year!) - this need depends on the district, and it's not needed all the time. And a lot of these problems are coming from my experience in my school districts - Albert Lea just doesn't have some of these problems. I'm trying to discuss this on more of a national basis, which is why I'm making some of the points in the original post.
Here's a for-instance: We have something like 15 elementary schools, 4-5 middle schools, 3 junior highs, and 4 high schools in a university town with growing pains. The other "mainstream" high school across town from my school was built in '72 and has classroom space with LEFTOVER rooms; the principal boasted that they've NEVER had trailer classrooms. My high school was built in 1926, and still has 8-9 trailers in spite of the addition of 8 new classrooms/language lab space and a commons area to replace our old cafeteria. Additionally, we're in a bad but hugely diverse part of town. The highest numbers of arrests for drugs/violence occur just down the street from my school. In order to keep some of the at-risk students from joining gangs/being on the streets during high-risk hours, we sponsor several academic and personal-growth groups, counseling groups, and after-school tutoring. All of these are absolutely free of charge to our students - but we have to pay staffers to do this work! (We use student tutoring volunteers in addition to 1-2 supervisors , lest people think that we have tons of paid workers hanging out doing nothing.) These groups make all the difference to our kids. It breeds the healthiest school environment I've ever seen in my life. They're open to all students, regardless of race, economics, nationality, and (well, except from the women's academic/personal growth group) gender. That's why I make that argument, irisheyes. I've seen it work, and I've got kids who wouldn't be going to college without these programs.
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On ne voit bien qu'avec le coeur. L'essentiel est invisible pour les yeux. --Antoine de St-Exupéry
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