Education budget cuts

[FlightlessDuck]

Our state wants to raise the amount teachers pay for their benefits and pensions. Perfect way to same millions yet the teachers union has pulled out the it "will hurt our children" ads instead of saying "it will hurt us and we don't like it"

I would like to know how that hurts our kids, no programs are being cut, truth is, It doesn't. and something has to be done.

The better qualified and or highly sought after teachers will find open jobs in a district that has higher pay and/or lower medical expenses. Having good teachers leave a district hurt students in the district.

 

[Hannathy]

The better qualified and or highly sought after teachers will find open jobs in a district that has higher pay and/or lower medical expenses. Having good teachers leave a district hurt students in the district.

Nah they won't be leaving with their rate of pay , not here. And you know what there are thousands for every opening and they aren't all bad, especially considering some of the terrible ones that don't leave thanks to tenure.

Plus it hasn't happened in the private sector so isn't going to happen here either.

 

[snowywhite89]

Those taxpayers have may have taken a paycut, seen no raises, pay more in healthcare or lost there Jo s but damn it why should't teachers and state workers have to endure the same? Raise their taxes!!

 

[okeydokey]

Those taxpayers have may have taken a paycut, seen no raises, pay more in healthcare or lost there Jo s but damn it why should't teachers and state workers have to endure the same? Raise their taxes!!

Teachers and state workers have seen all these things too, and with lower pay than the private sector to begin with, at least in my state. Seems strange to me to enact an income tax on some workers and not others.

 

[Hannathy]

Teachers and state workers have seen all these things too, and with lower pay than the private sector to begin with, at least in my state. Seems strange to me to enact an income tax on some workers and not others.

come North! The exact opposite is true up here. The teachers and state workers have better benefits and higher pay than the private sector.

 

[golfgal]

come North! The exact opposite is true up here. The teachers and state workers have better benefits and higher pay than the private sector.

We are "north" and that is not the case here. Sure, if you are comparing a teacher salary to say a factory worker, they make more money but to a comparable job with comparable degree requirements they make about 1/2 to 1/3rd less, even taking into consideration days off. They pay for their benefits (more then we do actually) too.

 

[okeydokey]

come North! The exact opposite is true up here. The teachers and state workers have better benefits and higher pay than the private sector.

My husband would love to, he misses snow.

Honestly though, we do the work we agreed to do at the rate we agreed to do it. We do it because it is important work that benefits the world around us. It does get discouraging though to be looked on as lardbricks and drains on the economy when we are already compensated less then any other state.

 

[Hannathy]

We are "north" and that is not the case here. Sure, if you are comparing a teacher salary to say a factory worker, they make more money but to a comparable job with comparable degree requirements they make about 1/2 to 1/3rd less, even taking into consideration days off. They pay for their benefits (more then we do actually) too.

I do not believe any teacher is working for half of what an RN is making and definitely not if you compare on the actual days worked.

 

[snowywhite89]

Teachers and state workers have seen all these things too, and with lower pay than the private sector to begin with, at least in my state. Seems strange to me to enact an income tax on some workers and not others.

I was talking to the op. I do not agree with only taxing one group buy sadly that happens all the time.

On another thread two poster commented that they paid less then $100 in federal income tax but got $11k and $22k back. This has got to stop and in will be it by legislation or federal bankruptcy.

 

[golfgal]

I do not believe any teacher is working for half of what an RN is making and definitely not if you compare on the actual days worked.

Believe it--here starting pay for an RN is about $50,000 for a hospital nurse, not including overtime. After 10 years of experience an RN (with NO further schooling) will be making about $100,000. Teachers start at about $35,000 and after 10 year with no further schooling make about $40,000. IF they have a masters, they might be up at about $70K. Given that nurses here get about 5 weeks of vacation, many sick days, paid time and a half for working holidays plus getting floaters for those holidays they end up with about 8 weeks off during the year, working out to be about 309 days/year with NO uncompensated overtime--straight 40 hours/week, no papers to grade, etc. Hospitals also pay for their continuing education. Teachers in our district are contracted to work 8 hours/day for 240 days/year. This does not include any EXTRA time after school to grade papers, work on lesson plans, etc.

 

[okeydokey]

I do not believe any teacher is working for half of what an RN is making and definitely not if you compare on the actual days worked.

I do. My SIL is an RN and makes six figures. She's been a nurse about 4 years now.

 

[torinsmom]

I know these are little things, but for example...at our school, by the gym there are these flashing boards that show upcoming events...like a digital display board. That board was $3500 (not sure if they did a fundraiser for it, I know I surely wouldn't have contributed to it), not to mention the electricity it costs to run it.

All the flyers that are sent home are always on colored paper, why not white? White is cheaper. Why not send these things over email? The amount of paper sent home is absolutely ridiculous! Instead of giving the kids paper to write on all the time, why don't they use small dry erase boards?

Using the same books for more than 1 year! Better yet, ditch the books altogether. There are hundreds of free online educational sites. Also, if you do opt for using books and they come with a workbook (which at the end of the year, my kids workbooks are literally half unused) then negotiate a better price without the workbooks. OR, print worksheets off of the internet if you're going to be using that much paper anyway.

Put a freeze on travel, materials, supplies, etc unless it is absolutely necessary to carry out the performance of educating students.

Janitorial staff could possibly work part time versus full time? Is it 100% necessary for all rooms to be swept every single night? Could it be every other night temporarily?

I just wonder how many things could be donated each year to a school if parents were asked. Magazine subscriptions, computers, classroom games, books for the library, etc.

Colored paper is used because parents are more likely to see and read something on bright paper. White paper just blends in. I send all my newsletters and notes via email, and print out a copy for those who do not have email.

As far as kids writing on dry erase boards, that would be an expense as well for the white boards and markers.

Printing worksheets uses ink and then you need paper to copy for each child. In our disctrict, the copiers are leased and we pay for every single copy made, in addition to the paper. This doesn't even take into account the time it takes for someone to copy. We have one copy machine for 12 classrooms, plus specialists, and it breaks down at least once every 2 weeks. Finding the time to copy when noone else is copying is a real challenge. Teachers don't use textbooks(except for math) at our school, so that can't be cut.

I don't know about sweeping, but the bathrooms sure need cleaning every day ;-)

Oh, and someone mentioned computers. At most schools, computers are donated or someone writes a grant for them. They don't come out of the general budget. The only computer I have in my room is a 5 year old desktop that needs to be retired.

Those taxpayers have may have taken a paycut, seen no raises, pay more in healthcare or lost there Jo s but damn it why should't teachers and state workers have to endure the same? Raise their taxes!!

We HAVE endured the same. We haven't gotten raises in years, and the price for health care for dependents and spouses is outrageous. Our taxes have gone up just like anyone elses, so I don't know why you are saying they should raise our taxes Should our taxes be raised above everyone else's b/c we're teachers?

 

[Kathi OD]

come North! The exact opposite is true up here. The teachers and state workers have better benefits and higher pay than the private sector.

This teacher's DH works in the private sector and makes about 25% more, with less education & better benefits.

I do not believe any teacher is working for half of what an RN is making and definitely not if you compare on the actual days worked.

I have a good friend who is an RN. She works 3 nights/week and makes well over $100K. That's 156 "days" per year. You know what? She never has to take work home with her. Nor does she have to go back to work after her regular hours to meet with patients or chaperone a dance either. So let's not even begin to think about putting the "actual days worked" thing into the equation.


FWIW, teachers are taxpayers, too. In NJ, we keep hearing our governor talk about "shared sacrifice." Does he think we all live in another state and commute to NJ, just to wreak havoc with the state and municipal budgets?

Believe it or not, we get that choices need to be made in federal, state, and local budgets. However, it seems as though those who are making the decisions on what should be cut, look for the easy way out & make noise about how much the public employees are making, rather than truly looking for ways that costs can be reduced.

 

[shirleyb]

Wow, I guess I should be an RN. I'm an engineer with 20 yrs experience and don't make what some of these RN's make, but I guess that's because I choose to live where I choose to live (lower COL area).

 

[okeydokey]

This teacher's DH works in the private sector and makes about 25% more, with less education & better benefits.





I have a good friend who is an RN. She works 3 nights/week and makes well over $100K. That's 156 "days" per year. You know what? She never has to take work home with her. Nor does she have to go back to work after her regular hours to meet with patients or chaperone a dance either. So let's not even begin to think about putting the "actual days worked" thing into the equation.


FWIW, teachers are taxpayers, too. In NJ, we keep hearing our governor talk about "shared sacrifice." Does he think we all live in another state and commute to NJ, just to wreak havoc with the state and municipal budgets?

Believe it or not, we get that choices need to be made in federal, state, and local budgets. However, it seems as though those who are making the decisions on what should be cut, look for the easy way out & make noise about how much the public employees are making, rather than truly looking for ways that costs can be reduced.

My brother lives in Jersey and pays so much in property tax. What do they do with it all that other states don't do? I feel for you!

 

[FlightlessDuck]

I believe anybody who would do a job I'd refuse to do should get paid more than I do.

 

[snowywhite89]

Raise there taxes was for the workers I was referring to not the teachers.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

This teacher's DH works in the private sector and makes about 25% more, with less education & better benefits.

I have a BA and work in the private sector. DW has a MA and is a teacher. DW makes 66% what I do, with the same number of years experience. 80% once you count that I work about 45 days more every year than she does. Oh, and I haven't had a raise in 2.5 years.

 

[golfgal]

I believe anybody who would do a job I'd refuse to do should get paid more than I do.

That is why I pay my kids $20 to scrub our kitchen floor

 

[FlightlessDuck]

That is why I pay my kids $20 to scrub our kitchen floor