NJ teacher charged $50,000 for phone call

[HelenePA]

Really?

why not? The teachers is getting a mighty harsh punishment why not the kids? How else will they learn their lesson?

 

[wdwmom0f3]

This has got to be the craziest story that I have heard in quite a while. The amount of her fine is insane. I agree that the kids should have something done to them because they are old enough to know better. It sounds like there was no respect in that class room that day, from either party.

 

[allison443]

On the teacher threads there is always discussion about teachers' salaries. This gives a real life example. She was fined 120 days salary, so $50,000. So her salary for the 180 day school year is approximately $75,000. (probably a bit more, since I think teachers usually work more than 180 days). And this high school performs well below NJ state averages in every category. And the suspended superintendent who the teacher called received an annual salary of $193,000. He was suspended because of a criminal investigation, by the way.

 

[allison443]

So glad we homeschool. We actually use our class time for learning.

So glad my kids do not attend Asbury Park High School. Their schools use their class time for learning, as well!

 

[allison443]

My boyfriend lives within five minutes of this school. I am a teacher. I think that she should not have been on the phone at all, but taking more than half of her salary is absurd. There is some hidden issue here. Perhaps they're trying to get rid of her permanently.

Yes, the article cited in the OP stated that the district filed charges to remove her permanently. Since the teacher has tenure, there was a long proceeding to go through and the district was not successful in having the teacher removed.

 

[allison443]

I just wanted to add that the teacher doesn't have to come up with $50,000 to pay this fine, as the article calls it. After the tenure charges were filed, she was suspended without pay. However, by law that suspension without pay was limited to 120 days. So she doesn't get the money she would have earned during that 120 days. That's the $50,000.

 

[DawnM]

This is so over the top. A 4 min. phone call while SUBBING in someone else's class? The article says she was covering another teacher's class.

I hate the way the school districts pick and choose what to go over the top about. If we (the public) knew half of what went on in public high schools we would be more than shocked.

Dawn

 

[MM27]

On the teacher threads there is always discussion about teachers' salaries. This gives a real life example. She was fined 120 days salary, so $50,000. So her salary for the 180 day school year is approximately $75,000. (probably a bit more, since I think teachers usually work more than 180 days). And this high school performs well below NJ state averages in every category. And the suspended superintendent who the teacher called received an annual salary of $193,000. He was suspended because of a criminal investigation, by the way.

That salary is not unusual considering that she was a 20+ year veteran teacher and Asbury Park has a pretty high starting salary. Some of that is probably combat pay There are many districts in NJ that now start at $50,000 right out of college. If you think Asbury's superintendent makes a lot, you should hear what the superintendent of my town makes

 

[sbell111]

Note to self: Stop complaining that teachers don't make enough money for what they do.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

why not? The teachers is getting a mighty harsh punishment why not the kids? How else will they learn their lesson?

The kids should be punished, but for their offenses, not the teacher's. The kid who used the cell phone for the recording should get whatever punishment the school typically administers for that. 3 weeks suspension? Only if the kid text messaging gets the same. How would you feel if your child got suspended for 3 weeks for using their cell phone for 2 minutes in class when no lesson was taking place? Are we even sure that cell phone use is banned at this school?

The kids dancing in class - depending on school policy, that could be a big one. If those were my kids, their potential suspension would be the least of their worries.

Again, NONE of this happens if the teacher is doing her job. I wonder if the 120 day suspension without pay is standard for this type of offense. If not, she will probably get it reduced by a mediator...

 

[sbell111]

In my mind, it's the teacher's responsibility to maintain order in the classroom. If she had told the girls to sit down and they didn't, punishment would have been warranted. Come to think of it, if she had control of her classroom, no one would have been streaming music, dancing or recording a video. The proximate cause of all the student's actions was the teacher being on the telephone instead of managing the class.

Therefore, I would mete out no punishment to the students.

 

[J3nn78]

Wow, there definitely must be more to the story. The district likely wanted to get rid of her anyway. I think there must be some connection between her and WHO she called.
I am a teacher. I have used the phone on occasion during class time. I don't make a habit of it, but there have been a few times I needed to to make a call that could not wait till my break time. I guess I better watch my back.