School districts punishing parents for taking kids out for Disney!

[disneyjunkie]

Why aren't the parents making a conscious effort to ensure their kids go to school with at least a general knowledge of the english language? If I were to move overseas to a foreign speaking country, you better believe I would be teaching my kids the language before sending them to school. It's common sense.

What happens if the parent can't speak English? They can't keep the kids home until they learn the language. If they do, someone better be ready to explain to ACS why the kids aren't enrolled in school.

 

[kc10family]

I have lived and gone to school in California. I remember years ago when they cut the extra stuff like fun summer school classes and other extras with prop 13 (in the 70's). Then "they" (state elected officials)brought on the lottery and sold it to the voters as a great way to help California schools. As far as I know the school have not been given much from the lottery and people spend LOTS of money everyday on it.
We also have a problem with paying for things we should not pay for (I would bring this up, but it this is not the forum for that). California does not use it's money in a very wise way but the current Gov. is working onit and I hope things do change.
As far as asking for a donation, I would like to see what is done with that money. I would like the school district to show where, on what and how the money is spent. Not just it went into the blue pot of money that pays for 50 different things, but it went to pay for new lockers or new books in such and such class. It bought the west wall of the new building at school X.
But a school district will never do that as far as I know, it will just say it went into the purple pot of money that pays for all these things and then give a wild list of stuff.

JMO

 

[Starr W.]

I hear you. To make 50,000 where I teach you have to be an administrator with a lot of experience (or an athletic director, but that's a whole other story ).

I saw the break down of our districts salaries, to get to 50,000+, at least 10 yrs or can get there faster with a Masters. Our elementary principals make about 80,000 a yr.

Talking to a board member's wife(she subsitute teaches) the district if offered the opertunity to hire a teacher with a Masters,10+ yrs experience and glowing references or one 1-2 yrs out of school. Guess which one they will hire?

 

[seashoreCM]

>>> they can't keep the kids home until they learn the language

How many schools would let kids who don't know enough English to enter at a grade level that lets them start at the very beginning, a very good place to start?

E.g. a kid of age 8 in first grade grammar, reading, and language arts classes.

Bilingual education would work just fine if the kids were expected to master both languages to nearly the same level, and without warning they may enter a class of another subject (for example science) conducted in "the other" language. Or maybe there may be three languages.

Now the kids who were considered to have been placed in remedial classes would not be given permission to take days off for Disney vacations and may even be expected to attend classes during school breaks.

 

[maxtomsmom]

Wow! Where do you live? I've been teaching for 7 years, have "only a bachelor degree" and don't make even CLOSE to that and NEVER will unless I get a masters AND teach for 17 years AND accumulate 24 graduate hours (on top of the masters)! I'm in the wrong district!




Denice T.
Olathe, KS

Move to New York- near NYC and you are paid well. Much more competitive and lots of headaches, but you do ok I guess. I feel teachers are highly underpaid for the amount of work, effort, learning that goes into to it.

 

[disneyjunkie]

Move to New York- near NYC and you are paid well. Much more competitive and lots of headaches, but you do ok I guess. I feel teachers are highly underpaid for the amount of work, effort, learning that goes into to it.

Here a first year teacher with just a BA starts at $44,849. First year with a MA starts at $50,353.

These are not great salaries when you consider how much it cost to live here.

 

[rhiannonwales]

Wow! Where do you live? I've been teaching for 7 years, have "only a bachelor degree" and don't make even CLOSE to that and NEVER will unless I get a masters AND teach for 17 years AND accumulate 24 graduate hours (on top of the masters)! I'm in the wrong district!




Denice T.
Olathe, KS

I hear you. To make 50,000 where I teach you have to be an administrator with a lot of experience (or an athletic director, but that's a whole other story ).

Ok...I make about 43K with just a bachelors. 4th year. However, trying to compare from one area in the country to another is impossible due to different cost of living factors. For instance, our property taxes are about $8k for an 2600 sg ft house w/ 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths on less than an acre of land. In different areas of the country it is very different. Grocery shopping per week for our family of 5 is on average (with nothing extravagant added in) about $350/week. Friends of mine from another area of my state came to visit us and she had to go to the store and she was astonished at the prices. She said the baby items she purchased were abot 3x the price she paid at home.

Yes i live in Central New Jersey. And costs ARE high here but still it doesnt equal out in my opinion.

 

[eyeheartgoofy]

...

 

[dsjmeadors]

Wow, we were just in disney last week. Yes I pulled my first grader out for 3 days. But she is way ahead, and has not missed ANY days other than those 3. I filled out a form called Educational Enhancement Opportunity. THe principal okayd it, and off we went. Those days she will not be counted as absent!!!! So if your kid is sick, and misses a week of school do you have to pay that money too? whats the difference?

 

[eyeheartgoofy]

So if your kid is sick, and misses a week of school do you have to pay that money too? whats the difference?

No, according to the article you don't pay for absenses due to illness and such. The difference, I believe, is that nobody chooses to become ill or chooses to have a funeral to attend. Nobody really has to pay the money ...

 

[meandtheguys2]

Here a first year teacher with just a BA starts at $44,849. First year with a MA starts at $50,353.

These are not great salaries when you consider how much it cost to live here.

Try working in Social Services witht the same degrees... Many of them cap-out at $40,000 with a Masters. Extended hours year long. Not just during the school year.

So, I tend to agree. Teachers make a solid living, have great benefits, etc. Must be the trade union philosphy.

 

[jocktheglide]

Here a first year teacher with just a BA starts at $44,849. First year with a MA starts at $50,353.

These are not great salaries when you consider how much it cost to live here.

not trying to be a jerk about it, but they do work 9 months out of the year vs other folks who work 12 months out of the year such as above poster doing social work for 12 months out of the year getting paid less....I dont feel sorry for teachers claiming XXX amount of salary they need to factor in 9 months out of the year.

 

[daisyduck123]

not trying to be a jerk about it, but they do work 9 months out of the year vs other folks who work 12 months out of the year such as above poster doing social work for 12 months out of the year getting paid less....I dont feel sorry for teachers claiming XXX amount of salary they need to factor in 9 months out of the year.

*Teachers are 10 month employees, not 9.

 

[declansdad]

not trying to be a jerk about it, but they do work 9 months out of the year vs other folks who work 12 months out of the year such as above poster doing social work for 12 months out of the year getting paid less....I dont feel sorry for teachers claiming XXX amount of salary they need to factor in 9 months out of the year.

I don't think you really know what a teacher's job entails or how long they work.

 

[disneyjunkie]

not trying to be a jerk about it, but they do work 9 months out of the year vs other folks who work 12 months out of the year such as above poster doing social work for 12 months out of the year getting paid less....I dont feel sorry for teachers claiming XXX amount of salary they need to factor in 9 months out of the year.

They are only paid for the time they work. It doesn't matter how many months they work, they still have to live.

I'm sure they can't call the bank/landlord, light company...in July and August and say sorry I can't pay you until September. You may think the salary is fine, but here, it's not when you factor in the cost of living.

You can't purchase a home in a decent neighborhood if you're only making $44,000-$50,000. Heck around here that's not enough to buy a home in a bad neighborhood. I've been looking and I can't find anything less than $550,000.00

Oh, many teachers don't spend the summers hanging around the pool. (I'm sure there are some that do) They work summer school. They attend college and/or training programs. They spend the summer developing lessons for the next school year...

 

[jpeka65844]

I'm a teacher and after teaching 7 years, my salary basically works out to $20/hr. And, since I can't stop bills on the months I do have "off", I have to spread that $20/hr over those few weeks in the summertime, making it actually more like $17/hr. Now, that's pretty low pay, considering what other professions make and yes, I could go do something else. But teacher's don't do it for the money or because they CAN'T do anything else. It's just in their blood and they're following their heart. Us poor saps.......

But we're digressing from the main point......I used to think parents were insane for taking their kids out of school for a vacation but now that 1) I'm a parent and 2) a Disney nut, I'd do it in a heartbeat if I thought that my child could handle the time away from school. So I've changed my tune a little bit.

BTW, we'd have a kid be gone from school for SIX WEEKS at a time to visit his mom's family in Brazil.



Denice T.
Olathe, KS

 

[Stitchfans]

When schools start cutting administrative cost, I might start to feel bad for them. Until then, no crying poverty.

Exactly!!!!!! Well said!!!!!!!

 

[brandip22]

I don't think that I would have a problem paying for my kids to be out of school if it was truly a financial hardship for the school system. BUT if that school system is in such dire straights, I would also be expecting that all other extracurriculars are being paid for by parents as well. $36.xx is a bargain to me for everything that my kids get in return for quality family time in a place that offers all kinds of educational opportunities. I would hope that the parents of school athletes, musicians, dancers, and other activities would feel the same and offer to fork over the same funds required to provide the transportation, uniforms, and equipment. I know that in most school systems those things are part of the budget. If the school districts can work that into the yearly financials, perhaps they should look at the value of time with families and budget for that as well. JMO.

Hate to break it to you, but in my school, we always paid our own way as far as atheltics were concerned. My unifrorm, transportation costs, equipment, etc were all paid by my parents and/or my working to raise the money- not from the school. All the schools I know of here have the parents or booster clubs paying for those things. In fact, our football team made money for the school, rather than costing the school money.

 

[the Fidge]

What I need not worry about that the teachers do.....planning out the weeks work I know that takes a bit of time lets say 1/2 the weekend so while I am out shopping or dising theres a teacher palnning the weeks events.

THen trying to come up with creative fun ways to keep learning fresh , if that is not one small miracle well I don't know what is?? How to make math fun??

I know teachers that accept phone calls at home and I am sure the only ones calling are thoughtless parents sucking away their time! SO who gets the subsitute if you can't go to work?? In addition have the subs plan for action and lesson for while they are sick or grieving the loss of a family member.

Those telephone calls that need to get returned and purchasing supplies the district is not supplying! WHile one child who only the teacher is aware is going through some personal termoil she is worrying how to keep that child focused when their little worlds are out of control. Giving little Johnny or Mary lunch money that she may have only enought to pick up milk for her home. How about the trips and the kids that don't have the money and yet a teacher pulls it out of her pocket??

I am also aware of a teacher who is not aware I know but in fact supplied a family of 3 kids their Christmas gifts as the father was put in jail and the parent didn't want anyone to know. The mom is a cashier and was just getting by.

Do you know how long they are still in school after the school year ends and are there well before it begins. I would not want to be a teacher as it takes something more than a degree to touch the hearts, minds and souls of children. It takes a special kind of person that has incredible grace patience and wisdom something I admire!

I also am very blessed that my son has had teachers attend his birthday and Halloween parties when I am positive a calgon bath was more in line with what they needed.

Thank you to all the teachers that have shared their God given talent and have shared it with my son!

I failed to mention that if you don't think the districts aren't beating teachers over the head with a big stick to teach to the standardized tests YOU ARE SO WRONG!!!! They do not allow teachers to teach from lessons but from rediculous tests and the pressure to keep the districts numbers up is nonsense. No child left behind....no they just left the teacher behind from teaching lessons!

 

[crisi]

I'll add another data point to this discussion.

The first time I went to college at a state school, no one really cared if you went to class. You were graded on proving competence in the material - ususually via a midterm, final and paper. I know many a student who majored in drinking, seldom attended class, and managed to hold through with a C average reading the book, cribbing notes from their roommates - and as many who went on probation and failed out - but the point was, it used to be possible for a talented student to pass a college course without bothering to attend.

Now, funding for some state's COLLEGES is attendance based. I've been in several college courses where missing three classes means an automatic fail. Some profs have worked with you, one looked at a woman due to give birth during the semester and told her she might as well drop the course, there was no way she'd pass if she missed class TO GIVE BIRTH. Doesn't matter how well you know the material or why you missed a number of sessions, for a lot of profs, miss class and fail.

I find it ridiculous, but there it is. Legislators trying to micromanage college success through attendence. It isn't an improvement, used to be the idiots would fail out through their own poor choices - now they feel entitled to a C because they sat in class.

With that in mind, we pull our kids for travel, but not often nor extensively. And we will do it far less when they leave elementary school. I think it benefits them in the long run to learn that attendence is an obligation.