Teachers and spouses of teachers unite!

[brentm77]

Sounds like you wants entitlements. Well, hate to tell you, the world is not fair.

I wish for a lot more important things to be discounted, but asking for a discount on something a privilege few can partake in is ridiculous. Sounds like a bunch 'Karens'

I'm not a teacher. A discount would not help me or my family in any manner.

I can't help but laugh at the irony of you lecturing on life not being fair, while worrying about another group asking for a discount. You may want to reconsider who is being a Karen in this situation.

Again, what's with the hostility? We are here to have fun and discuss a product we are fans of. There is no need for it. There is enough of it in every other aspect of life; let's keep these boards friendly and facilitate calm and thoughtful discussions, please.

 

[MomOTwins]

"Get another job!" is dismissive and doesn't really add anything to the discussion. Of course people already know that's an option, but it's ok for people to want to both stay in the career while improving conditions in it. Like others have said, it's unlikely to happen, but the hostility to teachers even raising the question it is interesting to observe. Are people jealous of teachers? If so, those people can "find a new career" and become a teacher too. Why does it get under people's skin that someone asked for a discount they wouldn't qualify for? What does it take from them? Do all of you get just as worked up over Disney's military or local discounts?

Anyway, it's time for me to move on from this discussion. It too quickly devolved into "us versus them," which is unnecessary. Thanks teachers for all you do for our kids. I hope you reach out to Disney and advocate for it, even if it's a long shot.

It’s not hostility to teachers per se. It’s the entitlement of people saying that teachers deserve a special discount that rubs me the wrong way. And no, I don’t think being a teacher is at all equivalent to military service.

As stated, GT and placeholder offered to everyone including during school breaks. So it isn’t that no discounts are available to teachers, it’s the notion that teachers among all other jobs deserve special treatment, which folks here are backing up by claiming various “hardships” that compared to most jobs are minor inconveniences.

As I mentioned before, my husband taught for several years—he would be the first to tell you it is a job with a lot of upsides and few downsides. He worked a consistent schedule and was always home with plenty of time after work, never had to work late nights or on weekends, never had to work on vacation, we never had to worry about childcare during school breaks or early release days, and overall it was a pretty low stress environment where the only “fire drills” were the literal sort. He switched to an office career last year and just told me about a week ago how much better being a teacher was and how he’a going to apply to switch back to teaching. It would be a pay cut but better work life balance.

Because that’s what it always is: a tradeoff.

 

[tntstults]

It's sad that a post that was meant to support teachers became so negative.

 

[MalvernPa]

It’s not hostility to teachers per se. It’s the entitlement of people saying that teachers deserve a special discount that rubs me the wrong way. And no, I don’t think being a teacher is at all equivalent to military service.

As stated, GT and placeholder offered to everyone including during school breaks. So it isn’t that no discounts are available to teachers, it’s the notion that teachers among all other jobs deserve special treatment, which folks here are backing up by claiming various “hardships” that compared to most jobs are minor inconveniences.

As I mentioned before, my husband taught for several years—he would be the first to tell you it is a job with a lot of upsides and few downsides. He worked a consistent schedule and was always home with plenty of time after work, never had to work late nights or on weekends, never had to work on vacation, we never had to worry about childcare during school breaks or early release days, and overall it was a pretty low stress environment where the only “fire drills” were the literal sort. He switched to an office career last year and just told me about a week ago how much better being a teacher was and how he’a going to apply to switch back to teaching. It would be a pay cut but better work life balance.

Because that’s what it always is: a tradeoff.

Well said, thank you.

 

[Flcruising]

Let's rally for a teacher discount on cruises! My husband is a teacher and the only months he could go on a 4 night, 5 night, or 7 night cruise is in the most expensive months. We are limited to June, July, half of August, spring break and the week between Christmas and New Years. During the school year he can only take 3 days vacation and cannot schedule those days next to a holiday or day already scheduled off. This leaves us with the most expensive times to cruise I reached out to Disney to suggest a teacher discount. Does anyone else want to join me and reach out to Disney as well?

I'm going to get blasted for this but I agree with many of the comments questioning the discount. When one group gets a discount most of the time the rest of us pay for it in higher prices. Do you think the CEO takes lower pay or they lower profits to give out discounts at companies. Someone pays and its generally the other consumers. In our area and many other places teachers salaries are higher than the average household. They get a great benifit package and have more time off than most people get. Then they can make extra doing sports, clubs, tutoring, after school activities.
Yes they serve the public but many other jobs serve the public without near as much recognition or benifit.
Why do teachers deserve a discount and not others who are truly underpaid and work hard for your community.
Personally I'd say give everyone discount but their job is to maximize profits for shareholders.

 

[LAS2AMS]

It's sad that a post that was meant to support teachers became so negative.

Presenting an opposing view point does not equate into negativity.

I worked many years in public accounting. Most firms in CA (and elsewhere) restrict vacations to June 1 to Aug 15 and the days around Christmas/ New Year’s. Teachers certainly aren’t unique in the seasonally of their jobs. Getting an extended summer vacation is a huge perk, but obviously there’s some downfalls.

 

[brentm77]

And no, I don’t think being a teacher is at all equivalent to military service.

I didn't say it was. Just like nobody said teachers "deserve" a discount or that there weren't also upsides to teaching. You are arguing against strawmen.

While I still think a discount would be great for teachers, I've bored myself at this point, so I won't bore all of you even more by reiterating why. In the end, it doesn't really matter, because Disney is going to do what Disney does - maximize profit.

 

[tvguy]

Presenting an opposing view point does not equate into negativity.

I worked many years in public accounting. Most firms in CA (and elsewhere) restrict vacations to June 1 to Aug 15 and the days around Christmas/ New Year’s. Teachers certainly aren’t unique in the seasonally of their jobs. Getting an extended summer vacation is a huge perk, but obviously there’s some downfalls.

I agree. I learn a lot from reading opposing viewpoints, often things I never would have considered. And this IS a Discussion Board. It would be pretty boring if everyone posted "I agree".

 

[enzy65]

I know that all teachers are paid differently, but all the ones I know are paid pretty well, live in nice houses, drive expensive cars, etc. This is in Indiana.
Husband and wife both teach and they are doing pretty well.
I told my DH about this thread and he asked me where was his “old man close to retirement” discount. LOL

 

[kiford]

The fact is that teachers can only cruise during high peak times while most parents or other professions can make the choice to cruise while school is in session if they really want to

I'm an accountant in a small non-profit. While theoretically, I can take time off when I want to, in reality, there are four board meetings, four audit and governance committee meetings and an annual general meeting per year that I need to prep for and attend. Year-end (March for us) and audit takes several weeks. There's an annual national conference that takes months to plan and in which I have a large part, and government reporting processes before the holidays in December. There are the budget planning and work planning processes that I'm responsible for, which take weeks. This essentially leaves me with 2 weeks in late January to early February, July and August although I have to work around other people's vacation schedules since at least one senior member of staff has to be available, early November and early December or over the Christmas holidays. And there are some dates through those times that may be unavailable because of specific activities that may crop up. While some of those times are low season for cruising, they are also low season for flights, which, for us, means fewer options, and that means higher prices. So the notion that only teachers have restricted times in which they can travel and that everyone else can just take off when they like to avoid peak season is not reality.

 

[kiford]

In the end, it doesn't really matter, because Disney is going to do what Disney does - maximize profit.

As a shareholder, I certainly hope so - that is literally what for-profit organizations do.

 

[brentm77]

As a shareholder, I certainly hope so - that is literally what for-profit organizations do.

Yep. I didn't mean to imply otherwise. I meant that all of our opinions our meaningless in the end, because Disney would do it if they thought it made financial sense, which is unlikely during the season they have an easy time filling ships.

 

[Dug720]

As I mentioned before, my husband taught for several years—he would be the first to tell you it is a job with a lot of upsides and few downsides. He worked a consistent schedule and was always home with plenty of time after work, never had to work late nights or on weekends, never had to work on vacation, we never had to worry about childcare during school breaks or early release days, and overall it was a pretty low stress environment where the only “fire drills” were the literal sort. He switched to an office career last year and just told me about a week ago how much better being a teacher was and how he’a going to apply to switch back to teaching. It would be a pay cut but better work life balance.

I'm gonna guess he was teaching pre-pandemic and had a super supportive administration. Post-pandemic is a whole other story. And if you don't have a supportive administration, there are a LOT of drawbacks.

I'm sorry, but "low stress environment" makes me laugh. Was he teaching PE? Or in a private school? I don't know many - if any - teachers who would in any way describe teaching as a "low stress environment".

 

[MomOTwins]

I'm gonna guess he was teaching pre-pandemic and had a super supportive administration. Post-pandemic is a whole other story. And if you don't have a supportive administration, there are a LOT of drawbacks.

I'm sorry, but "low stress environment" makes me laugh. Was he teaching PE? Or in a private school? I don't know many - if any - teachers who would in any way describe teaching as a "low stress environment".

It included post-pandemic (he taught up until November 2023). And yes he found it much lower stress than a corporate job. Nobody sending urgent emails at all hours or super early morning calls to accommodate international colleagues, no working late or weekends to meet pressing deadlines—the work was on a predictable schedule with predictable job responsibilities. He also genuinely liked teaching kids and the kids adored him so I am sure that helped—whenever we’d run into his students outside of school they loved chatting with “Mr. D” and I could see he really inspired them and that was really rewarding and fulfilling for him to be making a difference with young people. Yes he had some troublemakers in his classes but he sympathized with them and tried to give them opportunities to make up their grades and at the end of the day he only had to deal with each difficult kid for an hour at a time (he taught high school). His mom taught middle school her whole career and absolutely LOVED her job as well.

 

[Dug720]

It included post-pandemic (he taught up until November 2023). And yes he found it much lower stress than a corporate job. Nobody sending urgent emails at all hours or super early morning calls to accommodate international colleagues, no working late or weekends to meet pressing deadlines—the work was on a predictable schedule with predictable job responsibilities. He also genuinely liked teaching kids and the kids adored him so I am sure that helped—whenever we’d run into his students outside of school they loved chatting with “Mr. D” and I could see he really inspired them and that was really rewarding and fulfilling for him to be making a difference with young people. Yes he had some troublemakers in his classes but he sympathized with them and tried to give them opportunities to make up their grades and at the end of the day he only had to deal with each difficult kid for an hour at a time (he taught high school). His mom taught middle school her whole career and absolutely LOVED her job as well.

He got VERY lucky. Most teachers I know would LOVE to have a job like that - unfortunately excessive paperwork, admin demands, etc. make it next to impossible.

 

[MalvernPa]

He got VERY lucky. Most teachers I know would LOVE to have a job like that - unfortunately excessive paperwork, admin demands, etc. make it next to impossible.

All teachers should be required to work in the corporate world before working in academics. It would give them a better appreciation of teaching.

 

[Dug720]

All teachers should be required to work in the corporate world before working in academics. It would give them a better appreciation of teaching.

And in reverse, all people in the corporate world should be required to teach before working in the corporate world. So they'll quit saying stupid things like "those who can't, teach."

For the record, teaching IS my second career. I have more excessive paperwork and admin demands teaching than I ever did not teaching.

 

[RangerPooh]

"Get another job!" is dismissive and doesn't really add anything to the discussion. Of course people already know that's an option, but it's ok for people to want to both stay in the career while improving conditions in it. Like others have said, it's unlikely to happen, but the hostility to teachers even raising the question it is interesting to observe. Are people jealous of teachers? If so, those people can "find a new career" and become a teacher too. Why does it get under people's skin that someone asked for a discount they wouldn't qualify for? What does it take from them? Do all of you get just as worked up over Disney's military or local discounts?

Since you brought up military, the military discounts bug me. It’s another chosen profession. They knew the commitment, the possible separation from family, etc. Yet they get discounts when the rest of the public does not.

We have a lot of military friends. Some are better off financially than others. But my empathy has waned overtime. Bonuses for contract extension, cost of housing supplements, etc. most military families that we know are living in posh neighborhoods in our community with homes in the $500k+ range.

Meanwhile those of us in the corporate or education realms don’t get bonuses or cost of living housing stipends. Heck, we get minimal salary increases (2%) or salary freezes. Yet cost of living increases more than our pitiful increase.

Stepping off my soap box…

 

[enzy65]

Since you brought up military, the military discounts bug me. It’s another chosen profession. They knew the commitment, the possible separation from family, etc. Yet they get discounts when the rest of the public does not.

We have a lot of military friends. Some are better off financially than others. But my empathy has waned overtime. Bonuses for contract extension, cost of housing supplements, etc. most military families that we know are living in posh neighborhoods in our community with homes in the $500k+ range.

Meanwhile those of us in the corporate or education realms don’t get bonuses or cost of living housing stipends. Heck, we get minimal salary increases (2%) or salary freezes. Yet cost of living increases more than our pitiful increase.

Stepping off my soap box…

I so agree with everything you said, I totally forgot about those discounts. All the military we know live quite well.
My husband just got his 35 year bonus, he works for a pharmaceutical company, it was $1,200.00 to use toward a gift card site. It is what it is, at least we got more Disney money to spend. LOL

 

[Kestryl]

If being a teacher was the best job ever with the pay to match, we wouldn’t have a shortage of teachers.