UGGGGG!!! My DS school is going to strike!!

[tinkernelllec]

While I understand the need for a teacher's union, I am very upset that my DS school is planning a strike starting on Monday. This not only affects his education but many other things including my Disney vacation!!! I now have to find someone to babysit on the days of the strike so I can still go to work (I am a nurse and feel my job is just as important as a teachers). This strike affects my November vacation of which we were planning around the thanksgiving holiday so he would only miss 3 days of school for a FAMILY vacation. It will affect my DH and my anniversary vacation in the spring (around Easter so it didn't interfer with DS's school) and depending on how long they strike for, it will affect our June Family Vacation. Now while I am clearly upset about the vacations, I am even more upset about the fact that he will be missing school for the teachers to complain that they don't make enough money. Sorry!......being a nurse.... I feel I don't make enough money for keeping YOU alive!!! (By you, I mean people in general, not just teachers) I work 12 to 16 hour shifts, and I don't get off every holiday and 3 months in the summer. Teachers make more than nurses. Go figure.

Sorry about the ranting, just mad!!!

 

[karinbelle]

Without the ability to strike, the union is powerless. It is a necessary evil. Teacher pay has not kept up with inflation for years, and they continue to degrade our benefit packages.

I'm sorry you are inconvenienced.

You can look at this issue another way. Hopefully, the school system will come to its senses and not force the teachers into a strike. Perhaps you should call your school board and voice your support of the teacher's request for fair pay -- and let them know that they have inconvenienced your family by not fairly negotiating with teachers.

Teachers take care of the most precious part of your life -- your children.

Hope it all works out.

 

[tmt martins]

Sorry but unless your in upper mangement No-ones pay has kept up with inflation.

Teacher are civil servents and SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO STRIKE. If they don't like the pay then leave and let someone else do the job.

I understand it's a tough job but so is everyone elses.

 

[woodchuck]

I though that being a teacher was to help the kids? Having a walk out is not helping the kids. Every ones jobs are hard and they do not make to right amount for what they are doing. So I'm with you on this.

 

[AJKMOM]

Considering the important job they do, I don't think teachers, the good ones that is, make enough money. My only beef with the teachers unions is that they protect the bad teachers who should be shown the door.

Where I live civil servants, like police and firefighters can strike, too. Not sure where it is that civil servants can not strike, not here.

 

[gmboy95]

I find this thought process that teachers cant strike and should basically shut up and teach to be nothing short of insulting to all the highly educated professionals teaching YOUR children on a daily basis....This is straight out of a Bill O'Reilly episode, a whole lot of bluster, very little logic.

Stock brokers,computer techs, CEO's, politicians, etc....make hundreds of thousands of dollars and we are perfectly content to pay high prices for goods to support the corporate welfare that lines there pockets, but we have such a difficult time thinking that people who work with our most cherished assets, our children, should be paid as THE MOST VALUABLE professionals that they are....Idont know about you, but i want nothing but the best for my children, and am willing to pay for it.

In my home state of massachusetts teachers are required to be masters level, and they are required to do so without any assistance from their school systems because people like you feel that we should not pay for our teachers to become more educated. This leads to teachers running up upwards of $50,000 in education debt alone.

What a country...if you choose to work with children, you are considered a civil SERVANT and should just shut up. Well here is hoping your children dont go to a school that true professionals avoid because they cant make a wage worthy of their extroidanary ability.....how about you step into a classroom, write up a lesson plan, and show all the civil SERVANTS how it is done....until then, continue to get all your incomplte info from talk radio and bad fox news channel reports....the rest of us are too busy educating our children to compete in a global economy.

Support your local teacher unions, because they support your children. It is much bigger then any disney trip.....walk the line with these men and women and stand up for your children.

By the way I am not a teacher, but a parent.....Also i noticed there was a nurse who posted a complaint. I recently supported a local nursing strike where managment was forcing nurses to accept mandatory overtime that forced nurses to work 16 hour shifts multiple times per week which endangered the safety of patients....these brave men and women risked losing their jobs in order to not only fight for what was right, but to pave the way for future nurses to not be treated in such a disrespectful way. these nurses lost 4 months of pay, many will never recover from the financial hit...but i guarantee that all would walk that line tommorow if it meant improving the condition for those who may come later. these where brave people and heroes to working men and women everywhere

 

[tmt martins]

No matter how you put it they took the job and can leave when they want.

If they want more pay then get the right politicians in office to get it done.But to put the KIDS educations on hold because they the ADULTS can't come to an agreement it pitiful.

I pay taxes to a system I would never send my child to then pay a private school a hugh amount to make sure my child is educated and given the oppertunity to excell.

This should all be done way before the start of school and if contracts are not signed by then at that time they need to make decisions on what to do. To start school then go on strike is unjust to the kids.

 

[Aliisa]

I find this thought process that teachers cant strike and should basically shut up and teach to be nothing short of insulting to all the highly educated professionals teaching YOUR children on a daily basis....This is straight out of a Bill O'Reilly episode, a whole lot of bluster, very little logic.

Stock brokers,computer techs, CEO's, politicians, etc....make hundreds of thousands of dollars and we are perfectly content to pay high prices for goods to support the corporate welfare that lines there pockets, but we have such a difficult time thinking that people who work with our most cherished assets, our children, should be paid as THE MOST VALUABLE professionals that they are....Idont know about you, but i want nothing but the best for my children, and am willing to pay for it.

In my home state of massachusetts teachers are required to be masters level, and they are required to do so without any assistance from their school systems because people like you feel that we should not pay for our teachers to become more educated. This leads to teachers running up upwards of $50,000 in education debt alone.

What a country...if you choose to work with children, you are considered a civil SERVANT and should just shut up. Well here is hoping your children dont go to a school that true professionals avoid because they cant make a wage worthy of their extroidanary ability.....how about you step into a classroom, write up a lesson plan, and show all the civil SERVANTS how it is done....until then, continue to get all your incomplte info from talk radio and bad fox news channel reports....the rest of us are too busy educating our children to compete in a global economy.

Support your local teacher unions, because they support your children. It is much bigger then any disney trip.....walk the line with these men and women and stand up for your children.

By the way I am not a teacher, but a parent.....Also i noticed there was a nurse who posted a complaint. I recently supported a local nursing strike where managment was forcing nurses to accept mandatory overtime that forced nurses to work 16 hour shifts multiple times per week which endangered the safety of patients....these brave men and women risked losing their jobs in order to not only fight for what was right, but to pave the way for future nurses to not be treated in such a disrespectful way. these nurses lost 4 months of pay, many will never recover from the financial hit...but i guarantee that all would walk that line tommorow if it meant improving the condition for those who may come later. these where brave people and heroes to working men and women everywhere

Very well said!!!!
BTW Go Pats

 

[karinbelle]

You do realize there is already a teacher shortage in critical areas - such as science, math, and special education?

So if all of us "just shut up and teach" or "Leave the job for something else" who will teach your children.

Please support your teacher's union. Unions are there to protect middle class families -- no one else will stick up for them.

Sorry your vacation may be interrupted.

 

[disneyjunkie]

No matter how you put it they took the job and can leave when they want.

If they want more pay then get the right politicians in office to get it done.But to put the KIDS educations on hold because they the ADULTS can't come to an agreement it pitiful.

I pay taxes to a system I would never send my child to then pay a private school a hugh amount to make sure my child is educated and given the oppertunity to excell.

This should all be done way before the start of school and if contracts are not signed by then at that time they need to make decisions on what to do. To start school then go on strike is unjust to the kids.

 

[java]

I think the teachers in our town are getting paid well and by getting paid well- I mean a starting salary around $40,000 with a few upper level teachers making $70,000. And full health and dental. And a day that ends at 3(although a select few stay late and give their personal time) All holidays off and summers off. All wonderful benefits that I think the unions forget about. Benefits that no other worker in America has. The job of the union is to get as much as they can. So even if it is unreasonable they will fight for it. Why aren't salaries based on performance? Why are sub par teachers even neglectful ones protected by the union? Can you tell I don't love the union. I have teacher friends that say they are not fans either.

 

[donac]

AS a teacher I feel that the Board of Ed and the union leaders should be locked in a room and not allowed out until they reach an agreement. I also feel that each member of the negotiating committee should spend at least a week in the classroom to see what a real teacher goes through. Then let them tell me how easy my job is.

 

[Corwin12]

1.) The Teacher's Union is a self-licking ice cream cone: they only exist to justify their own existence

2.) The education system in this country is abysmal ... we continue to decline every year compared to other industrialized nations. The answer: lower the standards!

3.) My 3rd grade nephew is learning some wonderful things in class, such as: Tolerance, Why "Under God" should be removed from the Pledge of Allegiance, and Feelings class

4.) Any little boy who acts like a little boy obviously needs to be medicated because there is something wrong with him

I used to work in the education system, but when I tried to instill self-reliance, healthy competition, and personal responsibility, I was black balled. I now build houses for a living.

 

[taximomfor4]

I think the teachers in our town are getting paid well and by getting paid well- I mean a starting salary around $40,000 with a few upper level teachers making $70,000. And full health and dental. And a day that ends at 3(although a select few stay late and give their personal time) All holidays off and summers off. All wonderful benefits that I think the unions forget about. Benefits that no other worker in America has. The job of the union is to get as much as they can. So even if it is unreasonable they will fight for it. Why aren't salaries based on performance? Why are sub par teachers even neglectful ones protected by the union? Can you tell I don't love the union. I have teacher friends that say they are not fans either.

I disagree. At least here, the union is just trying to get the teachers A raise. They have taken pay freeze after pay freeze, and benefit cuts that cost more than their negotiated smaller raise gives (resulting in LESS takehome pay) for 4 years now. All that occured because the teachers VOTED to let it occur, hoping to not negatively impact the kids with a strike. Yes, dh can pick up, lose tenure, and move elsewhere to another district. But why, when it sounds like the next teacher job will have the same danger of paycut, payfreeze, loss of benefits, and striking.

ABout strking BEFORE the school year starts, what good would THAT do? It would just carry over into the start of the school year since the school would have no interest in negotiating until their feet were held to the fire. I think the IDEAL time to strike would be in March, RIGHT before the stupid proficiency tests start.

I remember my teachers striking when I was in 4th grade. At first, they got subs in to teach but the people they got were so inexperienced and/or TERRIBLE at teaching that my mom finally pulled us out of school completely for the remainder of the strike. I believe about 3 kids in my class kept attending. The rest of us, with our parents, began bringing lunch and coffee to the picketing teachers, and writing letters (yes, kids too) to the administrators.

I was proud to marry a teacher, because I KNOW he isn't in it for the money --- he is in it for honorable, admirable reasons. But I am realistic to know that I had to leave my job and go to nursing school in order to have a better-paying more steady job than him.

Our country wonders why educationally, our public schools are so inadequate. They need to take a look around the world and see what ALL other industrialized countries do.

 

[D3sdoll]

1.) The Teacher's Union is a self-licking ice cream cone: they only exist to justify their own existence

4.) Any little boy who acts like a little boy obviously needs to be medicated because there is something wrong with him

I couldn't agree more. Unions give people something to "depend" on. No, thank you. I can depend on myself. Also, I'll tell you what the cure is for most ADHD kids - better parenting. (see I said most - not all, as I am not a doctor).

While I support teachers, I have an Aunt who is a teacher's assistant and I have been to MANY parties (all kinds - make-up, tupperware, birthdays, drinking, etc.). Teachers seem to just "get through" there job. I am very glad that they are from a different school then my children attend. Yes, it is from a different part of town but I don't think education should waiver because of economics.

I am so tired of hearing about how we need to depend on unions or the government. PAH-LEASE!!! If you don't like your situation then YOU should get out and do something about it!

when I tried to instill self-reliance, healthy competition, and personal responsibility, I was black balled.

This is exactly why I am self-employed.

 

[madonna31]

Teachers make more than nurses. Go figure.

And bellhops at Disney's Deluxe Resorts make more than teachers.

Oh the irony.

 

[taximomfor4]

. Teachers make more than nurses. Go figure.

Sorry about the ranting, just mad!!!

I am going to graduate RN school in May, and have talked to the HR's at hospitals inmy area already. I will start at almost exactly the same pay dh makes (11 yrs into teaching ). Perhaps it is different in other parts of the country. Oh, he will pass me by in pay when his Masters Degree raise comes in...by $4k more per year (and an additional $25k in student loans -- tuition reimbursement was only $500/yr).

Just wanted to mention that teachers don't make more EVERYWHERE. Not even sure about MOST places.

 

[noodleknitter]

1.) The Teacher's Union is a self-licking ice cream cone: they only exist to justify their own existence

2.) The education system in this country is abysmal ... we continue to decline every year compared to other industrialized nations. The answer: lower the standards!

3.) My 3rd grade nephew is learning some wonderful things in class, such as: Tolerance, Why "Under God" should be removed from the Pledge of Allegiance, and Feelings class

4.) Any little boy who acts like a little boy obviously needs to be medicated because there is something wrong with him

I used to work in the education system, but when I tried to instill self-reliance, healthy competition, and personal responsibility, I was black balled. I now build houses for a living.

If someone wants to be considered a professional then they should act like one. Striking is not professional.

If teachers want respect, then they need to bag the unions, and that lovely organization, the NEA.

 

[disneyandme]

Some of these attitudes are what drive good teachers out of teaching and on to higher paying and less stressful jobs. My first teaching job paid $16500 yr. That was 10 yrs ago. Not all areas of the country pay $40-70k for experienced teachers. By the way, I also had a masters degree at the time. My federal taxes that year put me below waht was considered poverty taxes!!! I also had a class of 36 kids with no assistant. I don't know any teachers who only work from 8-3:00. You can't survive if you do. When do papers get graded, new assignments get planned, parent phone calls made, meeting and conferences fit in. I could go on and on.
Teachers work very hard because they love to teach. They wouldn't be there otherwise. Please support your teachers!!!!

 

[momof2inPA]

If someone wants to be considered a professional then they should act like one. Striking is not professional.

If teachers want respect, then they need to bag the unions, and that lovely organization, the NEA.

Why would they "bag" the union? That doesn't make any sense. Teachers have made great strides in pay and benefits because of the mere fact that there IS a teacher's union. There's strength in numbers, expecially for negotiation.

The administrators all go to the same negotiating training programs, which teach them to hold out on the contract until the teachers have to strike or give in to practically no raises. These training programs should be ignored, and people should behave like human beings. Locking both side in a room until a contract is reached sounds like a great idea.