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Friday, September 04, 2009

An Open Response To The BOE Teacher Responding To The BOE Belt Tightening Post From Thursday

Anonymous said...
Thanks wicomico county I apreciate the pay check you give me every month. A teacher PS I bust my back side to teach your spoiled rotton kids and get absolutely no gratitude for the difficult job I do.
5:50 PM

Please, 5:50 PM Anonymous Teacher, do us all a favor and find something else to do! With an attitude like yours, you've got to be a horrible teacher anyway. If you don't get any inherent appreciation for the job you do, then take a minute and review your benefits.

Look at your generous paycheck for only 10 months of (yes) long hours that starts at $42,000+ for a "teacher" with 0 - 4 months of experience.

Look at the extra pay you get for longevity and for advanced degrees. Look at the 90% of your health costs paid by the BOE and the 70% that is paid for your dependents.

Look at your holidays and summers and 10 days of annual sick leave that you can use or accrue toward pay at retirement.

Look at your 4 days of bereavement pay and 4 extra paid personal/emergency days that you get annually.

Look at your extra duty pay and your ability to request up to 2 years' leave of absence while retaining your seniority. Look at your continuing education benefits of $1950 annually.

Look at your generously subsidized retiree medical coverage which increased this year to 70% of the costs ad your increased pension from the State.

Look at your paid life insurance at 1.5 times your salary up to $100,000.

Look at the step increases that maybe you and that many of your colleagues got this year. Then, think about your union contract that says you only "have" to attend 5 PTA functions a year.

Review that you don't have to clean up any messes or accidents in a classroom, but instead get to call for a janitor.

Oh, and remember that your contract says you aren't any kind of a "nurse" either.

Consider, too, that your contract says you won't collect any money for school events other than those sanctioned by you, and that you will be limited to cafeteria duty and playground duty and the number of hours you teach each week. Don't forget, too, that your planning time during the school week is mandated and paid for you also.

Consider, too, that if there are lay-offs, your contract says seniority - not effectiveness - governs who stays and who goes. Can't find all this or dispute any of it?

Go to:http://www.wcboe.org/departments/HR/Agreements/Unit%20I%20Agreement%202009.pdf

Now, 5:50 PM , compare this to any other job on Delmarva. You ARE working too hard, 5:50 PM. You need to get out more into the "real world."

28 comments:

Anonymous said...

must be nice to have such a secure job....

John said...

I try not to ever comment on your site. But this one I have to take a stand on.
Most teachers work there a$$es off. I know teachers that wipe kids rears and go to kids houses to get then to go to school. I am married to one who spend 2-4 hours a night doing paperwork.
She goes back to work early to do schedules and takes phone calls all night and emails from parents. She gets paid for it! And she should she has her Masters.
Kids have no freaking respect and we have so much red tape in our system its insane. On top of it teacher gets litlle support from the offices or administation.(More latley with Frederickson then a while)
They have to teach to a stupid test. A rule of order by which they are graded or they will get FIRED. Despite how many years they have worked.
They have Twice a year evaluations where the BOSS comes and watches and scrutinizes everything they do. WHAT OTHER JOB DOES THAT!
Teachers like cops get paid for a job. They are a servant to the community and Teachers everyday put there lives on the line. GUNS, KNIVES, HEPATITIS, HIV, not to mention all the illnesses they come down with from being around thousands of kids every day.(H1N1)
So before you Judge a Teacher in a general sense think how hard that Job really is! Its not just about teaching a class, its about teaching and dealing with life everyday -- times 1000!

Anonymous said...

Why don't you do a story on how much teachers give to charity and how many sick days they give back every year! It is over 500,000 in wicomico alone.

Anonymous said...

"Busts her backside to teach our spoiled rotten kids" huh? Oh yes and she "gets no gratitude", really? Every holiday my children use their money to buy their teachers gifts. No it is not money I have given them, but money they have earned by selling fruits and vegetables or doing odd jobs. Every holiday my husband and I receive no gifts from our children, so I guess that they do in fact show appreciation in the form of a monetary gift because they are so unappreciative.

I have two children that work hard all day without giving their teacher any type of attitude, because they know they would never do it to me so they better not do it to any adult. My two children are like many children in the public school system, they get overlooked often because they do not draw attention to themselves by carrying on in class.

So to read a teacher's rude, arrogant, and stereo typical comments like this, well quite frankly ticks me off. Maybe the issue isn't the position you hold, but the fact you hold the position. There are some teachers that should have retired long ago, there are some teachers that should have never gone into teaching, and there are some teachers that are genuinely missed in the educational system.

I would lay money you are the teacher that does the bare minimum required with her students, complaining the entire time as you do it. I doubt you have ever made an attempt to spice up the learning environment and throw in some fun yet educational games so the kids look forward to coming to your class. You are all the proof needed that teachers should be subjected to psychological testing every two years to assure us "unappreciative parents of spoiled rotten kids" that our children are safe in your classroom. Do us all a favor and find another line of work because someone with your mentality should not be any type of influence or role model for any child.

Anonymous said...

Great response to 5:50PM. It's a shame that this person has this attitude because it's the kids that will end up suffering. There's a LOT of thankless jobs out there, and YES, teaching is often one of them. But you shouldn't be in the job if you're expecting recognition/praise/thanks all the time--rather you should be trying to make the career fulfilling for yourself. WE choose to make our own happiness and WE choose to make our careers fulfilling.

Anonymous said...

Go Joe Go! Teachers are liberals and they are the spoiled little brats.

Anonymous said...

John 9:32am -
Thank you for speaking up for those who do work hard at teaching and give it their all.
Your wife is obviously one of them, and she deserves every dime of her pay and benefits.
Thank you, too, for the family commitment and support for her. A good teacher, like in any human services job, does what is needed when it is needed.

It's comments like those from 5:50 that give you, your wife and her hard working colleagues a bad rap. Just like students, "the good ones get ignored," and that is a shame.


Thank you from a parent with 3 kids in BOE schools.

doug wilkerson said...

In todays depresion anyone who complains about a JOB like this is a fool.

Anonymous said...

They work 83% of the year, and also get 18 days for sick time, bereavement, and personal days? That works out to 21.6 days off of work, or a typical work month.

So basically, they net $48k minimum with a month of personal days if you annualized the numbers. To me, that seems like it's worth putting up with a lot of crap.

If you don't like the commitments necessary to do your teaching job, LEAVE! Go work somewhere else, where you will work year round, probably make less money, pay more out of your pocket for benefits FOR YOURSELF ALONE, and be thankful for the two measly weeks a year you can take a vacation.

Anonymous said...

I get so tired of hearing how poor teachers are. OMG!! They earn a minimum of $42000 a year? HMMMM guess I took up the wrong profession--I've been in the same industry for 20+ years and still don't make that kind of money. Teachers do have a tough job--no doubt but they knew that when they decided to be a teacher. If you don't like it--change careers!! Be thankful you have a job!

Anonymous said...

I think they should be damn grateful they still have a job!!! I lost mine after 25 years, those years count for nothing in the private and corporate sector! After 25 years, I was lucky to get 4 weeks vacation and only one personal day with no sick days! My job was outsourced to India. They should be grateful their jobs haven't been outsourced to a foreign country! Keep complaining, and the next thing you know, your job will be outsourced like the rest of us!

doug wilkerson said...

12:21 Sorry to hear about your job. Good Luck I mean that.

Anonymous said...

John(9:32am)you comment is so laced with crap its pitiful. You paint a picture that your wife is a perfect teacher and she may be however those teachers are FEW. Our view of teachers in Wicomico is much different than you paint on your comment. Last year our son was in Bennett Middle and out of the teachers he had only 3 of them were what I would call good teachers. Even then only one of them we could count on calling us at night time if there was a problem. These teachers are supplied with planning periods as well as resources like the internet. My wife tried very hard to stay in contact with my sons teachers by way of e-mail with only one of the three teachers on top in that area. Getting feed back from most teachers does not happen until the student is failing so I don't get it when they claim the teacher is good. Parent involvement I believe is the utmost important,However the last Parent Teacher meeting we attended was all about selling this or that product and not OUR CHILDREN in respect to education.You come up with a pretty picture and all but force these kids to sell junk from your fund raisers and make promises they will win something which also turns out to be JUNK. Stop complaining about how much you don't make and start being thankful how much you are making. Tell you what I'd be happy to swap you bank accounts for one month,then and only then you would realize how much you are making.

Anonymous said...

Hey Joe just heard the Sheriff's office is taking a pay cut. Can you get with Mike and see if this is true?? I am very angry at the B.O.E. if this is true. They are sticking it to fellow county employees if this rumor is true.

Thanks

Anonymous said...

Thanks Doug for your comment. It was been really difficult these past 7 months. There is a lot of competition for the few jobs available and the starting wages are almost half of what I used to make. I am realistic in knowing that things are never going to be the same again, and I will have to do with a lot less. That is why I get so angry with these teachers who think they have it so bad! They should try living in the real world where years served and dedication mean nothing! At least my spouse still has a job and the unemployment pays the groceries. I can't stay on this much longer and I am really working hard to find a job that pays a living wage. I will probably have to work two low wage jobs until things get better. I also have two kids to support and help to put through college. I just think this isn't the time for them to complain!

Anonymous said...

Just happened on this site. Is this supposed to be a serious and intelligent discussion? To me I see adults acting like children. On both sides.

Blasting parents for having to teach their "snotty nosed brats" is unprofessional.

Blasting teachers for the work they do and the compensation they recieve is short sighted and drips with jealousy.

In the middle of these two extremes are the teachers that care for their students and the parents that appreciate that care.

Some here need to find this middle ground. Spend less time worrying about how much someone else earns. And to the teacher who made the comment..remember if you said that to any private business' customer you would have been fired.

doug wilkerson said...

Trust me I know what your going through, I wont go into details here but your not alone. Just keep our heads held high and remember that everything we do is for the ones we LOVE. At the end of the day they are still with us and that out-ways anything else.

Anonymous said...

Teachers who hate their jobs, and the kids they teach, need to do us all a favor and just quit or find something different to do!
But then again, they are probably not qualified to do anything else!
Those who can't, Teach!

Anonymous said...

I don't want anyone teaching my children who can't spell "appreciate" or "rotten"

Anonymous said...

Can anyone read sarcasim into Anon 550's remarks. How many times in the previous post did someone comment on the pay at the BOE. I dont recall them getting a pay raise this year

Anonymous said...

Joe, teachers are so overworked that most go to Green Turtle or Market Street at the end of the week to drink their butts off. It's cool to pick up a drunk teacher and get a freak on.

Anonymous said...

Anon 9:32 you may have a hard job with long hours, but dont compare yourself to a police officer.. Tell me the last time a teacher was shot. Enough said. Also tell me with your locked in contract that can not be touched by law if you will have a salary reduction, furlough days or both. Like all of the other state workers, local officer, county officers etc,etc,. So take your set contracted pay in this tough market, your weekends and holidays off and your summers off and KISS MY ARSE.

Anonymous said...

Good point 3:48; I was so caught up in the words, I didn't pay attention to the spelling! What a sad day when a teacher cannot spell as good as a fifth grader!

Anonymous said...

Hey John,
After we lost a true area Hero this week, your letter got me thinking of how dangerous a job teaching was. So, when was it that the last local teacher died in the line of duty? So...when is the last time a teacher had to hunt somebody with a gun (We hunted 5 violent guys with guns in Salisbury today!); when is the last time a local teacher got shot at? When is the last time a local teacher got stabbed, bit, had a needle stick?
When is the last time a teacher missed Christmas with his family to work?
I’m not complaining about my job because overall I love the job I swore to do; but please don’t tell me that the teaching career is a dangerous job, not this week! Please think of us as we bury our brother next week.

Anonymous said...

John, why don't you go get in one of your big grandfather clocks and go back in time. How about 1492??

Anonymous said...

I am a 25 year veteran teacher. If my salary is cut, then I walk out the door and let the home-schooling begin!!!Teachers earn every cent they receive but not the public criticism from ignorant parents. Everyone is a school authority because they attended school at one time. Hate to tell you but things aren't like they used to be. Parents don't send top grade pupils any more. We accept anything that walks through the door. Bad manners and unrully hoodlums are accepted along with the top of the stack.

Anonymous said...

Joe,

I frequently read your posts with great interest as they are right on target the majority of the time, and I have found many of the contributers to be insightful and intelligent in their remarks. However, I note that teachers and their profession oftern stir great fervor on your posts. I would like to take a few moments to share some insights I feel are germaine. Like all professions, education has its share of good and bad. To be sure, there are some truly terrible teachers that probably account for a number of posts here and they deserve just what the public gives them. As for the others, I am also sure that there ae extremely dedicated teachers that are models of their profession. I am not a teacher or related to anyone who is, but feel a few wrongs need to be addressed here. First, teachers are paid for the days that they work, something like 192 days or the like I seem to have read. Simply, it is in error to believe that they are paid for something they don't do. Many feel in this post that they are overpaid, and in the cases of those who are poor, I would agree. However, by taking a look at the job as a whole, teachers are paid less (in some cases significantly less) than their contemporaries in other professions. To those who think they are overpaid, please try to remember that these are people who earned advanced degrees in many cases and have as much right to earn what they can. This is, of course, the background of a capitalist society, so I for one don't fault them. Many seem to think that just by paying taxes they are deserving of some right to criticize them for trying to earn a good wage. We are not talking six figure saleries here. Also, while they certainly selected their career choice (as do we all), they certainly are not deserving of students and parents who are beyond unrully and rude. I know a police officer who served in the school system as a resource officer who directly observed some of those who teach, and found them to be good, decent people who work hard at what they do each day. He further shared that almost all of them took unbelieveable and unjustified amounts of stress at the hands of parents and students with their beligerent behavior that none of the rest of us would ever dream of putting up with. To those who criticize, stop - you may believe that you know what you are talking about, but in reality your perceptions get in the way of good judgements. Certainly those who post here are fair game, but think about what you write before you post in in application to an entire profession.

Anonymous said...

Ahh....poor 1107PM. We all have jobs that have to deal with any kind of stress, anxiety and worry. However, my job is a 365 day a year (I own my own business with no health benefits, paid holidays, sick time, personal days) so I really cant feel sorry for ANY teacher. They can retire with full benefits after 30 plus years of service (I have now worked 38 years on my own) and have had to save EVERY penny I could so hopefully someday I may can retire.) I work all summer long, never take a vacation for more than a few days as my livelihood depends on my income. So, cant feel sorry for you guys in the teaching world!