'Republicans turn their back on teachers'

[FettsBabe]

Glen,

What he was saying is that if people tend to keep that attitude the system WILL NOT get better.

 

[Red Dawn]

<< What he was saying is that if people tend to keep that attitude the system WILL NOT get better. >>

Fettsbabe knows how to read Red Dawnese

 

[FettsBabe]

The teachers in our area start out around $23000 a year and sometimes a little more if they are a coach.

 

[Russ]

<< I don't know any teacher than makes that >>



Fetts,

The average in the school district here is higher then $35 an hour, before bennies. Not to mention the fact that we have a Super who is paid more then the Governor, and he has EIGHT (used to be TEN) assistant Supers.

Hey, I'd be all for paying teachers far more then they make now, if we demanded that they produce a good product, or get out. But, as long as the unions are running the show, that will NEVER happen.

Russ, NCNE

 

[almostmakingit]

From my other post.. Hope this is okay to copy.. So much money wasted

Friday, June 29, 2001 10:35 AM



LAUSD OKs $195,000 buyout


By Joseph Giordono
Staff Writer


Former LAUSD Chief Operating Officer Allen Solomon, who resigned after two months on the job, will receive a $195,000 buyout under a settlement approved Tuesday by the school board in closed session.
The settlement, negotiated by Superintendent Roy Romer, includes $175,000 in salary compensation and $20,000 for legal fees, Los Angeles Unified School District officials said. Solomon signed the settlement June 14. It was ratified in a 6-1 vote by the board.

Board member Julie Korenstein was the only board member to vote against the settlement, arguing it was too expensive at a time when the district faces millions of dollars in budget cuts.

&quot;I don't really believe that we should be using that kind of money to buy out contracts after only two months,&quot; Korenstein said. &quot;I would rather see it used in the schools.&quot;

Because the settlement was undertaken by the superintendent -- who has authority over personnel actions under $250,000 -- the vote did not need to be taken in open session, a district spokeswoman said.

 

[Red Dawn]

<< But, as long as the unions are running the show, that will NEVER happen. >>

Wrong, as long as the Parents don't do their part it will never happen. The teachers would be much more effective if all they had to do was teach. If the students were to do their homework assignments they would learn. The Parents have to make sure their little darlings are doing their assignments and keep them away from the Idiot Box (either a Computer or TV) If the kid cannot read it is as much the Parents fault if not more than it is the teachers. Blaming the Teachers is just passing the buck, something that Republicans are well versed at.

 

[Shantanu]

When I lived in Long Island, NY several years ago, the public school teachers made around $85K a year, and most of them were mediocre. Later, I went to a Catholic school in Ohio for a year where the teachers were paid $20K a year, and many of them were fantastic. More money != better teachers. Accountability is what's needed to reform the system.

 

[Red Dawn]

<< Accountability is what's needed to reform the system. >>

That's only part of it. Without the parents actively working with their children far to many will fall between the cracks.



<< I went to a Catholic school in Ohio for a year where the teachers were paid $20K a year >>

And if you didn't turn in your homework assignments or if you screwed around in class you were history. In Public Schools they have to accept a disruptive student and if the student doesn't do his work he is still allowed to attend. I sent 2 of my boys to private school and if they didn't toe the line they were told that they wouldn't be allowed back in (both by the school and us). Of course shelling out 9 grand a year we made sure that they did all their work and turned it in on time.

 

[charrison]

red,

Maybe when teachers can fail students without harrasment, maybe more parents will be involved. The current ideal of everyone DESERVES a high school diploma must be done away with. These things are EARNED. Teachers are often forced to water down their content so more will pass.

 

[Russ]

<< Wrong, as long as the Parents don't do their part it will never happen. >>



Red,

EXACTLY how much time have you spent working as a volunteer in the school system? From where do you draw the vast knowledge necessary to unilaterally condemn parents? Speculation, most likely.

Most parents do just fine. There are a minority of parents that hand it off to the teacher, but most ARE involved. Most do make sure their kids do the homework. Most do react and help when the kid has a problem.

The system is broken, PERIOD. Until we have real choice, and real competition, it will NEVER be fixed.

Russ, NCNE

 

[Red Dawn]

charrison, that is part of the solution.

 

[almostmakingit]

The lastest teacher union verse... Is blame the parents... I will admit... parents should care enough to vote out board members who cater to union officials, political favors, hiring unqualified relatives, giving huge contracts, etc. So in that vein I guess parents and taxpayers bear some of the responsibility.. However in NY the laws have been carefully used to prevent accountability.. Budgets are only estimates, no indication of what is really needed, and our election laws don't apply to schools. Voters are constantly misinformed by an establishment that pretends to educate.. When information is requested none can be gotten.. So I feel it's all too easy to pretend that one thing or another will reform this mess.. And what I can't understand is teachers complaining about parental harassment, in my state they have a job for life.. Tenure forever, so why not do the right thing?

 

[CrazyHelloDeli]

Tossing more money at teachers will do nothing concerning test scores and overall education. If a kid doesnt want to learn, he doesnt want to lean and he wont regardless of how &quot;good&quot; or &quot;happy&quot; the teacher is. Liberals think they can fix everything by tossing more money at it. Oh test scores are low in LA county? Lets pump another 50 million in school funding and watch the scores stay the same. I know the baby boomer generation will try and work theyre way out of any responsability and blame anyone and anything for the fact theyre child is a dolt beacuse of bad parenting. Little Billy scores bad on his math test and it MUST be lack of school funding or underpaid teacher....

 

[almostmakingit]

Shantanu

<When I lived in Long Island, NY several years ago, the public school teachers made around $85K a year, and most of them were mediocre. Later, I went to a Catholic school in Ohio for a year where the teachers were paid $20K a year, and many of them were fantastic. More money != better teachers. Accountability is what's needed to reform the system. >

They are making even more now... and still nothing has changed...
The problem is accountability..... the laws are all stacked against it.. Educational choice may be the only hope?

 

[Michael]

Red Dawn - Since the exact same problems exist when Democrats run the show, I would say that both are good at &quot;buck passing&quot;.

The whole socialist system that is set up for both school and child welfare can get in a parent's way when it comes to teaching them. Parents are not encouraged to get too involved in the average public school, the teachers and the administration do not want the extra scrutiny. Heck, if you give your child a spanking for not doing their homework (something I faced when I was growing up), the authorities can and will come and take your child away from you.

Your decision to send your sons to private school is not an option that many parents have. That's why I support either greater accountability in the public schools or a voucher system. Since the Supreme Court has made it pretty clear that there are deep Church/State problems with vouchers, accountability is the only answer. I think a combination of increased involvement by parents and accountability in the schools (including firing sub-par teachers - unions will never agree to that) is a better answer.

I still do not think that increasing teacher pay will make a difference, other than increasing taxes or decreasing spending in areas other than salary (less facilities per student). As I already feel many public schools are moneypits without good return, I am loath to toss more money into the bonfire.

Michael

 

[Red Dawn]

<< EXACTLY how much time have you spent working as a volunteer in the school system? From where do you draw the vast knowledge necessary to unilaterally condemn parents? Speculation, most likely. >>

Most likely. But it's common sense that if the Student does his work he is going to learn and if he can't handle it then it's the parents duty to find out why. I know you have volunteered to work with disabled or disadvantaged children in the past, well I'm willing tp &quot;Speculate&quot; that parents of disabled children are far more likely to be involved with their children. Etech is a great example of a parent of a disabled child that spends hours making sure his duaghter gets the education that she deserves.

It's not like every child that graduates from a High School here in the US can't read either, there are just to many that can't. I'd bet that if there was a study done on the children who graduated who couldn't read there would be one constant, the lack of parental involvement in that students education.

 

[Pacfanweb]

Let's see, teaching is one of the easiest degrees to obtain. Teachers are paid for a full year, yet only work 9 months. If they want more money, teach summer school. They have great benefits. They have plenty of holidays.
And they make 35k per hour? Yes, they make plenty for what they do.

 

[Red Dawn]

<< Since the exact same problems exist when Democrats run the show, I would say that both are good at &quot;buck passing >>

The Democrats weren't good at making it work, the Republicans were the buck passers. Neither are worth a damn when it comes to solving this problem but then, maybe it isn't their problem to solve. Again I put more of the responsiblity on the Parents than I do the Politicians and the Teachers.



<< Parents are not encouraged to get too involved in the average public school, the teachers and the administration do not want the extra scrutiny >>

Now that's speculation. I'm sure there are some isolated cases where that is trtue but I don't believe that is the over all case.



<< That's why I support either greater accountability in the public schools or a voucher system. >>

Bushes Voucher system was a joke. the $1500 a year that Parents would get for each child wouldn't pay for any decent Private School and it would only help those who have the means to send their children to private school.



<< I still do not think that increasing teacher pay will make a difference, other than increasing taxes or decreasing spending in areas other than salary (less facilities per student). As I already feel many public schools are moneypits without good return, I am loath to toss more money into the bonfire. >>

If there is to be an increase in teachers pay then there has to be more accountibility. What they do need to do is to shrink the class sizes. Instead of 30 or 40 children per class they should lower it to 20. They should also make passing on to another grade tougher and if the kids don't pass they should look into the cause and if it is the teacher then they should correct the situation. However if it's because the child doesn't do his assignments or he isn't capable of working at that level then the situation needs to be addressed effectively, not conviniently.

 

[almostmakingit]

Michael
I personally don't see the conflict about vouchers and the separation issue.. If the money is given to the parents.. and not directed by the state..

 

[Red Dawn]

Hey Pacfanweb, you need to read Wordsmiths post.

 

[WilsonCat]

Yeah, Long Island teachers do pretty good here. My wife is a teacher in her 3rd year and just got tenure. She is making 53K.

On the other hand, our 1 bedroom apartment costs us $1370 a month.

 

[BoberFett]

<< It's not like every child that graduates from a High School here in the US can't read either, there are just to many that can't. I'd bet that if there was a study done on the children who graduated who couldn't read there would be one constant, the lack of parental involvement in that students education. >>

Why are schools graduating kids that can't read?

 

[Red Dawn]

<< Why are schools graduating kids that can't read? >>

I don't know, you tell me!

 

[CrazyHelloDeli]

<< Why are schools graduating kids that can't read? >>



Because public schools dont get paid per kid after 12 years in school. So if a public school holds a kid back, that kid will have been in the system for 13 or more years but only compensated by the government for 12 of those years. Plus it looks bad on school reports...

 

[Angrymarshmello]

Teachers have been underpaid for a long time now - I don't see Democrats doing anything to help increase their pay.