Chicago teachers asking for 30% raises over next 2 years

reply to post by sligtlyskeptical


Yeah, I did not realize until you broke it down how much they are making but I do feel for them and I am on the fence with this one. I really am frustrated with the American school system and am not well enough informed to have a rational and valid opinion regarding this to be honest.

reply to post by GeorgiaGirl


Yup. I didnt think it was possible.

It started with one, who's always been a bad apple, then it spread to the rest.

Some Summers they feel like working. Some Summers they feel like collecting. Some Summers they collect while vacationing for weeks.

Seeing them do that is almost enough to make me get into teaching. Then I hear some kid screaming about nothing and I remember how much they irritate me.

Originally posted by Kyprian

Originally posted by N3k9Ni
They should get a 30% raise on the contingency that they produce a 30% improvement in academic performance.

here's a notion..stop with all the self-esteem bullcrap and get back to teaching lil Johnny how to read, how to write and how to do math. The self esteem comes from knowing you've EARNED something like a good grade - not this "aww you're special" garbage kids are getting these days.

Spoken like a true curmudgeon.

That's exactly my point.

In spite of national efforts to raise standards and student achievement, several recent assessments reveal that high school graduates cannot read well enough to function successfully in today’s world. In the age of No Child Left Behind, it seems that many children are.

Widespread illiteracy not only leads to lower education and employment rates, it is also linked to increased crime and incarceration and a high social and economic cost. The world requires that adults not only be able to read and understand basic texts, but also be able to function in the workplace, pay bills, understand legal and financial documents and navigate technology - not to mention the advanced reading comprehension skills required to pursue postsecondary education and the opportunities that come with it.

This inability to read at grade level, compounded by high drop out figures, is a reflection of the inadequacies of the education system. How is the next generation supposed to succeed in life if it isn’t literate?

reply to post by N3k9Ni


I really believe one major factor that contributes to this dire situation we are now in is due to the lack of participation by the parents these days. When I was in school which began in 1975, my Aunt and Uncle would help me with my homework every night without fail and constantly promoted the importance of education. These days parents in general just do not put in the time with their children with regards to homework. Leaving the entire scholastic process to our educational system has failed miserably. It all begins at home and parents need to wake the hell up and put in the hours with their children.

reply to post by BLKMJK


That's a very good point. I think, though, there's a snowballing effect when it comes to parents or others helping with homework. Reduced quality of education has produced parents that are not able to help with homework beyond the 6th grade. Consequently, children do not receive help at home because parents themselves would be unable to complete the homework.

Originally posted by jjkenobi
reply to post by GeorgiaGirl

 

That's true, but you can't ignore they don't work a full year like the rest of us. They get all the holidays off, a long Christm... err holiday break, and all summer.

You do realize that teachers don't actually get paid for those times they're not working, don't you?

reply to post by LeSigh


It is called Salary pay VS Hourly Pay.
So, technically they do.

The whole argument that the district asks them to work more hours, is not relevant.
The Union for the area negotiates the contract with the teachers.
If the district wants more hours, then they can demand more pay. But, should not cry when they don't get it, as they are still a Salary based Job.

Originally posted by macman
reply to post by LeSigh

 

It is called Salary pay VS Hourly Pay.
So, technically they do.

The whole argument that the district asks them to work more hours, is not relevant.
The Union for the area negotiates the contract with the teachers.
If the district wants more hours, then they can demand more pay. But, should not cry when they don't get it, as they are still a Salary based Job.

If teachers worked summers and Christmas and Spring Break, they would make even more money for people to complain about. That $50,000 would turn into $70,000. Union or no union, no school district (public or private) in this nation would retain their current teachers if they were forced to work that much more for the same amount of pay. As it is, in most districts, teachers stop getting paychecks after their last pay period, and if they do, it is because the checks are held in escrow and doled out in smaller increments throughout the year.




It's delusional to think that any school district (or job for that matter) would pay people money for time they don't work- be they salaried or hourly.


Salaried employees who work 187 days a year should expect to get paid more if they begin working 260 days a year. That's not happening in Chicago- but teachers don't get paid for days they don't work. No employer would go for that.