Detroit teachers livid as they go unpaid, shortchanged

Big problems manifesting in Detroit comes as no surprise when we have failed government continuing to hoard money.

Now teachers in the highly successful public schools not getting paid.

The system there is riddled and pocked with incompetence and probably corruption and inside theft.

It's like a wild 1984 style scramble for who can get away with the most before getting caught.

Sounds like binge accounting with financial anarchy.

Where are the "volunteers" when a crisis exists?


Detroit teachers livid as they go unpaid, shortchanged

While some teachers might complain about the size of their paycheck, Detroit Public School teachers are hardly surprised when they don’t get a check at all.

“We need something that will effectively, regularly pay the teachers what they’re owed. They do the work. They need the pay. They need it on-time, with bills to pay. All they get now is a runaround,” Detroit Federation of Teachers President Steve Conn told Click on Detroit.

Conn raised a ruckus in the media this week after some of his members were shorted hundreds of dollars in their paychecks, while others didn’t receive a pay check at all. And it’s not the first time.

Is Detroit a 'Successful' Experiment?

or is Detroit a Busted Fumble-Flop?

a reply to: xuenchen

That's one group/union you don't want to pick a fight with. But seems like it's a payment method slip up. Seems like they're going to fix the payment problem. I'm not sure how much they are currently making but from the report I would have to guess way less then they where be for the cut backs.

But ya I wouldn't piss off the teaching union, angry teachers just teach the kids to be angry as well. If that is for better or worse I don't know.

Perhaps they should outsource to better local management such as the Satanic temple of Detroit which despite Detroits financial difficulties just held the largest public Satanic ceremony in history unveiling their $100 000 Baphomet statue...and moderators this might not be thread drift at all as Detroit pretty much is hell.

a reply to: ObjectZero

Do you suspect sabotage ?

a reply to: khnum

Nope. Satanists would run things far too efficiently.

Big bureaucracy would never have that.

(But people who are working should be paid, especially teachers!)

a reply to: Gryphon66

Showing up to work and working are two different things.

I know two girls (twins) that were half way through 5th grade before the teachers "discovered" they were deaf. (not going to get into the lack of parenting in Detroit)

I can't count how many people I know that graduated that cannot read or write (I'm not even including the athletes).

I used to think it was fear, but now I just think it's laziness and a sense of entitlement on the part of the teachers union.

"we show up - pay us!"

++EDIT ++ One good thing I will say is that the elementary schools in my area (SW Detroit) teach all classes in a bilingual format. Half the work is in english and half is in spanish. By the time the kids are in middle school most have a basic understanding of spanish regardless of their ethnicity.

a reply to: 200Plus

Errors and individual failures happen in every enterprise.

If we're doing our jobs, we do our best to anticipate them and stop them.

Every system, from the US Government down to the local 7-11 is subject to errors.

To me, individual failures do not always or automatically point to a failure of the system.

But, I do hear what you're saying!

a reply to: xuenchen

Of course, Detroit is a god awful disaster and has been for the last 50 years.

What I don't understand is...........why are these people still there? Th climate is horrible, the surroundings are deplorable and depressing.

Is there a shortage of U-Haul?
Did someone close the Greyhound Bus station?

I mean, really, this is just plain weird.

a reply to: TonyS

Stockholm Syndrome.

a reply to: TonyS

Because by now Detroit has gotten down to the ones who can't leave even if they want to and the ones who are making a living off of them.

This was a computer glitch in the payroll system.not a funding issue.

detroit free press

If anyone is interested in a less-biased take on the matter than the bit in the OP from a right-wing rag:

CBS Detriot

[Conn] blames state-appointed DPS Emergency Manager Darnell Earley.

“The problem is part bureaucratic incompetence and part not caring about the teachers,” Conn added, “but the policies of the emergency manager are clearly designed to discourage teachers in hopes that they leave the district, which aids the governor’s agenda of dismantling public education in Detroit.”

Conn, of course, is Steve Conn President of the Detroit Federation of Teachers union, described in the OP's article as a "socialist."

If anyone cares about the teachers and other employees, they were hopeful that things would be straightened out by today.

Now, of course, I know that the real intent here is to provide a platform to bash Unions ... and I don't want to keep you guys from that. I just wanted to provide a few more actual facts into the mix, just for anyone interested in, well, you know, the truth.

Enjoy!

a reply to: TonyS

If you found yourself the 4th generation welfare recipient, you would probably have issues moving across country too..

The rest of Michigan isnt much better and stores are just further apart. At least in Detroit there is a BOOMING black market, hell I even hear they are paying $15 an hour to help cut down some of detroits old buildings and scrap them ILLEGALY, yes ILLEGALY. You can get paid to go steal ENTIRE buildings. Look up the Packard plants transformation over the last 2 years...

It seriously takes sooooo much discipline and luck to get out of most of these people situations, I doubt I would be able to do it. Not saying they should just sit around and collect food stamps but I am giving them a nod for sure on how screwed the situation is.

originally posted by: HighFive
This was a computer glitch in the payroll system.not a funding issue.

detroit free press

"a variety of issues"

a likely story.

more like somebody owed somebody some money or a "favor".

The government isn't hoarding money the wealthy super elite are.

originally posted by: onequestion
The government isn't hoarding money the wealthy super elite are.

You dont' get it. In Detroit, they are often the same thing thanks to corruption. There isn't enough commerce left in Detroit for there to be much room for super wealthy elite outside of the government and the sports teams and those who can make a living off of them.

originally posted by: ketsuko

originally posted by: onequestion
The government isn't hoarding money the wealthy super elite are.

You dont' get it. In Detroit, they are often the same thing thanks to corruption. There isn't enough commerce left in Detroit for there to be much room for super wealthy elite outside of the government and the sports teams and those who can make a living off of them.

I wonder, are you including Michigan's Republican Governor, or the Republican Legislature in that statement, or, are you stopping at the city limits?

a reply to: Gryphon66

My guess would be he is blaming the folks within the city limits for how the money gets divided, as it is property tax in the school district limits that determines the lions share of the funding.
Sure they get some money from both the state and federal government, however the biggest portions of their funding comes from local taxes.
Since the property values in Detroit are low, the amount of tax revenue will be low.

originally posted by: Punisher75
a reply to: Gryphon66

My guess would be he is blaming the folks within the city limits for how the money gets divided, as it is property tax in the school district limits that determines the lions share of the funding.
Sure they get some money from both the state and federal government, however the biggest portions of their funding comes from local taxes.
Since the property values in Detroit are low, the amount of tax revenue will be low.

Perhaps. I'm pretty sure that Ketsuko will qualify the statement to make certain we understand that the only "dirty politics" in Detroit (and anywhere else) is Democratic. We'll see though! Maybe you're right!

LOL well the thing is politicians are pretty corrupt everywhere,
However, the dirty politics in Detroit at least are Democrat lead...I mean because they are all democrats in Detroit and have been for quite a while.