Teacher's are just babysitters...pay them like such

[greenbriar]

The following appeared in the Speakout, NEA SM's newsletter. THought I'd share.


Teahcers Get Paid TOO Much!


Teachers get paid TOO much...I'm fed up with teachers and their hefty
salary schedules. WHat we need here is a little perspective.


If I had my way, I'd pay these teachers myself-I'd pay them babysitting
wages. That's right-instead of paying these outragous taxes, I'd give them
$3 an hour out of my own pocket. And I'm only going to pay them for five
hours, not coffee breaks. That would be $15 a day. Each parent should pay
$15 a day for these teachers to baby-sit their child. Even if they have
more than one child, it's still a lot cheaper than private day care.


Now, how many children do they teach every day-maybe 20? THat's
$15x20=$300 a day. But remember, they only work 180 days a year! I am
not going to pay them for all those vacations! $300x180=$54,000. (Just a
minute, I think my claculator needs new batteries.)


I know now you teachers will say-what about those who have 10 years
experience and a mster's degree? Well, maybe (to be fair) they could get
the minimum wage, and instead of just baby-sitting, they could read the
kids a story. We could round that off to aobut $5 an hour, times five
hours, times 20 children. That's $500 a day times 180 days. THat's
$90,000...HUH?!?


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~``

edit to say I am a teacher and I am tired of getting the blame for how our children are failing and tired of being called a babysitter.


I did not write this either, it was sent to me

[Bolo Boffin]

1. Now that's a fricking kick in the head. n/t

[roguevalley]

87. OP, you are my new hero. Been there, done that.

rv, taught and now doesn't. :+

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. and firefighters are just playing with toys

I hate folks like this.... I really do

They are the reason we are in this hole we are

[Chulanowa]

4. I think it's meant to be ironic

Because the annual salary of most teachers is around $45,000 for K-5, and &50,000 for 6-12.

[Hannah Bell]

13. no, that's an average. not "most"

[greenbriar]

15. you are wrong

My first contract was 23,500 and I teach High School


Here is my current districts salary scale



http://www.usd259.com/NR/rdonlyres/2AB84EFB-F28B-4A20-AC2C-5B9F163C9BE4/0/TeacherSalarySchedule200809.xls

[Hannah Bell]

35. i'm not sure what relevance your contract or your district's scale has to the

question of what "most" teachers are paid.

an average is not the same thing as "most".

if 9 people make $10 & one makes $100,

average is $19, but "most" make $10.

[EOTE]

77. There are different kinds of averages.

That $19 figure is the "mean" average. $10 would be the "mode" average as well as the "median" average in the scenario you listed.

[michreject]

61. How long ago was this?

When I worked at GM, I started out at 19,000.00 per and when I retired, I was at 78,000.00 per. So your 23,500 need a time frame.

[greenbriar]

7. I am a teacher.

I am making a point!

[nadinbrzezinski]

10. I understand, and in my view people who hate to pay their taxes

on these premises, are not worth the time of day... if I miss the sarcasm, oh well

[greenbriar]

18. I guess I am not getting the taxes thing?

what am I missing

[nadinbrzezinski]

30. That I actually have heard what you posted from died in the wool

anti teacher, or anti anything that involves taxes types, including a State GOP congressman

Gee, golly, missed my weekly reaming of the guy today ... he goes to the same coffee shop I like to go... and he likes to repeat that one from time to time. He's used it to justify vouchers as well

I usually get involved in his preaching sessions, asking stupid shit like who does he thinks pays his salary? Perhaps we should cut my taxes that cover his salary.

[Ken Burch]

27. What the OP is saying is that, on a per-child basis,

Teachers would earn much MORE if they were paid as babysitters are.

[condoleeza]

16. Actually firefighters ARE just playing with toys most of the time

they are the most overpaid public employees that exist. The #1 cause of injuries to firefighters is an ankle sprain due to playing basketball because most of the time they are doing NOTHING but playing around. I know that since 9/11 these people have been Godlike. The reality is far different if you look into the # of them who are out on full disability for some kind of problem. I know I will be reviled here - how can anyone be critical of someone who is an equivalent to those who went into the towers on 9/11. I had a relative who died there. They found him months later nearly completely intact, made all the news circuits. left a wife and 3 kids, he was a great guy, already a hero, nobody would have expected anything different from him and the minute I heard of the first plane hitting I knew he would have done anything in his power to have been there. He had already been a hero, it was his job.

Did you know that most fire depts. have their own publicity depts? Did you know that they show up to every traffic accident and block traffic and don't do anything, including sweeping up broken glass or "plastic" ? I challenge you to watch the next time you witness an accident. They answer EVERY call, Most of the time they do nothing but talk to the press while the private ambulance medics are taking care of the injured.

Look at the statistics before you think these people are gods. It is their job, they are no more of a hero than someone who feeds the hungry, IMO.

[nadinbrzezinski]

24. Hmm smoke eater here, part time

So I would say, from having done that... you are wrong

Though I did get to play with plenty of toys... nothing more fun than the jaws of life in TRAINING...

Of course I did it part time, as a volunteer and it did include so many hats. The smoke eater was just part of it

[uppityperson]

28. Thank you for proving nadine's point. eom

[condoleeza]

43. You're welcome

As the wife of a paramedic, the one who usually does all the work, who has to pay for his own medical insurance and has no retirement benefits, I am unapologetic in my comments.

Firefighters are Gods in our society. I don't believe in Gods.

[uppityperson]

44. I don't see her saying firefighters are Gods but saying they are not just playing with toys.

You missed my point.

Is your point truly that paramedics are the ones who do all the firefighters work? Wanting to clarify please.

[shadowknows69]

55. All I know is that paramedics not having health care is just fundamentally wrong

Shit, you even get a discount on burgers if you work at McDonald's. Anyone caring for someone's health, or saving other people's lives should never have to worry about their own. Period.

[uppityperson]

83. Indeed. Nurses not having health care is wrong also.

Fine, I only work 1/2 time as a nurse, 1/2 time as a massage therapist, but it would be nice to be able to even buy into my employer's health plan, pro-rated.

But health care is another issue.

[uppityperson]

46. firefighters aren't Gods, but when they are needed they are very much needed.

"They answer EVERY call, Most of the time they do nothing but talk to the press while the private ambulance medics are taking care of the injured."

Perhaps you missed the fact that fire fighters fight fires. Paramedics take care of health issues, injuries.

Most of the time fire fighters are not needed. But when they are, they very much are.

[paulsby]

75. i used to be a firefighter

then i got a real job- police!

(lol).

but seriously, firefighters, at least where i work do a LOT of medical stuff, and plenty ARE paramedics.

regardless, it is true that since the advent of high tech fire prevention equipment, etc. (sprinkler systems, etc.) firefighters are much more rarely called upon to fight fires.

"back in the day" (Think great chicago fire), fires were MUCH more common and much more devastating.

firefighters branched out into medical stuff, mostly out of necessity.

oh, also. "god made cops, cause firefighters need hero's too! " :)

i keeeeed! i keeeed!

[lumberjack_jeff]

92. Why would you change careers?

Now you're only paid when you're awake.

[paulsby]

95. that's true

i just found firefighting kind of boring.

i may switch back at some point.

i have the cross-trained opportunity, and cops and firefighters use the same retirement system here in WA state, so it would keep my pension (403(b) actually) accumulating.

it would also be a great job for my sports training, because it's quite easy to work out on duty, and i only work 9 days a month as a firefighter, so i could ramp up my training significantly.

i love law enforcement. it's more rewarding ime than firefighting, but i still like firefighting.

[paulsby]

76. i used to be a firefighter

then i got a real job- police!

(lol).

but seriously, firefighters, at least where i work do a LOT of medical stuff, and plenty ARE paramedics.

regardless, it is true that since the advent of high tech fire prevention equipment, etc. (sprinkler systems, etc.) firefighters are much more rarely called upon to fight fires.

"back in the day" (Think great chicago fire), fires were MUCH more common and much more devastating.

firefighters branched out into medical stuff, mostly out of necessity.

oh, also. "god made cops, cause firefighters need hero's too! " :)

i keeeeed! i keeeed!

[MadHound]

59. Having been a firefighter

I can say that you're full of shit. Tell you what, you can volunteer to be a firefighter, why don't you do so, then come back here and tell us how much you played with toys.

[nichomachus]

78. This post should win an award

For being the biggest pile of steaming ignorant bullshit ever posted on DU.

What an asshole!

[lumberjack_jeff]

91. I used to be a city councilperson.

Firefighters WERE the highest paid employees. The fire department's budget was much larger than that of any other public service. The "volunteers" were paid to go on ambulance runs while the paid staffers would stay in the fire hall. In fact, the only time I ever saw a paid staff be the first responder was when he was off duty and could thus collect overtime.

The most senior guy, generally a good guy, is also one of the primary general contractors in the area. How can he have two gigs?

Let me ask you, do you get paid to sleep?

In my area, fire service is a gross waste of public funds.

[condoleeza]

3. I can only assume you are trying to make some kind of point here...

and I guess I have missed it. Teachers should be paid wages that are representative of the value of their work to society. Most are underpaid.

[greenbriar]

5. I am a teacher. That is the point

and I am trying really hard to stay out of the debate because I don't want to lose friends or get tombstoned

[tkmorris]

6. Really?

The point is that, looked at from a different perspective, teacher's are woefully underpaid. The post is written from the point of view of an idiot who thinks they are in fact overpaid, until he/she starts doing the math.

[greenbriar]

8. thank you

.

[michreject]

62. I agree. This make the point

http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2006-06-20-dropout-rates_x.htm

By Greg Toppo, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON — Students in a handful of big-city school districts have a less than 50-50 chance of graduating from high school with their peers, and a few cities graduate far fewer than half each spring, according to research released on Tuesday.

Fourteen urban school districts have on-time graduation rates lower than 50%; they include Detroit, Baltimore, New York, Milwaukee, Cleveland, Los Angeles, Miami, Dallas, Denver and Houston......

.......Among the nation's 50 largest districts, the study finds, three graduate fewer than 40%: Detroit (21.7%), Baltimore (38.5%) and New York City (38.9%).

[vadawg]

9. As long as i get a cut of every arrest, fine , ticket i get :)

[uppityperson]

11. you aren't a baby sitter and the pay they come up with is pretty good.

Teachers aren't babysitters, and work much longer than 5 hours a day.

20 kids to a class? Only in many's dreams. 25-30 are more typical. The rest of the complaining (180 days/yr etc) is typical whining also.

However, in the end, I see this as ironically pointing out that teachers actually get paid too little. They don't even get $3/hr for 5 hours for 20 kids for 180 days.

[greenbriar]

14. I teach 158 kids a day

and am often at school 40 minutes before and many times an hour or more after school

that doesn't even account for all the grading I do at home

[uppityperson]

25. Indeed, but look at the # in the article. All bits related to teaching are understated, but the

final salary they give shows the even IF you were only teaching 20 kids 5 hrs a day 180 days a yr, you aren't getting paid enough.

I have several teacher friends, and all those numbers are very low, except the final salary for those numbers.

Edited to add, you would be making more money if you were paid "baby sitter wages" for those 20x5X180 hours. I see the post as making a point, sarcastically, or using irony, that teachers do NOT get paid enough. And they don't

[ContinentalOp]

40. Uh, yeah. that's the point. It's satire -nt-

[chollybocker]

12. Oh no, you did not just go there...

;)

[NYC_SKP]

17. Cool except on this part: "How many kids, maybe 20?".......Try 35 or more.

In California.

Above third grade, class sizes over 30 are not uncommon.

Thanks for the classic teacher story, oft passed about among teachers but not seen enough elsewhere.

Ditto for the "what do teachers make?" post!

[greenbriar]

19. thank you. I am trying hard not to join in the merit discussion I rather like posting here

and I have had to refrain several times


people that don't teach have NO idea


I would love for them to come to my classroom for a week

they would change their minds!!!!!!!!!!!!

[NYC_SKP]

21. I would come by your classroom...

If it's in California. I drop in on classrooms all year long.

[mbperrin]

32. Economics teacher here, Odessa, Texas.

Semester course. 210 kids in the fall in 6 sections, 183 this spring. 88 English I and II kids online as well both semesters.

Master's degree. 13 years.

$48,000 per year.

Texas Teacher Retirement System lost a third of its value last year, so the Legislature will kindly allow teachers to have more money withheld to cover it.

If it weren't for the kids.

[greenbriar]

37. yup. The kids are what gets me up in the morning

I love them like they were my own

well most of them ;)

[sandnsea]

49. Gosh

And the people who want to reward you for getting that Masters Degree are being called union busters and teacher haters. You can't complain if you beat people up for trying to figure out the answers.

[Fumesucker]

63. I see it more as people wishing to punish teachers who teach in a bad area

Or happen to get a bad class or two.

IANAT(eacher) but I can see that statistically a class of thirty or even somewhat more is not enough to ensure that a teacher gets a representative sample of the students in his/her district.

If you happen to get a good batch, great, you get "merit pay", if you happen to get a bad one, you get screwed.

[sandnsea]

68. Nobody is proposing that

so I don't know why people keep pretending that anybody is.

[Fumesucker]

73. So what happens to teachers who get a "bad batch" of students?

Do they get "merit pay" or not?

[sandnsea]

79. Nobody is proposing that

Nobody is proposing paying teachers based on students' test scores. People are proposing more pay for the teachers who teach in difficult schools, have obtained that Masters Degree, mentor new teachers, or otherwise take on additional tasks. Unless you're a teacher, you're too stupid to make an observation or suggestion about schools. But damn those parents for not getting involved anyway!

[Fumesucker]

80. Every proposal I have heard of is linked to test scores..

When they talk of "objective criteria" that is dog whistle for test scores..

Teachers *already* get more money for improved credentials, or at least a lot of them do.

Merit pay is not about credentials, it's about performance.

[sandnsea]

82. Then you need to hear more

Because no Democrat is proposing a system to link teacher pay to test scores.

Yes, teachers in some districts do get more pay for advanced degrees. Which begs the question, why the hell do those same teachers label it "merit pay" when someone dares to suggest a national strategy to make sure every teacher gets that pay.

NCLB left the money behind for failing schools. But when you propose getting money to those schools, and giving some of that money directly to teachers, well then you're undermining public education.

People have got to stop kneejerking, teachers included.

[Fumesucker]

84. Sorry, I don't trust politicians as far as I can throw them..

I don't trust *any* of them, I've been around too long and seen too damn much bullshit float down the creek.

Mark my words, any "merit pay" proposal that gets implemented will indeed be linked in some way or another to test scores, the Repubs will scream bloody murder if it isn't and waaay too many Dems are still frightened of Repub vitriol, at least those Dems who aren't Repubs in Dem clothing anyway.

[flvegan]

20. As the child and brother of teachers, I cringe at the ignorance.

Considering the spelling and grammar of the subject of the OP, maybe the irony is thick with this one.

[moundsview]

22. My Dog, I can't believe that you have to explain your post

That's really a sad commentary.

[BlooInBloo]

23. hahahah!

[Lost in CT]

26. Um teachers in my neck of the woods already make that or more...

The average teacher makes 52k already...

I bet in many classrooms the teacher is paid more than any of the students parents.

[greenbriar]

31. oh no they don't

at least not in kansas


look at the salary schedule I posted

[Lost in CT]

34. Here is mine from a neighboring town...

http://www.norwalkpublicschools.org/jobs.html

starts at 47,048 for BA first year.... ends at 117,569 for Doctorate 14 years

[greenbriar]

39. dang.

is the cost of living high in your area?

[Lost in CT]

57. Yes.... but in reality a teacher still does okay. Esp when one includes

benefits in the equation.

[etherealtruth]

93. Teachers are paid comparatively well in metro Detroit, as well

On par with other professions requiring equivalent degrees ...

I was shocked living in other parts of the country where that wasn't true.

[kwassa]

96. how many public school teachers get doctorates + 14 years?

[mbperrin]

33. Salary schedule for Ector CISD:

http://www.ectorcountyisd.org/176610711105744157/lib/176610711105744157/complete%2008-09%20salary%20schedules.pdf

You'll note that your $52,000 kicks in at year 24.

[sandnsea]

48. Ours do too

and have less than 20 kids per class. Most teachers are making more than the median income in Oregon, which is around $40,000 a year. I don't begrudge teachers their salaries, but some of them have got to get a clue that the entire country isn't operating on the same level.

http://roguepundit.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451d67c69e20111689f4968970c-pi

[Stargazer09]

65. Not bad!

Maybe I'll return home to Oregon and get a job teaching after hubby retires from the military. Although I'd want to see the detailed pay scales to make sure that the average isn't inflated.

[Quantess]

29. A Modest Proposal, anyone?

[billyoc]

36. I am always amazed that anyone would work as cheap as teachers do.

[ContinentalOp]

38. That's awesome! I'm going to forward it to my parents...

both retired public school teachers.

[Rider Haggard]

41. Hate to say it but

"Teacher's are just babysitters...pay them like such"

Kinda says a lot against the profession. It's kind of like "morans."

[iamthebandfanman]

42. if i was a fan of violence,

this guy and the morans like him would all be the first blind folded and led to the wall.


i mean, by no means am i smart or anything above average when it comes to intelligence...but jesus christ ignorant people piss me off so much.

i should be used to it by now tho, living in kentucky and all.

if i hafta listen to some backwards douche talk about how horrible things are with obama(after only 2 months in office, and after 8 years of people like them), i may end up goin' postal after all ;)




btw, its ALWAYS been the teachers fault in the eyes of those who want government out of schools.

[Monk06]

45. His claclulator needs new batteries? I think his brainulator needs a new motherboard.

[inthebrain]

47. Unfortunatly babysitting is just one aspect of the job

As is mandated reporter.

Looks like teachers are the new scapegoats. Funny these assaults come when literacy rates and overall education of the population is at an all time high.

There are some lazy ass fucking politicians that are too cowardly to take on the monster that is capitalism.

[ColbertWatcher]

50. LOL! Great post!

I love when someone finally does the math!

[Luminous Animal]

51. Teenage baby sitters in San Francisco

make $10 an hour. Five hours at 10 = $50 x 20 kids = $1000 a day x 180 days = $180,000 a year.

[sallylou666]

52. And pay babysitters more, too!

While we're at it, let's pay baby sitters more. It's a big responsibility to care for children. I stayed at home instead of leaving my kids with some underpaid nanny that barely spoke English. I was lucky that I could do it. I feel sorry for the nannies, too. Many of them are caring people who are taken advantage of by their employers. And don't even get started on finding quality day care... *sigh*

[Stargazer09]

66. I pay my sitters $10 per hour

I admit it might be on the low side considering the fact that they are watching five children (ages 9, 7, 5, 3, and 1), but the teenagers seem to be happy with what I pay. I always round up, too, so if they babysit 3.5 hours, they get paid for four. And I leave cookies more often than not. :)

Teachers deserve to be paid decent wages. How else are we going to attract the best teachers to the profession?

[wellst0nev0ter]

53. Always A Classic

:)

[shadowknows69]

54. I am the son of two teachers

And you'll find no blame from me greenbriar. Just respect for the hard job you do.

[verdalaven]

56. Satire with a point,

I am going to have to remember this letter next time I hear someone rip on our teachers.

Though the letter writer forgot to mention that most state regulated private babysitters have to keep to a 6-1 ratio/kids per caretaker. :) Teachers to student ratio 20-1 (or more than 20!)

[Belial]

58. funny

[Lorax]

60. That would be great.

Would I get paid for the 40 hours per week I worked AFTER school hours on the endless paperwork & documentation for my kids? Seeing as how I didn't get paid for that before, that would be pretty awesome. Or would I not have to work those hours anymore since I'd just be a babysitter?

[Fumesucker]

64. ROFL.

I was ready to get indignant until I got about three quarters of the way down the post..

Great satire..

[woo me with science]

67. The plural of "teacher" does not take an apostrophe. nt

[cherish44]

69. That annoys me too

I hate that it annoys me, but it does!

[we can do it]

70. I Am Sick of It Too - Though Dumbasses Have Been Saying It Since I Was a Kid

Usually the dopes with the "my kid can beat up your honor student" bumperstickers.

[Veritas_et_Aequitas]

71. Disgusting.

I love how the schools and teachers are to blame for every negative aspect of our youth.

[TBF]

72. I'd like to see schools on a year round schedules (with smaller breaks

on a quarterly basis), upgrades to the buildings to make that possible (with national aid so everyone gets it - not just high property tax local schools in some areas getting all the good stuff), and most importantly, teachers paid and treated like the professionals they are. My daughter's kindergarten teacher in our great public school system should be getting the same as the other professionals here - the engineers, lawyers, doctors - I'd like to see 50K for a start salary at the minimum with districts paying for masters classes so teachers can continually improve. That's not high when you consider our corporate lawyers here in Houston start at $160K.

We've gotten our priorities out of whack. What can possibly be more important than teaching our children? We should treat the profession accordingly.

[eilen]

81. The helping and social professions are underpaid;

those professions that have been traditionally female, exponentially underpaid. Social workers have Master's level education and are paid less than teachers. Nurses don't generally have as much education but are treated like shit, given massive amounts of responsibility and of course, underpaid. Those in helping professions who work for the government often find their jobs/pay/benefits raided to make up for budget shortfalls. Either your pay is delayed or you are expected to pay your own long term disability insurance that is usually state mandated from private (non governmental) businesses. Care aides, those who care for MRDD, Psych Techs-- those who care for the institutionalized mental illness patients, CNA's caring for elderly disabled -- these are essential providers of care that are treated like total crap by everyone. They work weekends, holidays nights etc. They often have up to 15 a day to bathe, feed and toilet but have very little bargaining power and they are lucky to make $9 an hour. They are frequently injured on the job. Most of the above jobs have a description that if taken literally, is a Herculean task.

None of these jobs have tenure. All of them require extra time for mandated education, CEU's and many are frequently mandated to work overtime or complete onerous paperwork unpaid, work through lunch breaks and are pretty much expected to go an extra mile or perhaps, even their personal code demands they perform tasks that are not covered anywhere else but are gravely needed.

So, I sympathize with the teachers. They have a hard job. But I have to say, there are many hard jobs and I don't know that any one profession deserves more special treatment than another.

[TBF]

85. My point is that teachers are underpaid. Perhaps medical personnel are as well,

but I would argue that when I worked as a psych tech I didn't have to be licensed and the tasks were little more than babysitting. Maybe you can compare the job with teacher's aid, but certainly not with lead teachers. I have no problem with nurses making decent money either.

The issue is that you have capitalists deciding a derivatives trader should make millions of dollars, while nurses/teachers make pennies. How do you decide which professions are more important? I agree that it is subjective, but I consider my child's education as more important than the contributions of a professional gambler. ymmv.

[Lorax]

94. Give me a break.

CNAs? You are comparing teaching to being a CNA?

Do teachers go to school for five years to earn a BS? Do they intern for a school year, which basically means they work for free in someone else's classroom? Are they required to earn a master's degree in order to maintain their certification? Earning a CEU is not the same as investing the time and $$$ to earn a master's. I know several CNAs and none of them do paperwork at home on their own time.

[AwakeAtLast]

89. That would definitely attract the good teachers who left the profession

Right now the average life span of new teachers is 5 years. Most leave because they cannot make it on what they are earning. They find more lucrative positions outside of education and move on.

Your proposal would spark some interest!

[Life Long Dem]

74. Let's quit the divisive tactics.

No one is falling for this crap and starting a war won't float.

[Bucky]

86. Hilarious!!

When I have a pissy teenager in my class who only does classwork when I force him to, I sometimes will tell him I'm not his babysitter -- after all, babysitters get paid better. Now I see that using the math skills displayed in this email, I really do make less than a babysitter!

[michaz]

88. Teachers earn every cent of their salaries.

Yes, they are often babysitters, babysitting kids for parents that don't do their jobs! Taking care of children that come to school crying because their parents are fighting or beating each other or worse yet beating on the kids themselves! And let's not forget the child that is being molested by one of the parent's and the teacher has to get in the middle of it and report it. Then of course there is the child who has no morals or respect and disrupts the class because their parents never taught them. Try teaching in that atmosphere for a while! Then of course while everyone thinks it is an 8:00-3:00 job try it for a bit and let me know if you can really arrive at 8:00 and leave at 3:00. There are the students who need help after school and some who need it before. Teachers even go to many of their students sport activities like basketball, baseball, soccer and other games. They do it because the students ask them to come and watch. There are the teacher-parent conferences in the evenings. There are the faculty meetings after school. There are the conferences for teachers while the students have the days off. Then let's talk about evenings. While many leave work and go home to relax for the night, teachers go home, write tests, correct tests and read book reports, essays and term papers. Believe it or not they even do these things on their breaks. In the course of the normal school year of 180 days they can log in more hours than a regular worker in his normal year of work. At the same time these teachers are taking courses that are mandated by the states to keep their teaching degrees. No, the school does not usually pay for it. They sometimes get an increase in pay for it but at the price of these courses it takes a long time to get it back. How do I know all of this? I have lived it for many, many years, 32 to be exact as that is how long my husband taught before he retired. He also had a degree in Administration and when he retired from teaching, he became a principal for 7 years. He loved dealing with children and he did a damn good job of teaching "his" kids! And if you don't believe it, just ask his former students. They still stay in touch!

[AwakeAtLast]

90. I see 900 children a week

I should get a bonus just for remembering all of their names, spelled correctly, of course!

:D

[DireStrike]

97. Ok, sounds good to me. Babysitters get what, around minimum wage?

So 7.15 per child comes to, in most classrooms... 25 or 30 kids... about $200 an hour. Well, I guess some babysitters watch 2 or 3 kids. So it should be only $50-100 an hour. We'll meet in the middle at $75.

Oh, and then there's lesson planning, meetings, PTA conferences, parent teacher night, hazard pay for field trips....


Ohhh, I should have read the original post completely. Good post!

[demo dutch]

98. Let's not educate our kids.. that will be real good for the future of our country.... Now that's

an trully ignorant way to speakout