Are you sick of highly paid teachers?

[Haven]

Teachers’ hefty salaries are driving up taxes, and they only work 9 or 10 months a year!

It’s time we put things in perspective and pay them for what they do - babysit! We can get that for less than minimum wage.

That’s right. Let’s give them $3 an hour and only the hours they worked; not any of that silly planning time, or any time they spend before or after school. That would be $19.50 a day (7:45 to 3:00 PM with 45 min. off for lunch and plan-- that equals 6 1/2 hours).

Each parent should pay $19.50 a day for these teachers to baby-sit their children. Now how many students do they teach in a day...maybe 30? So that’s $19.50 x 30 = $585 a day.

However, remember they only work 180 days a year!!! I am not going to pay them for any vacations.

LET’S SEE....

That’s $585 X 180= $105,300 per year. (Hold on! My calculator needs new batteries).

What about those special education teachers and the ones with Master’s degrees? Well, we could pay them minimum wage ($7.75), and just to be fair, round it off to $8.00 an hour. That would be $8 X 6 1/2 hours X 30 children X 180 days = $280,800 per year.
Wait a minute -- there’s something wrong here! There sure is!

The average teacher’s salary (nationwide) is $50,000. $50,000/180 days
= $277.77/per day/30 students=$9.25/6.5 hours = $1.42 per hour per student--a very inexpensive baby-sitter and they even EDUCATE your kids!) WHAT A DEAL!!!!

- Author Unknown

 

[davi_el_mejor]

 

[that_someone_special]

Man, I guess I should start having as many kids as possible if daycare is that cheap!!

 

[soocool]

As long as I don't have to change their diapers...sign me up.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Teachers’ hefty salaries are driving up taxes, and they only work 9 or 10 months a year!

Each parent should pay $19.50 a day for these teachers to baby-sit their children.

I had to pay for BOTH of my kids' full-day kindergarten and no they weren't in private. The public school system (in our district) only provides enough funds for part-day so parents have to fork over the rest... let's see... we paid $250 a month X 9 months = $2250 X 2 Kids = $4500. Sigh. There were 22 kids in each class x $2250 = $49,500. On the district webite is says first year teachers make $34,000. My younger son's teacher had a second job. And, I have to say she did NOT babysit my son. She worked her ASS off. It was her first year teaching and wasn't under contract so was under the pressure of having to prove herself.

I'm quickly doing the approximate math for what *I* paid per hour.... $1.90 per kid per hour? We also owned at the time and paid $5000 in taxes (yes we paid THAT MUCH!) Not sure where that money went especially since they cut bus service to some of the neighborhoods.

 

[Tuckins1]

Yeah... Gotta love the focus on quality education/educators here in this country...

 

[TravelingGal]

I agree!

And don't let them have computers either - too expensive, and I hear they use them to freakin' blog.

 

[atroop711]

LOVE IT!

 

[ksinger]

I agree!

And don't let them have computers either - too expensive, and I hear they use them to freakin' blog.

Or you can just let the squirrels eat the internet lines over the winter and then shrug for months when they can't get onto intra or internet. Saves money on electricity, tech support, and keeps 'em from blogging. Besides, they're so highly paid they should be using their own equipment anyway....but we won't actually PATCH the things, or agree to install the required software, but it's still the teachers' responsibility.

My husband had his official school laptop stolen from his room one summer, and they didn't replace it until the NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.

All true. I couldn't make this stuff up if I tried...

 

[Puppmom]

...best deal in town!

 

[Puppmom]

Oh, and can you tell them to go easy on us parents? It's hard to teach our children manners and respect and trustworthiness. I thought THEY were going to impart all of this to my children in addition to teaching them to read and write and do math. Oh, and teach them about sex while you're at it. It's WAY too awkward for me!

 

[VapidLapid]

Really we should set an example if we are to retain our fictional status of leader of the free world. Who needs Teachers anyway when all they hold our children's minds and even the very future hostage. Just give the kiddies a pacifier and some sugar water, then alcohol to put them to sleep. They would'nt use the education well if you gave it to them so why waste the money?

 

[Haven]

I love you guys.

 

[LtlFirecracker]

We as a society do not understand that investing in our youth will make for a stronger nation in the years to come. How do you do something well? Get the best person to do the job. How do you get the best person to do the job? Treat them with respect and pay them well. The private sector gets this (my husband is being recruited for a job so I am seeing this first hand), but we don't take this mentally with teachers.

I really don't get it. There are multiple issues going on with teachers in multiple states. I understand there is a budget problem, but why go after our teachers? I guess kids can't vote so it is easy to go after issues that affect children???

 

[Rockdiamond]

Plus, who needs edukashun?
People are way plenty to smert alrady!!!

And there's wikopdieea too!!

 

[blackberry16]

 

[Octavia]

Well, obviously that whole education racket didn't work out too well for the teachers. They were still too dumb to figure out that they spent five or six extra years in school and thousands of dollars to end up making less than my fourteen-year-old neighbor makes on a Saturday night. I don't want someone like that teaching my kid, the little brat would probably end up as some do-gooder trying to save whales or something instead of doing a serious, productive job. And we can't have that. Because it's all about the money, you know.

 

[Acrossley]

I almost jumped the gun preparing a HEATED reply! Glad I read to the end

I have a BA in English and Art and Masters in Secondary Education. I now run a photography studio full time, but I taught for three years. My main complaint? The time. As an English teacher, I graded 150 essays biweekly not including daily assignments, lesson plans, and the hefty load of administrative nonsense. As a new teacher, I also had to take on the role of cheer sponsor. No worries ... I got a stipend ( $1000 for the year - approx. $0.16 an hour). People commented how nice having summers off must be - sure, after working sixty+ hours weekly for minimal pay. The sacred nine weeks I had "off" consisted of two weeks of cheer camp, one week of workshops, and continuous preparation for the upcoming year. Did I mention that 90% of my classroom materials came from that generous paycheck? I spent at least $1000 annually on new decor, updated materials and classroom necessities.

I'll never forget preparing for grad school. I tampered with journalism, law, and many other careers before deciding. My English professor told me that high school teaching was nothing more than glorified babysitting. I learned quickly that many others are of the same opinion.

THANK YOU FOR POSTING THIS!

 

[Kaleigh]

I think they should be paid like our professional athletes. Teachers are doing more for our society than just about any job I can think of.

In our house, it was education, education, and did I say education??


Love the teachers, what they deal with on a day to day basis?? Incredible. They are saints...

Haven we adore you and the job that you do!!!! If I could give you a raise I would...

 

[Haven]

Haven we adore you and the job that you do!!!! If I could give you a raise I would...

Awww, right back at you, Kaleigh!

*I* get paid just fine, to be honest. When I taught high school I made much more, but similar to Acrossley's experience, I worked significantly longer hours, too. The real shame is that our elementary school teachers (who are the most important, in my opinion) often have the lowest salaries. I teach grad school for up-and-coming reading specialists, and my former HS salary (with two years' experience and a master's) was often much higher than that of some women who had been teaching kindergarten or 1st grade for over 20 years. We ought to be ashamed of ourselves for that.

Acrossley--It makes me sad whenever I hear that someone left the profession because of too many demands. I'm one to talk, I know, but it's so sad. (I left HS teaching for a FT position teaching CC.)

 

[Acrossley]

Haven -
I know. Honestly, I feel I am where I am supposed to be *now* - that may change. I began a small photography business during the years I taught. I originally anticipated a great hobby, but I received so many wonderful opportunities. Once I had our son (seventeen months ago) I decided to open my own studio. I set my schedule, and I adore working with my clients. I know salary/ pay scale is different per state - may I ask where you are? I taught in Alabama. To my knowledge, there is not a distinction from elementary to HS pay .... experience and degree determined our salary. I still have a heart for it and would consider teaching in the future if I felt led to do so. I taught seventh, eighth and 12th grades. I LOVE seventh grade ... such a special age!

 

[iugurl]

I think they should be paid like our professional athletes.

I would hate to see the taxes in the area that teachers are making 21 mil like Kobe Bryant, just from the Lakers alone

In all honesty, I wonder what average teachers actually make per hour, after grading homework, prep time is added in...

 

[LtlFirecracker]

I think they should be paid like our professional athletes.

I would hate to see the taxes in the area that teachers are making 21 mil like Kobe Bryant, just from the Lakers alone

In all honesty, I wonder what average teachers actually make per hour, after grading homework, prep time is added in...

Before the budget crisis in CA, my father helped argue for a raise in teachers salaries. He told me that they made less than the employees at In and Out Burger. That chain at the time was paying their employees almost $10 an hour. He stated the argument he made is how can we expect people to go to grad school to do a job that pays less than a fast food restaurant?

 

[Miss Sparkly]

How about instead of giving people tax credits for having children they put that money back into the system? I don't see why I should pay for other people to have children AND send them to school. Besides, teachers chose to be teachers and knew what they were getting into. I don't think they're saints in any form, they're just people who like to teach and that is their job. I've never understood the glorifying of teachers....

eta: I highly doubt that in and out burger employees have the luxury of a salary, stable job, health insurance, retirement, vacation days and paid sick time off. They're also not making much over CA minimum wage either.

 

[qtiekiki]

This is off topic, but full time employees at In-N-Out Burger do get health, dental and vision insurance, 401(K) plan, and paid vacation and sick time (about 2 weeks).

With that said, this is not about glorifying teachers, but paying them a fair wage. People overlook the amount of time outside-of-the-classroom that a teacher spends on the job.

 

[Selkie]

I'd rather see teachers glorified and paid their worth than see sports stars and star CEOs glorified and paid many, many times their worth.

 

[TooPatient]

How about instead of giving people tax credits for having children they put that money back into the system? I don't see why I should pay for other people to have children AND send them to school. Besides, teachers chose to be teachers and knew what they were getting into. I don't think they're saints in any form, they're just people who like to teach and that is their job. I've never understood the glorifying of teachers....

eta: I highly doubt that in and out burger employees have the luxury of a salary, stable job, health insurance, retirement, vacation days and paid sick time off. They're also not making much over CA minimum wage either.

Thank you SB!

FWIW, I wouldn't even mind paying for other people's kids to go to school and get a good education (since it arguably benefits all of us when they succeed) BUT I don't want to keep paying more and more and more just to put more regulations and administrative requirements in place.

Teachers do an important job and should be paid well for it --- based on the quality of work they do and NOT by how long they've sat at their desk. I know that kids in different areas with different backgrounds score higher/lower than others and there is only so much teachers can do to improve those scores. I'm not saying that is a good solution. I don't really know what is. I suspect it'll have to be given to individual schools and districts to determine.

I guess what I'm saying is that a good teacher is well worth every penny they are paid (and much more!) but I'm NOT willing to pay more if the money doesn't get to them and to the children.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Haven...you deserve a $15k pay raise...

 

[steph72276]

How about instead of giving people tax credits for having children they put that money back into the system? I don't see why I should pay for other people to have children AND send them to school. Besides, teachers chose to be teachers and knew what they were getting into. I don't think they're saints in any form, they're just people who like to teach and that is their job. I've never understood the glorifying of teachers....

eta: I highly doubt that in and out burger employees have the luxury of a salary, stable job, health insurance, retirement, vacation days and paid sick time off. They're also not making much over CA minimum wage either.

Wow, really? You've obviously never spent a day in a teacher's shoes. If they were just "people who like to teach" they could get much, much higher paying jobs in the corporate world as trainers.

 

[softly softly]

How about instead of giving people tax credits for having children they put that money back into the system? I don't see why I should pay for other people to have children AND send them to school. Besides, teachers chose to be teachers and knew what they were getting into. I don't think they're saints in any form, they're just people who like to teach and that is their job. I've never understood the glorifying of teachers....

eta: I highly doubt that in and out burger employees have the luxury of a salary, stable job, health insurance, retirement, vacation days and paid sick time off. They're also not making much over CA minimum wage either.

Wow, really? You've obviously never spent a day in a teacher's shoes. If they were just "people who like to teach" they could get much, much higher paying jobs in the corporate world as trainers.

I agree Steph! I'm sure my opinion is coloured by the fact I am a parent of school aged children, but I believe good teachers are priceless. When my son started primary school last year (equivalent of Kindergarten year in the US) he was fortunate enough to get a teacher who was dedicated, patient, passionate about her job and above all kind, and it made all the difference in easing his transition into full time education. Halfway through my son's first year a one off situation meant I had to put him into the after school care programme for an afternoon. Given that he had never had experience with this programme and given he is not always the most confident child, he was terribly upset when I dropped him off at school that morning. I felt awful that I had to leave him knowing he was upset about going into an unfamiliar situation. His teacher assured me she would take care of him so I reluctantly left.

Less than 2 hours after I left she rang to tell me she had reassured him with the promise that she would take him to the care room herself and stay with him for as long as he needed. I felt tremendous relief and gratitude to think that he was being cared for exactly as I would care for him. I was especially grateful as I realised his teacher was giving up her own time with her own family to look after my child. I later found out that she stayed and held his hand until he felt brave enough to let it go and she also took the time to talk to him about the importance of 'trying new things' - a message that with our reinforcement helped build his confidence throughout the rest of the year.