Cleveland Buck;622593 wrote:I didn't realize there were so many teachers here. Maybe that one guy was right and they really are hooking up with students.

Duh

Ow! My Balls!;620029 wrote:Not even 13 hours into the new year and we already have our first "teachers are overpaid" thread. Want a cookie?

So let's see,

- actually 200 days for teachers
- P.E. still has to plan for activities (which does happen outside of the school day typically)
- etc...

and if it is such a great job, become a fucking teacher and quit bitching about it.

I would become a teacher, but the field is so oversaturated because there is so many people going into the profession. I wonder why that is..........

ccrunner609;622512 wrote: People want to bitch about pay....do you guys realize that after 15-20 years a teacher will teach another 15+ years and only see 2-3 years of built in pay increases? The only way to make more money is to go back to school.

Most professions can claim the same thing.

I think the big problem most people have is SOME teachers act as if they are the only profession that has to take work home, work long hours, have to get continuing education, etc. etc. Truth is, teachers and other tax funded professions are about to feel the pain the private sector has felt. I'm not sure if teachers are overpaid, but if there is no money in the district anymore, they are either going to have to take cuts or layoffs.

Toledo is the perfect example. They will be running a huge budget deficit because there is no more tax money in the district. The people have been bled enough and have voted down 2 school levies handily.

I think SOME teachers are overpaid, some underpaid and some are compensated properly. However, I don't think teachers jobs are any harder than many other professions like SOME teachers would like people to believe.

dwccrew;622617 wrote:I would become a teacher, but the field is so oversaturated because there is so many people going into the profession. I wonder why that is..........



Most professions can claim the same thing.

I think the big problem most people have is SOME teachers act as if they are the only profession that has to take work home, work long hours, have to get continuing education, etc. etc. Truth is, teachers and other tax funded professions are about to feel the pain the private sector has felt. I'm not sure if teachers are overpaid, but if there is no money in the district anymore, they are either going to have to take cuts or layoffs.

Toledo is the perfect example. They will be running a huge budget deficit because there is no more tax money in the district. The people have been bled enough and have voted down 2 school levies handily.

I think SOME teachers are overpaid, some underpaid and some are compensated properly. However, I don't think teachers jobs are any harder than many other professions like SOME teachers would like people to believe.

This is pretty much spot on. Teaching really is no different than other industries. Some get paid well, some don't, most fall in between. Some do a great job, some don't, most fall in between.

Teaching is not any harder than any other profession. In fact, I'd say maybe it's easier, because you rarely hear a teacher say they hate their job. It's an easy industry to obtain qualification for. Etc, etc.

Cops, Firefighters, Nurses and Teachers are all underpaid...we get it. Debate over.

I Wear Pants;622571 wrote:ccrunner, other people are taking pay cuts, not maintaining income against inflation. That's where the animosity comes from. People who aren't teachers see a lot of "damn I only got a small raise" instead of "I wish I made a bit more but at least I got a raise at all" and it can rub them the wrong way when they're taking large pay cuts.


BINGOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!! How about working at a job for 7 years and NOT only not getting ANY raise, have your pay cut 7 1/2%!!!!!!!!!! Having a riase to MAINTAIN cost of living income is a luxury!

All I got from this thread was this or some variation of it>>>>"boo-hoo...whine-whine...I'm not a teacher. They have it made." I went to college for 11 years....make just under 40 grand and educate 140 kids per day. What did you do? Make some steel pipe or something?

How does one go to college for 11 years?

I Wear Pants;623055 wrote:How does one go to college for 11 years?

I don't know about visionquest, but I paid my own way through college and got a bachelors in 8.

visionquest;623051 wrote:All I got from this thread was this or some variation of it>>>>"boo-hoo...whine-whine...I'm not a teacher. They have it made." I went to college for 11 years....make just under 40 grand and educate 140 kids per day. What did you do? Make some steel pipe or something?

How long have you been teaching?

I Wear Pants;623055 wrote:How does one go to college for 11 years?

My oldest brother was damn close - 7.5 years for his bachelor's and another 1.5 for his master's. Then again he switched majors 3 times.

BTW he's a teacher (Huntington WV school district).

FatHobbit;623060 wrote:I don't know about visionquest, but I paid my own way through college and got a bachelors in 8.

Then you weren't full time for all the normal semesters correct?

I was wondering how someone could do it on a "normal" college schedule and be there for 11 years. It obviously can be done if doing classes part time or while working.

I Wear Pants;623055 wrote:How does one go to college for 11 years?

Maybe he teaches advanced steel pipe making.

I Wear Pants;623098 wrote:Then you weren't full time for all the normal semesters correct?

I was wondering how someone could do it on a "normal" college schedule and be there for 11 years. It obviously can be done if doing classes part time or while working.

That is correct. I went to Ohio State and tried a few different majors. I think I was a junior when I finally decided and then took 2-3 classes (1-3 credit hours each) per quarter until I finally graduated.

I find it very amusing that when teachers are actually confronted with statistical facts about their salaries from non-teachers, coupled with facts about their benefit packages their tune does a 180 and they get all defensive and all they have as a comeback is basically well become a teacher. Non-teachers love to point out these actual facts and statistics because of all the whining and complaining that teachers do year in and year out about how bad they have it. See if I have any compassion when Francine Lawrence, President of the Toledo Federation of Teachers' Union, starts her negotiations which are forthcoming (i.e., like when the district wanted to have teachers pay a nominal co-pay for their doctor's visits which would save the district hundreds of thousands of dollars in their medical insurance ----- but noooooo, the poor teachers can't aford to absorb a co-pay).

Scarlet_Buckeye;623260 wrote:I find it very amusing that when teachers are actually confronted with statistical facts about their salaries from non-teachers, coupled with facts about their benefit packages their tune does a 180 and they get all defensive and all they have as a comeback is basically well become a teacher. Non-teachers love to point out these actual facts and statistics because of all the whining and complaining that teachers do year in and year out about how bad they have it. See if I have any compassion when Francine Lawrence, President of the Toledo Federation of Teachers' Union, starts her negotiations which are forthcoming (i.e., like when the district wanted to have teachers pay a nominal co-pay for their doctor's visits which would save the district hundreds of thousands of dollars in their medical insurance ----- but noooooo, the poor teachers can't aford to absorb a co-pay).

Not sure of the trends in Toledo (I do not live there, thanks God!), but what is happening in Central Ohio is that raises, if there are any, are becoming smaller...not to mention that some districts teachers have voted to extend their current contracts at a their current levels (meaning zero percent increases).

This, coupled with substantial increases in co-pays, deductibles, etc (the district where I live has seen the teachers go to a 'high-deductible' plan with the employee contribution doubling each year for the last 4 years has meant pay cuts by each and every teacher....be they good, bad or average.

Scarlet_Buckeye;623260 wrote:I find it very amusing that when teachers are actually confronted with statistical facts about their salaries from non-teachers, coupled with facts about their benefit packages their tune does a 180 and they get all defensive and all they have as a comeback is basically well become a teacher. Non-teachers love to point out these actual facts and statistics because of all the whining and complaining that teachers do year in and year out about how bad they have it. See if I have any compassion when Francine Lawrence, President of the Toledo Federation of Teachers' Union, starts her negotiations which are forthcoming (i.e., like when the district wanted to have teachers pay a nominal co-pay for their doctor's visits which would save the district hundreds of thousands of dollars in their medical insurance ----- but noooooo, the poor teachers can't aford to absorb a co-pay).

SMH. You are basing your assumptions of all teachers on the TPS? What teachers on here are whining and complaining? I work in a district that gets paid WAY less than a lot of other districts. I actually think I'm pretty well off.

I find it very amusing when people beat dead horses. EVERY profession has underpaid/overpaid/equally paid employees, whether it is public or private sector. I, as one teacher, cannot change the entire system. I am humbled by what I do, I am happy with what I am doing, and I don't complain about the money I make. So why should I just accept ridicule?

For that last question (why should I accept ridicule?) I would like an honest answer, a thought out response.

You shouldn't expect or accept ridicule as you're not complaining. But when people point out that others are and there are teachers unions and districts where the teachers are still getting raises in their contract negotiations (and bitch that they're less) you shouldn't defend them.

Defend yourself, but condemn those that are bitching about *gasp* not getting a raise or having a co-pay.

You shouldn't accept ridicule as it is a noble profession, that's why teachers need to tell their union that they won't accept mediocrity. They are professionals and should be treated as such, accepting a job (even if low paying in the early years) should not guarantee permanent employment for 30+ years and a Cadillac pension. You are correct, every profession has employees that are treated disparately and unfairly, but few professions have the job security and benefits teachers enjoy...and to the extent that there are poor teachers who aren't competent, you can't blame the taxpayers for being peeved, after all they are the ones that are funding (or haven't funded) the comp and benefits.

I started out at 22,000 STFU I work at the poorest school in the state.

bLuE_71;623337 wrote:I started out at 22,000 STFU I work at the poorest school in the state.

this...i started out at 24600...in toledo.....STFU.....all i see is non teachers whining.

Meigs or Morgan Co.?

Which explains why you started with a low salary, no?

I have yet to see a teacher respond with anything other than "quit whining".

I Wear Pants;623347 wrote:Which explains why you started with a low salary, no?

I have yet to see a teacher respond with anything other than "quit whining".

whats the question?.......so let me see we are supposed to apologize for our salary and our benefit package that we pay into for 35 years....its 35 not 30 btw. Let me see ok ill teach your kid and in return ill go to college for 4 years and then get a masters and drive a beat up car and live in a tiny apt. because you are broke and have a crappy job. I ll never own a house and ill eat peanut butter and jelly every night. Yea you will not have any teachers in ten years if that was the case. or maybe you want me to get a second job at night. ill be real peppy then when johnny comes to my class. awesome. maybe we should just import teachers from india and pay them 8.00 and hour. I wonder what professions people on here do have respect for. i knew when i became a teacher i would never be rich but it used to be i could feel good about saying it and it was well respected sheesh.

I don't want you to do anything other than realize you have a pretty good deal. Not that you're overpaid (as you said you aren't) but you have much more job security than just about anyone else which is something to be thankful for.

I do respect teachers, it's one of the most important professions out there. However, I was just saying that it makes sense that the poorest school district in the state pays it's teachers a low starting salary. If I go work in any other industry the less wealthy companies will likely pay lower salaries. That's what I was getting at. It makes sense that the poor districts pay teachers less, it'd be absurd if they were doing so poorly financially and paid their teachers more.

Teachers for the most part are paid about what they should be (which may be statistically low for the level of education but I think the job security and benefits packages offset that). Most are not overpaid, some are underpaid though those tend to be teachers just starting out.

i am thankful and love my job. i just also feel like i earn my money. I am now in my 15th year. i have 20 more to go and my pay is basically frozen. I am paid well now and that took 15 years., but if my salary only has a chance to go up once every three years in the future, and as some have suggested i forgo my raises, i dont know if ill feel that way in the future. the money i make now wont be very much in twenty years. plus i am still trying to get out of debt from the 5 years i worked for less than 32000. My education cost 40000 in student loans counting the masters. as far as being paid by taxes, i pay taxes too. I put lots of money into my retirement also and it is steadily shrinking. i know some who retired and just had their benefits slashed by 3 percent.