Teacher Furlough Days and 3 Months of Cut Pay-SIGH! (Atlanta: health insurance, how much)

[brettk]

Originally Posted by AcidSnake

That's what happens when we have a tax system that relies mostly on sales taxes. It's all part & parcel of living in a red state.

Yea, we all should move to bright blue Cali and NY for the jobs right?

[neil0311]

Originally Posted by AcidSnake

That's what happens when we have a tax system that relies mostly on sales taxes. It's all part & parcel of living in a red state.

Most education operating budgets here are financed through local property taxes, just as it is in all states. Sales tax and state income tax absolutely has an impact, but Georgia isn't alone and actually has a better model than many states. When I lived in the bluest of blue states (Massachusetts), the funding model was local property taxes and state funding supported by guess what....sales and income taxes.

If you look at states like CA, NY, NJ and other states with severe fiscal problems, many are Democrat controlled and in a big way. So-called "red states" and Georgia in particular have more local funding mechanisms through SPLOST that allow the local county and city to prioritize capital projects. In other states, all of the CAPEX/OPEX comes from the same budget.

This whole budget issue isn't political and isn't hitting one state. Georgia has been more proactive than some states in keeping the impacts more contained, since we don't let spending get out of control in the first place like many states such as CA.

[cityrover]

300-600$ daily pay for a teacher in a ga public school? where do i sign up for that?!


you dont want to hear it but ill tell you this.. we the students dont want to hear it. if you are going to class to whine and complain about your pay, dont even bother showing up. just an fyi.

its sad what is happening but everybody is hurting.

[waronxmas]

To the OP, think of what Dr. Robinson would do

[PotterGeek]

Originally Posted by gatormomtotots

I was at my leadership meeting yesterday and i have to say, compared to other counties, Gwinnett came out ahead in the sense that 1. we still got our step increases (not all counties did) before the furloughs were announced and the furloughs (the current ones some counties had already furloughed prior to Perdue's announcement)were the ONLY cut we took. There was one county, don't remember which one, were they decreased employeer contribution to their TRS fund (reiterment fund for non-teachers).

Furloughs suck and I am not pleased about it. And I am NOT looking forward to the cuts. BUT.....at least I have a job which is more than a lot of people these days. And furloughs are happening everywhere. I hate that education is being cut but why should we be exempt? Yes, we as educators are extremely important and education can't afford to have anything else stripped away. But what about all the firefighters and cops that have been laid off too? Their jobs are just as essential.

As far as administrators and other educational staff, they have all been furloughed in my county as well.

I hear your pain though...don't think I don't emphathize. My husband was laid off last year ( as an attorney) and we are just starting to recoup the from the couple of months he was laid off.

And, I wouldn't think of NOT showing up those days. My classroom will be ready as it always is...not the kids fault and I am certainly not going to punish them. I go in a week before planning every year as it is. There is no way I could have a 1st Grade classroom ready otherwise. I understand the view of "if we don't take a stand they are going to keep abusing us as teachers" but this is about putting kids first- something I am still able to do and have control over.

This is why Gwinnett schools are so great :-) Thank you for all you do for our kids!

[straightfromatown]

How about going to a private school? I don't know anything about this profession but I would guess private educators make more and aren't being hurt as badly right now.

[lastminutemom]

Private schools pay less (often significantly less) and generally have far worse benefits. (There are some exceptions, Westminster at the high school level, for certain subject areas, pays very well.)

Most private schools are cutting back, many had layoffs and have eliminated classes. Most didn't do raises.

[BobKovacs]

Originally Posted by lastminutemom

Most private schools are cutting back, many had layoffs and have eliminated classes. Most didn't do raises.

Some are even being forced to close due to lower enrollments. There was a story on the news the other night about one school that has closed, putting 200 people (including 80 teachers) out of work.

[noah]

Sounds like the rest of the private sector. Many companies haven't given increases and many have done decreases and there are no COLA's or step increases in industry. Where my wife works everyone took a 10% pay cut and they have said that they won't be getting it back. Even fortune 500 companies have eliminate their 401k matching which is a pay cut in the 1,000's for even the lowest paid employees usually.

I am all for the teachers but a furlough day here or there is not much different then what other government employees are facing and if they still got their step increases they may be ahead of some others in the private sector.

Originally Posted by lastminutemom

Private schools pay less (often significantly less) and generally have far worse benefits. (There are some exceptions, Westminster at the high school level, for certain subject areas, pays very well.)

Most private schools are cutting back, many had layoffs and have eliminated classes. Most didn't do raises.

[Sweet Atlanta Peach]

Originally Posted by neil0311

Unfortunately, when you went into to teaching and working for a municipality, you should have gone in with the understanding that the school system is funded by tax collections and the county budget, which in bad times can fluctuate and lead to layoffs and furloughs.

I do agree that the pain should be spread evenly, and if the administration asks the teachers to take time without pay, then they should too. In the scheme of things though, 3 days without pay is pretty mild and a heck of a lot better than losing your job, right?

Yes, but still...come on...some people live paycheck to paycheck and 300-700 a month (over a three month period) is drastic. I can be grateful to have a job, but at the same time, this should not have been sprung on us at the last minute...I'm sorry. Plus, more furlough days will be coming. At least others knew in ADVANCE it was coming. I don't mind a reduction in pay, just spread it out over my contract period and not in chunks by the end of the fiscal year. That's all I'm saying.

And no, to the poster that said something about going to class and whining about pay...WTF? What's that all about?

Anyhow, thanks for all responses...yes, I am grateful for a job, I am not saying I'm not. But heck, how tacky is it to spring this on us all of a sudden? THAT'A garbage, for real. I don't care what ANYONE says.