How the California Teachers Association betrayed the schools and crippled the state

[ZhugeLiang]

Originally Posted by yeahthatguy

In the private sector, when a company has budget issues, you just get laid off :
Indeed.. and here is evidence to back Western..
Evidence :
HP to lay off about 27,000, profit slides 31 percent | Reuters
Yahoo layoffs: Yahoo cutting 2,000 employees - Los Angeles Times
Cisco layoff numbers high, but not as high as rumored
DailyTech - Report: Cisco to Lay Off an Additional 10,000 Workers
Sun Microsystems To Lay Off Up To 3,000 People : The Two-Way : NPR
Adobe plans layoffs, overhaul to focus on digital | Reuters

Confused which is worse.. being jerked around or kicked out on your arse...

Yes, but in these cases we get to cry crocodile tears about "corporate greed." See how that works?

Originally Posted by soulseoul

Knowing the conditions as in ever changing standards? Or what about salary cuts? Knowing the conditions as in other states where bargaining rights are taken out?

Teachers know that it's a middle income job that requires a lot out of them. They cannot know the changing climate and how people shift in their opinion.

Oh WAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH boo hoo. I'm so glad that only the teaching profession gets hit with changes. As far as their collective bargaining rights, they shouldn't have had them in the first place. Unions weren't meant for public sector employees.

[EscapeCalifornia]

Originally Posted by soulseoul

They just don't like to pay their kid's teachers. The same teachers that go through a credentialing program or a masters degree. The same teachers that pays them a starting salary of 30-35k a year. Gold plated pensions? Yes after a LONG time...25-30 years.

I just find it odd when people act as if teachers are part of the 1%

Starting is $35,760 but AVERAGE is $59,825. Plus benefits of course.

But hey, everyone going into the business knows the pay before starting down that road.

Teacher Salary | Teaching Salaries in CA : 59825

[1AngryTaxPayer]

Originally Posted by SportyandMisty

Illegal immigrants? In S Cal?

I'm shocked. Shocked, I tell you.

What's shocking (to me) was the number of esl students that didn't show up to school after busing from the border stopped via the budget. I can't wait till 2013 when even more funding for busing is cancelled. I might even consider using the schools in my hood if they empty out the esl kiddos.

[ringwise]

Originally Posted by soulseoul

So what I'm gathering is that the CTA is a horrible union for advocating for better teacher salaries and smaller classrooms.

What people forget to realize is that teaching requires a 4 year degree and a 1 certification min. That many have master degrees. During the summer you plan out the lessons for the next year and/or teach. You put in extra time for parent student conferences and effectively raise your children. When something goes wrong, the teachers are the first to be persecuted. When things go right, they are the last to receive praise.

Paying a person an average income of $68,000 based on their education and duties (raising and educating your children) is not an unreasonable amount. For those of you that truly believe they don't have a hand in raising your children, I have one simple question. On Monday through Friday where are your children for about 7-8 hrs? At school. Your children see their teacher more than they see you on the weekdays.

Given the unique nature of the job, I do endorse teachers having a strong union.

They'd get more respect if they advocated for better educated students and quality teachers. What I see is a group that wants more money and less workload.

I take it you don't teach. Neither do I, but I have 3 sister-in-laws and 2 close friends that teach. They spend their summers floating in the pool.

[ringwise]

Originally Posted by TimC2462

Teaching is a thankless job.

If teachers in the public education system have become the enemy to you folks, then I suggest enrolling your kids in private schools.

Don't expect education to come without a cost.

Most people can't, because they already pay for schools through taxes and just can't swing private school. A "fair" way would be vouchers or tax breaks to parents so they can afford a quality school.

Teachers haven't become the enemy, but many suck at what they do. So parents should just suck it up and take it?

[ringwise]

Originally Posted by hoffdano

I don't think many actually get pink slips every year, especially in California.

Yup, then they get hired back at the end of the summer. Enabling them to get their unemployment bennies.

[EscapeCalifornia]

Originally Posted by ringwise

Yup, then they get hired back at the end of the summer. Enabling them to get their unemployment bennies.

Wow. Nice scam.

[1AngryTaxPayer]

Originally Posted by ringwise

Yup, then they get hired back at the end of the summer. Enabling them to get their unemployment bennies.

My neighbor is an instructor at the local College and pulls this every year. I thought it was illegal. Come to think of it another friend of ours does this too.

[.highnlite]

Yup, then they get hired back at the end of the summer. Enabling them to get their unemployment bennies.

No, no teacher on a contract that signs a letter of intent to return in March as required by law does so. Any teacher who is laid off on a contingency basis due to budget unknowns may get unemployment, but there is no guarantee that they will get their job back. Since most people cannot exist without a job, most of the laid off seek other employment.

The idea that teachers seek layoffs in order to reduce their income by three quarters is nonsense.

Teachers are generally paid for 9 months of employment. Those checks either come for 9 months and stop in the summer, or the 9 months of pay is divided into 12 pay checks and the teachers bring home a little less each pay check, but get checks during the summer.

Summer is not the kick back time it seems many non teachers think it is. Teachers are required to complete education credits throughout their career, many of those classes take place in the summer. Summer break for teachers is often, middle of June to middle of August, during that time you can figure many teachers spend 6 weeks taking classes.

[soulseoul]

Originally Posted by ringwise

They'd get more respect if they advocated for better educated students and quality teachers. What I see is a group that wants more money and less workload.

I take it you don't teach. Neither do I, but I have 3 sister-in-laws and 2 close friends that teach. They spend their summers floating in the pool.

I do teach abroad. I worked with autistic kids prior to that at the local high school. My dad was a teacher.

I doubt they spend ALL summer floating by the pool. Many teachers teach summer school. Many have secondary jobs. Remember they are not paid during the summer.

They are advocating for better educated students. They realize, however, that they are overworked. 62% of ALL teachers have second jobs outside of the classroom. In addition to lesson planning at home they typically take academic related work (this is according to the NEA in 2006). This figure may be higher due to the recession. About half of all new teachers leave within 5 years.

This is not a group that has it "made" by any stretch of the imagination. I thought the nation got passed this during the idiotic mandate in Wisc.