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Its a tough economy for everyone...teachers included. I'm sorry they are having to take a small paycut, but its better than a massive layoff.
Like other professions, teaching salaries should revolve around supply/demand. Right now there is a huge surplus of people trying to get into teaching as the economy is bad. As a result, a teacher unhappy with the decrease in pay can be replaced.
As far as quality goes, I don't believe CMS has a very effective barometer for measuring teaching performance. So I doubt the pay cut has too much of an influence on the quality of our teachers overall.
My thoughts are that tax revenues are down so there isn't enough money to pay everyone employed their current salaries. You can take across the board measures (like pay cuts) are maintain salaries for some and start letting other people go. Both options stink, but some people have the unenviable task of having to decide between the lesser of two evils. It's just the reality of the situation. Nothing nefarious about it.
What are your thoughts considering Charlotte-Mecklenburg's recent announcement?
chicagocubs - I would think the morale of the CMS teachers has just about reached its nadir at this point. I came from NJ where "cuts" to teacher salaries would be unheard of. The teacher's union has a contract with any given municipality and those terms must be adhered to, even if it causes taxes to go up to cover their salary and health benefit increases. The town and its citizens never get to say "we can't afford it"! This, of course is the number one reason taxes in NJ are so high! I used to decry the abuses of the taxpayers this situation created in NJ, but here in NC, I feel sorry for many of the teachers who don't have tenure protection and pay a relatively high percentage of the cost of their benefits.
If I were a college student thinking of teaching as a career, I'd be looking at this situation wondering whether teaching was a wise career move. I've often wondered if there is as high a percentage of teaching grads from a place like Duke versus an NC state college when you have to think about paying off student loans!
I hope that any layoffs involve getting rid of as much "dead wood" out of the CMS system as possible.
To me, that smacks of "not noticing" that the Emperor's rear end is sticking out of his pants. This gives CMS an out... in not having to report what would surely be declining math and science test scores in the future - more of the great "dumbing-down" effect!
Last edited by TheEmissary; 05-27-2009 at 01:20 PM..
Ok....Those schools that have students encouraged by their parents and that only care about being rappers - go to an all new high tech A/V Rap only magnet school. That will save about 3 schools entire teachers salary budget. Close three schools and consolidate those remaing schools and students that want to learn and give these teachers a 10% pay increase.
CHI - just thought I would mention that our school system is not the only one in the nation experiencing budget shortfalls resulting in cutbacks.
I was surprised when I looked at news from my former home in Kansas to find that their school system is cutting back $10 M worth of jobs and is still facing another $8.5 M deficit for 2009-10. I found it interesting, tho, that they chose to cut 144 jobs wh/ includes not only teachers, but also counselors, campus police, counselors and school administrators. I am uncertain as to how many administrators will be cut w/ CMS's layoffs. ???
Haven't taken the time to see if this is going on all over the nation, but I suspect it is happening in many school systems.
Ok....Those schools that have students encouraged by their parents and that only care about being rappers - go to an all new high tech A/V Rap only magnet school. That will save about 3 schools entire teachers salary budget. Close three schools and consolidate those remaing schools and students that want to learn and give these teachers a 10% pay increase.
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