Ahh...thats where my $10,000+ in taxes goes (New York, Islip: home, school districts)

[rocafeller05]

$200,000 for a science teacher in Central Islip? Something is def. wrong here. I think every district should release the entire pay roll for every on it. Then decide where to cut the fat!

Central Islip, East Islip school district wages posted -- Newsday.com

[Peter B]

The taxpayers are the suckers. The school systems have been using them as their personal piggy bank for many years. However, Long Islanders think it is normal that tax hikes outpace inflation. The ones who do not, move elsewhere instead of putting up with extortion.

[LilTownBlues]

An apparently dedicated education professional with over 40 years of experience, coaching 3 athletic teams, plus running a Summer program, and the suggestion is to drag the name of this individual, and others like him through the mud??????

Not that there is no room for debate, but look higher up the ladder for the real fat. I don't think it's usually the people putting in the hours and the efforts who are the problem, even if they are compensated higher than contemporaries from other areas. These people are still delivering on the basic promise of their taxing authority, in this case to teach the kids. Policy makers and administrators who will spend a ton of money on things that will not make any impact on their mission is where the fat is.

Maybe another question that needs to be asked is what is the "true" agenda of a think tank that is staffed primarily by folks with media and political backgrounds, and how are they funded?

[NHP Guy]

I work for the state and my salary is out there for all to see through various websites that have relied on FOIL requests. My company (the New York Power Authority) and its employees have experienced the same type of criticism (mainly leveled at the executives) from the press for years. It doesn't bother me at all and I'm glad that they are finally pulling the curtains back to see what's going on in these school districts; LI taxpayers deserve that kind of transparency.

[AlexisT]

I have seen tables showing 50th, 75th, 95th percentile. Very few districts have 75th percentiles at 100K.

Newsday has a history of biased reporting on teacher salaries.

[KENNY GUIDO]

come on....its central islip. who in thier right mind would want to be a teacher there? of course they have to pay them more. bullet proof vests arent cheap!

[NHP Guy]

Originally Posted by AlexisT

I have seen tables showing 50th, 75th, 95th percentile. Very few districts have 75th percentiles at 100K.

Newsday has a history of biased reporting on teacher salaries.

Yes, but as we all know, that is based on 180 or so days in a school year. Even if you want to talk about extra time used for lesson plans, etc. you would probably still be looking at an adjustment of at least +$20k for a teacher that makes $80k base in order to put it in terms of your everyday 9 to 5er.

[JudiPatooti]

My husband retired from a science teaching career in Suffolk County four years ago and he most certainly didn't make anywhere near $200,000! He made about half of that. He also lost over 200 sick days, WITHOUT PAY, when he retired. He was dedicated to his students and used to crawl into school no matter what, even way too soon after heart surgery one time, because he didn't want his students to miss any important teaching with a substitute. So, he didn't take a sick day unless he was almost dead. He was a Regents Course teacher and the kids HAD to know the cirriculum for the Regent's Exam. He took his teaching committment very seriously, even at the expense of his own health, and me and our 3 kid's family time.

He was dedicated, loved by his students, had a fantastic record for getting the students through the Regents Exam along with a very high percentage of them getting in the 90's on it. He also spent almost every afternoon, sometimes mornings, running some kind of club, giving extra help to a student or running a student activity.

At night after "work" he did more schoolwork and spent ENDLESS hours at home marking papers, labs, and working on things to add to his classes to keep the student's attention and make his subject interesting FOR NO PAY! This would have been obviously considered overtime in most careers and he wouldn't have been paid 0 for it he would have been paid time and a half--at least. I couldn't begin to count the number of nights I found him slumped over his desk at 9 or 10 at night, exhausted, but still doing school paperwork. He'd tell me he just had to close his eyes for a few minutes and then would stay up past mid-night finishing the schoolwork to make up for his "nap". I also couldn't count the number of Friday evenings he fell asleep right after dinner for the rest of the night because of yet another exhausting week of trying to teach today's teenagers science so that they could have a future career themselves one day.

Just keeping a lid on the behavior in a classroom with over 20 kids in it, much less trying to hold their attention for more than 5 minutes, is a feat that I would like to see the people who criticize teachers try themselves. I know I wouldn't even want to try. Think of hosting a children's birthday party of over 20 kids for 5-6 hours and then doing it again the next day--then keep doing it for 33 years straight. Now picture standing up in front of a classroom full of energetic kids who would rather be texting, cell phoning, chatting with their freinds, or doing anything other than sitting still, being quiet and learning---but having the responsibility of teaching them, anyway. I'd rather host the birthday party any time!

Anyone who thinks teachers have a gravy train and they make tons of money SHOULD HAVE GONE, OR SHOULD STILL GO, TO 5 YEARS OF COLLEGE AND BE ONE! But, don't expect to make $200,000 a year, because I don't know what the story with those few teachers is, but my husband and his colleagues didn't make that kind of money in public education, they don't get paid for their accumulated sick time when they retire, and we are now living on a pension that is considerably less than half of what he earned when he was working and it doesn't go up with the cost of living.

Again, if you think teachers are overpaid, (and yes most teachers are doing their job well, but there are some who don't earn their salary just like in any other job) by all means become a teacher yourself. After all, why miss out on something you think is such a good deal? If you're planning for it to be an easy, cushy job, however, I think you're in for a big surprise after you get done with those 5 long, hard years of education and then paying the bill for it.

[djdairyp]

Originally Posted by NHP Guy

Yes, but as we all know, that is based on 180 or so days in a school year. Even if you want to talk about extra time used for lesson plans, etc. you would probably still be looking at an adjustment of at least +$20k for a teacher that makes $80k base in order to put it in terms of your everyday 9 to 5er.

Have you seen the movie office space.

====
Peter Gibbons: Well, I generally come in at least fifteen minutes late, ah, I use the side door - that way Lumbergh can't see me, heh heh - and, uh, after that I just sorta space out for about an hour.
Bob Porter: Da-uh? Space out?
Peter Gibbons: Yeah, I just stare at my desk; but it looks like I'm working. I do that for probably another hour after lunch, too. I'd say in a given week I probably only do about fifteen minutes of real, actual, work.
====

Take the actual amount of 'work' an every day 9-5er does and compare it to work done by teachers, it wouldn't be so far off. They have 'free' periods but are usually used for grading and prep not to mention work at home which most do. Sure a lot of 'regular' people work hard and I am not saying everyone, but I know a lot of people that are bored at work and surf the net half the day.

[rocafeller05]

The thread wasnt created as a teacher bashing forum. Im just glad to see where all this money is going to. I think its time to show the tax payers the payrolls & expenses for every school district every year from here on out.