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Teachers in Sparks, Nevada and Danvers, Massachusetts were murdered by students this week. Really tragic, and points the direction that personal safety in the teaching profession has taken. School shootings have become regular occurrences.
For years, Correction Officers have commanded huge salaries along with generous retirements, in part because of the "danger" associated with their profession. In California, COs can retire at age 50 with a 3% per year formula (example: 3 X 30 years= 90% at age 50). The Teacher formula is 2% at age 60 (2% X 30 years= 60% at age 60). Teachers typically have to attend 5 years of college to qualify for their jobs.
How often are COs murdered? I think it's fair to say that teachers are in equal jeopardy with COs in the modern world. Shouldn't our pay reflect this reality?
Note: An eleven year old student was arrested this morning in Wa. with a gun and 400 rounds of ammunition.
Last edited by Futuremauian; 10-24-2013 at 08:04 AM..
Reason: Added a detail
While teaching is not the cushy job many seem to think it is, it is nowhere near as dangerous as being a correction officer. There are over 3 million teachers in elementary and middle school alone according to the last census. As tragic as those two deaths are, and as much as we need to look at and address school violence, 2 out of 3,000,000 is not a large number. I will say to you what I say to people who complain that teachers have better pay, better benefits, and easier work than they do - if you think it is so great, and want that for yourself, you can have it by becoming a corrections officer yourself.
Corrections Officers where I live don't make any more than teachers. I think that job is definitely more dangerous, but I also think that prison and public schools have a lot in common.
While teaching is not the cushy job many seem to think it is, it is nowhere near as dangerous as being a correction officer. There are over 3 million teachers in elementary and middle school alone according to the last census. As tragic as those two deaths are, and as much as we need to look at and address school violence, 2 out of 3,000,000 is not a large number. I will say to you what I say to people who complain that teachers have better pay, better benefits, and easier work than they do - if you think it is so great, and want that for yourself, you can have it by becoming a corrections officer yourself.
After hearing about those recent deaths it did cross my mind to check on the cost and weight of a bullet proof (bullet resistant) vest to wear while teaching.
I just got home from school, and re-read my OP. For the record, I should have said Correctional Officers. I was in a hurry this morning, or I would have added a similar comparison about firemen. They too, can retire at age 50, and there is one retired fire chief in my county who is pulling in over $250,000 per year in retirement! Everyone that is considered "Safety" gets that 3% at age 50 formula in California. I believe that teacher salaries have remained artificially low because 75% of all teachers are female.
Years ago I read in the L.A. Times that 100% of the California Highway Patrol Officers in L.A. county claimed a job-related disability when they retired. It made the majority of their retirement income tax-free. Six-figures, tax free. I don't know if that still happens, but I understand it's hard for a teacher to do that, even if you are injured on the job by a student.
Something else I recall from years ago was a study done by a university (Wisconsin, maybe?) that compared teacher retirement formulas around the USA. California came in near the bottom, with no formula for full retirement until age 60, even if you had in 40 years of service. Most states at least offered a Rule of 80 or 85, which let you retire when your years of service and chronological age totaled one of those numbers.
What I really intended to focus upon is that teaching has become a more dangerous profession. Not so much for K-5 teachers in middle-class to wealthy neighborhoods, but certainly for 6-12th grade teachers in low-performing districts, like mine.
Example: Last year right after I had knee surgery, I was limping across campus and a boy came up and kicked me in that leg, trying to make me fall. He was expelled. This year he returned. A week ago, he took a swing at a female teacher. She managed to duck, and he was expelled again...3rd year in a row.
Criminals don't adopt those traits on their 18th birthday. Most of them begin criminal activity when they are in school, and teachers are at risk because of it.
Last edited by Futuremauian; 10-24-2013 at 06:28 PM..
While teaching is not the cushy job many seem to think it is, it is nowhere near as dangerous as being a correction officer. There are over 3 million teachers in elementary and middle school alone according to the last census. As tragic as those two deaths are, and as much as we need to look at and address school violence, 2 out of 3,000,000 is not a large number. I will say to you what I say to people who complain that teachers have better pay, better benefits, and easier work than they do - if you think it is so great, and want that for yourself, you can have it by becoming a corrections officer yourself.
I have enjoyed my career as a teacher, but had I known then what would transpire with regards to the age and percentage factors for retirement, I WOULD have become a CO or a fireman. I could have retired 10 years ago with much more money than I will ever receive as a retired teacher. And yeah, money isn't everything, but I will have to remain "thrifty".
Some of the dummies with whom I attended high school, did choose those professions, and have been playing golf and driving luxury cars for the past decade, while I still worked.
After hearing about those recent deaths it did cross my mind to check on the cost and weight of a bullet proof (bullet resistant) vest to wear while teaching.
Outside of the cost and discomfort....
It would be really hard to pull off. There is no way to wear a bullet proof vest without people knowing (especially for women). Our school resource officers routinely get complaints because they wear bullet proof vests in school and that freaks parents out. There is no way in hell though that their commanders will tell them to take a vest off. I don't think school principals would be nearly as supportive.
I believe that teacher salaries have remained artificially low because 75% of all teachers are female.
ding ding ding!!! You hit it right on the head. If the vast majority of teachers were male, we'd make closer to 75K+ a year and have much more respect than we currently do.
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I was in a hurry this morning, or I would have added a similar comparison about firemen. They too, can retire at age 50, and there is one retired fire chief in my county who is pulling in over $250,000 per year in retirement! Everyone that is considered "Safety" gets that 3% at age 50 formula in California. I believe that teacher salaries have remained artificially low because 75% of all teachers are female.
And yeah, money isn't everything, but I will have to remain "thrifty".
