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So you're hinging your argument on the premise that the testing system currently in use is perfect, and should be the way we judge teacher performance? If that's the case, then I would have to respectfully disagree. The whole no kid left behind thing was part of the beginning of the end. You can't measure a subjective thing like "education" with a quantitative tool. That is part of the problem, is the current GOP who wants to grade everything really just doesn't understand the concept of accountability.
Anyway, enough of this nonsense. It's a beautiful day out and I'm going to ride my bike.
I'm glad we live in a place where we can respect each others differences, and have our own opinions.
TTFN
I agree--enough. I'd be going out for a ride too but i have to go plant some green giant thuja's in the back yard so I don't have to see my drunken loud neighbors anymore
So you're hinging your argument on the premise that the testing system currently in use is perfect, and should be the way we judge teacher performance? If that's the case, then I would have to respectfully disagree. The whole no kid left behind thing was part of the beginning of the end. You can't measure a subjective thing like "education" with a quantitative tool. That is part of the problem, is the current GOP who wants to grade everything really just doesn't understand the concept of accountability.
Anyway, enough of this nonsense. It's a beautiful day out and I'm going to ride my bike.
I'm glad we live in a place where we can respect each others differences, and have our own opinions.
TTFN
Please read about the KC school city experiment and then comment.
Where did I say testing was perfect? Certain is not. But it's pretty much the only thing we have to measure performance.
Teacher pay here is much less than in a state like NJ/NY, but have you looked up home prices and property tax there? A typical house up there will pay $6-8k a year in property tax alone. You'd need to be earning $12k a year just to pay your property tax up there.
I'm 100% for giving teachers large raises. If people want $$ in their pocket now but no pension do it. But unilaterally increasing pay most likely won't have an effect on anything other than the budget.
This is why NY is in trouble - at least the metro NYC area. And $6-8K for property taxes would be a dream up there - try $10K and up (not picking on you though).
You point out the crux of the problem though. Civil servant jobs typically have traded low pay for great benefits. In NY, one of the reasons that the taxes have gotten so high is that the teachers (and cops) have BOTH. All 3 of my kids attended kindergarten in NY, all 3 teachers make WELL in excess of $100K a year. Pension is based on your highest 3 years salary and lifetime health benefits. It's a recipe for disaster.
Not only does teacher pay suck here, but they don't get raises! BUT - If teachers want higher pay they are going to have to fund their own retirement. That's life when the taxpayer pays your salary.
By the way I have family here who teach in both public and private schools, similar years experience and my understanding is they make about the same amount of money.
And alas, the old argument about "this person makes this and that person makes that so that proves we don't value teachers" is a bad one. Pretty much anyone can go to college and become a teacher. But you aren't heading off to Meredith College and 4 years later coming out playing like Lebron James. Pro athletes are well compensated because only a miniscule percentage of the population can do what they do. Again - that's life.
This is really sad to read. We moved from FL for several reasons but the poor school system was one of them. It is something that really effects the entire state and country when our schools are lacking.
I hope they can turn it around!
Why do you feel teachers here are underpaid? Based on what market data? The only other market data we can compare is private sector. I've known 3 teachers to leave the public system here in NC and go private, and each time they got about a $20k raise.
North Carolina ranks 46th in teacher pay while generally being middle-of-the-pack for cost of living, taxes and the like.
That's the market data that matters.
I have no problems with the taxes in NC (and probably pay more than most.) It's the cost we pay to live in a really nice area. I do have a problem with our trying to race-to-the-bottom on schools, public services, and the environment.
I grew up in Florida. I would never move back to Florida. There are plenty of people on this message board who moved here to get away from Florida. Florida built itself on attracting retirees (retirees hate taxes), corporations looking for tourist-tax handouts (companies hate taxes), and lower-income workers for the tourist sector (who don't make enough to pay any taxes.) What's left? Crumbling infrastructure, an aquifer that's drying up, horrific traffic, crime, and awful schools.
Paying what we need to pay for good teachers and good schools is the price of keeping NC and the Triangle nice places to live. I have far more invested in my home, and keeping those home values rising, to want to save a couple hundred bucks a year on taxes.
So the teacher who is resigning is in such dire financial straits that she will resign to look for another job? Really? If her letter said she already had a better paying job lined up I would have much more sympathy. Very odd.
So the teacher who is resigning is in such dire financial straits that she will resign to look for another job? Really? If her letter said she already had a better paying job lined up I would have much more sympathy. Very odd.
Wrong. It is because we place greater value on playing a game than nurturing the next generation.
And it is great to live in a country where we recognize that we are bestowed the inalienable right at the time of our creation to choose our priorities.
We have a public school funding issue.
Pro athletes are irrelevant to the discussion.
North Carolina ranks 46th in teacher pay while generally being middle-of-the-pack for cost of living, taxes and the like.
That's the market data that matters.
I have no problems with the taxes in NC (and probably pay more than most.) It's the cost we pay to live in a really nice area. I do have a problem with our trying to race-to-the-bottom on schools, public services, and the environment.
I grew up in Florida. I would never move back to Florida. There are plenty of people on this message board who moved here to get away from Florida. Florida built itself on attracting retirees (retirees hate taxes), corporations looking for tourist-tax handouts (companies hate taxes), and lower-income workers for the tourist sector (who don't make enough to pay any taxes.) What's left? Crumbling infrastructure, an aquifer that's drying up, horrific traffic, crime, and awful schools.
Paying what we need to pay for good teachers and good schools is the price of keeping NC and the Triangle nice places to live. I have far more invested in my home, and keeping those home values rising, to want to save a couple hundred bucks a year on taxes.
Check out the influx of retirees in the Triangle. We are becoming a retirement mecca, due to the grandkids and preferable climate and good medical care.
GOOG "Del Webb" and "Carolina Arbors" and "Carolina Preserve."
Booming.
What impact on taxes will those folks have? Increased tax base with resistance to tax increases, while not putting kids in schools to add to the burden.
Round and round....
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