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No spamming on my part, simply an honest attempt to make concerned tax payers aware that there is a mechanism that has been put into place for them to get involved and let their voices be heard.
You asked for facts....here goes:
According to the official salary schedule, there are 66 teachers that make an access of $92,000 per year. These salaries are all based on tenure and not on performance. The district spends $564,000 on supplemental income per year. An example of this type of expenditure is payment for 7 coaches for the varsity football team.
Teacher's only contribute 5% towards their benefit plan.
The teacher's also work a total of 193 days a year.
I don't know how accurate these figures are but the median salary is pretty close to the mean. That makes it difficult to accept the fact that 66 teachers will make in excess of $92,000. http://www.openpagov.org/k12_payroll.asp
If there was a mode in excess of $92,000 then the mean would be higher in this data.
It should be noted that teacher average salaries are the lowest of the four job categories.
I don't know how accurate these figures are but the median salary is pretty close to the mean. That makes it difficult to accept the fact that 66 teachers will make in excess of $92,000. http://www.openpagov.org/k12_payroll.asp
If there was a mode in excess of $92,000 then the mean would be higher in this data.
Unfortunately, it appears that you enjoy debate and are not at all interested in the honest and serious intent of my original thread.
Given that, let me assure you that these figures are correct and were used as a basis for the petition we presented to school board last Monday.
Might I suggest that if you have a valid concern as a taxpayer in this school district that you attend the next Board meeting with date and time noted in the posting of the original thread.
Unfortunately, it appears that you enjoy debate and are not at all interested in the honest and serious intent of my original thread.
Given that, let me assure you that these figures are correct and were used as a basis for the petition we presented to school board last Monday.
Might I suggest that if you have a valid concern as a taxpayer in this school district that you attend the next Board meeting with date and time noted in the posting of the original thread.
I don't see where there's a debate. I'm just presenting facts, that are of public record, so if others would care to chime in they have data to base their opinions on.
It never ceases to amaze me how often we seem to get on the topic of teacher pay on this forum. I understand the desire to keep all taxes at a managable level, but I do not understand the constant ax that some seem to have to grind by implying that teachers are lazy, money-grabbers who have chosen their profession to do as little work as possible while receiving the highest pay (a sentiment, coincidentally, that nearly EVERY working person can understand), and for no other loftier or altruistic ambitions. Keeping in mind that eliminating public education would be extremely detrimental to society, as most families would be unable to educate their children either at home or privately, we have no choice but to assume a tax burden. My point is that the teachers themselves have little to no control over this- the school board and administrators have total control over the fiscal health of their districts. Instead of constantly complaining how "overpaid" teachers are, despite the fact that they are the only entity in a school system that actually has an effect on the outcome of our of childrens' lives, why not focus on the administration and school directors and how they have planned for things like increasing pension costs (that they've known was on the horizon for YEARS, even a decade), or how they are spending on other district resources besides teachers, who again, are clearly the most important resource that a community has in educating its populace?
It never ceases to amaze me how often we seem to get on the topic of teacher pay on this forum.
I don't think you are grasping the situation. Let me try and put things in simple terms and maybe you will understand the reasons for concern. You are focused on the teachers only and missing the bigger picture.
1. Teacher don't pay much of anything towards healthcare and it will be reflected in their pensions. Do you think healthcare is going to get cheaper, or keep rising?
2. Teacher's and administrators are being paid too much for the amount of days at work and it is unsustainable. Keep in mind the there are long term costs to having teachers end their careers at $90K or whatever that wildly high number is. That will reflect in their pensions. The healthcare issue is a real killer because these teacher's unions have gotten everyone on board for the taxpayers being on the hook for those bills. I don't know if you understand that cost and how fast it is rising.
How about this. Do you understand the longterm outlook for the children that are in 5th grade for example right now? Pine Richland was contemplating no Physical Education, as well as other cuts. I don't think most understand that this is the beginning of the problem and it isn't going to magically go away. It IS going to get worse. So while you are focusing on current teacher's salaries there are many looking at the entire situation. This isn't just about teacher's wages. It is about what can be offered to children, class size and a host of other issues that are only going to get more difficult for the children in the coming years. So what do you feel can be done to fix these shortfalls? Keep raising taxes is an answer. What are the current school taxes for those in the Pine Richland SD? It is over $3500 per average household. Actually I think it is about $3700. Pine Richland got rid of a music teacher and several Phys.Ed teachers. I believe 5 1/2 positions. Sure, who cares about Physical Education? Who needs music? What is next year going to be like? Teacher's salaries will go up because they do incrementally. Cost of insurance will most likely go up and teachers pay very little into that, which is total BS. Where is this money going to come from to try and balance the budget each and every year? How much can you tax people? You can sure tax them right out of their homes, which no doubt is happening. Stop only focusing on the teachers. They are a piece of the puzzle, but the puzzle is bigger than just them.
I don't think you are grasping the situation. Let me try and put things in simple terms and maybe you will understand the reasons for concern. You are focused on the teachers only and missing the bigger picture.
1. Teacher don't pay much of anything towards healthcare and it will be reflected in their pensions. Do you think healthcare is going to get cheaper, or keep rising?
2. Teacher's and administrators are being paid too much for the amount of days at work and it is unsustainable. Keep in mind the there are long term costs to having teachers end their careers at $90K or whatever that wildly high number is. That will reflect in their pensions. The healthcare issue is a real killer because these teacher's unions have gotten everyone on board for the taxpayers being on the hook for those bills. I don't know if you understand that cost and how fast it is rising.
How about this. Do you understand the longterm outlook for the children that are in 5th grade for example right now? Pine Richland was contemplating no Physical Education, as well as other cuts. I don't think most understand that this is the beginning of the problem and it isn't going to magically go away. It IS going to get worse. So while you are focusing on current teacher's salaries there are many looking at the entire situation. This isn't just about teacher's wages. It is about what can be offered to children, class size and a host of other issues that are only going to get more difficult for the children in the coming years. So what do you feel can be done to fix these shortfalls? Keep raising taxes is an answer. What are the current school taxes for those in the Pine Richland SD? It is over $3500 per average household. Actually I think it is about $3700. Pine Richland got rid of a music teacher and several Phys.Ed teachers. I believe 5 1/2 positions. Sure, who cares about Physical Education? Who needs music? What is next year going to be like? Teacher's salaries will go up because they do incrementally. Cost of insurance will most likely go up and teachers pay very little into that, which is total BS. Where is this money going to come from to try and balance the budget each and every year? How much can you tax people? You can sure tax them right out of their homes, which no doubt is happening. Stop only focusing on the teachers. They are a piece of the puzzle, but the puzzle is bigger than just them.
h_curtis,
Teachers are the puppets while the politicians are the puppeteers.
Politicians are masters in the art of misdirection and misperception. They are quick to blame others or redirect the public's perception of them whenever controversial issues arise, lack of fiduciary responsibility becomes evident, or the court of public opinion finds them guilty of benign neglect.
In the case of education, teachers are a large target so it's easier to blame them than for the politicians to accept responsibility for their own actions.
Teachers are not responsible for a communities fiscal or social problems.
I don't think you are grasping the situation. Let me try and put things in simple terms and maybe you will understand the reasons for concern. You are focused on the teachers only and missing the bigger picture.
1. Teacher don't pay much of anything towards healthcare and it will be reflected in their pensions. Do you think healthcare is going to get cheaper, or keep rising?
2. Teacher's and administrators are being paid too much for the amount of days at work and it is unsustainable. Keep in mind the there are long term costs to having teachers end their careers at $90K or whatever that wildly high number is. That will reflect in their pensions. The healthcare issue is a real killer because these teacher's unions have gotten everyone on board for the taxpayers being on the hook for those bills. I don't know if you understand that cost and how fast it is rising.
How about this. Do you understand the longterm outlook for the children that are in 5th grade for example right now? Pine Richland was contemplating no Physical Education, as well as other cuts. I don't think most understand that this is the beginning of the problem and it isn't going to magically go away. It IS going to get worse. So while you are focusing on current teacher's salaries there are many looking at the entire situation. This isn't just about teacher's wages. It is about what can be offered to children, class size and a host of other issues that are only going to get more difficult for the children in the coming years. So what do you feel can be done to fix these shortfalls? Keep raising taxes is an answer. What are the current school taxes for those in the Pine Richland SD? It is over $3500 per average household. Actually I think it is about $3700. Pine Richland got rid of a music teacher and several Phys.Ed teachers. I believe 5 1/2 positions. Sure, who cares about Physical Education? Who needs music? What is next year going to be like? Teacher's salaries will go up because they do incrementally. Cost of insurance will most likely go up and teachers pay very little into that, which is total BS. Where is this money going to come from to try and balance the budget each and every year? How much can you tax people? You can sure tax them right out of their homes, which no doubt is happening. Stop only focusing on the teachers. They are a piece of the puzzle, but the puzzle is bigger than just them.
It is my understanding, as a Pine Richland resident, that there were no music or phys ed programs cut. At the last minute, little Jackie Evanko was brought in to testify that her singing interest was inspired by her 4th grade music appreciation class. This was in contradiction to an article on Jackie in the Pine Richland Journal several years ago where she stated that she began singing once her parents took her to see the Phatom of the Opera. Regardless of her source of inspiration, children should be exempt from the political arena. The inference here is that there are any number of child protegies just waiting to surface and become instantaneous millionaires from public school appreciation classes.
This must have had an impact on the heart strings of the Board members, because right after Jackie's plea, the Board treasurer made a motion based upon no rationale to increase the milage for next years budget by 4+ percent. This was then approved by a vote of 6 to 3.
This causes a burden to many resident's budget. Yes, we have an affluent school districts. What the Board and teachers are missing here is that not everyone in this area in the so called upper 1%. As a matter of fact, there are foreclosures occuring through out the respective townships. No one thought about the elderly widow sitting in her small farm house in this area (yes, this was origianlly farm country) who may just lose her home as a result of the increase in milage for these young folks to recieve "art and music appreciation". This may be especially true when the full impact of the deeply flawed county reassessment program kicks in next year. Couple all this with this devestating present economy and we all need to be concerned. These are different times, one we are not accustomed to and it appears one in which some people will not consider serious until they see a foreclosure sign in their front yard. Oh yes, and the little elderly widow should not lose sight of the 21% increase the county slapped on her if her little farm house happens to be in Allegheny.
Teachers are the puppets while the politicians are the puppeteers.
Politicians are masters in the art of misdirection and misperception. They are quick to blame others or redirect the public's perception of them whenever controversial issues arise, lack of fiduciary responsibility becomes evident, or the court of public opinion finds them guilty of benign neglect.
In the case of education, teachers are a large target so it's easier to blame them than for the politicians to accept responsibility for their own actions.
Teachers are not responsible for a communities fiscal or social problems.
Correct...the teachers are not responsible....the unions are.
Correct...the teachers are not responsible....the unions are.
GVmove,
The unions are another issue so I won't address that comment for the sake of staying on the topic at hand.
As I see it, to piggyback on your previous post, there are residents in the township that have children in the school district and residents who don't. From the perspective of the residents who don't have children I can see their concern for the increase in taxes especially if it causes economic hardships. I'm sure they are feeling a lack of equity in the current system without the hope of improvement in the future.
There needs to be a change, but is it up to the teachers to make these changes or your elected public officials? I think the public needs to focus their concerns in another direction.
I can't help but notice that the posts with the most spelling and grammar errors are by the people who support the budget cuts.
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