DCPS budget cuts

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a highly effective teacher, the only two things keeping me in DCPS as opposed to teaching in another district are the pay and the pension. I'd be out of here pretty fast if either of those things went away. I know I'm not the only one who feels this way. DCPS already has a problem with teacher retention because of working conditions and it would almost certainly get worse without our compensation. As it is, I'm planning to hang on another 15 years until I can retire at 60 ( not 55). Also please note that DCPS teachers do not pay into social security, we pay into the pension instead. So we are sacrificing that safety net in order to have our pension.

Not sure how much sacrifice is involved here. Teachers pay substantially less (only 8 percent) into their pensions than the rest of us pay into Social Security (12.4 percent) and they will get many, many, *many* times more back than do Social Security beneficiaries. On top of that, they get to retire crazy early. They pay way less and get way more, courtesy of taxpayers.

[Anonymous]

I don’t think people on this board understand how many of your experienced teachers (the ones you all want at the JKLM etc schools) are only sticking around because of the pension.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:but if private companies can’t afford pensions any longer ( I’ve worked for 30 years and just have my personal 401k) how can taxpayers afford them?

Private companies choose not to afford them. It's no coincidence that exec salaries have skyrocketed as pensions have disappeared.

100% this. And the joke is on all of us, because corporations have done everything they can to profit off the public (eliminating pensions, avoid paying taxes, refusing to pay a living wage, cutting corners, and eliminating safety and epa regulations all to create revenue for shareholders). And the best part - they get you to think teacher pensions are the problem. Guess we really are as stupid as they think we are…

Do you know how much regular people would have to save in their 401K to get what teachers get in their pensions? You'd have to save, like, $5 million. Do you know many people who have $5 million in their 401ks? Teacher pensions are a *complete* boondoggle. The reason pensions don't exist anymore except for, like, teachers and cops is because they are comically expensive.

You can get a public service job. Firefighter, police, teacher - take your pick.

What if the city was paying lifeguards at public pools $800,000 per year? Would your response be, "well, if you think that's too much, maybe you should just become a lifeguard?"

This is such an obnoxious comment. But yes, the joke is on you I both swim well and enjoy it so for $800k I’d do it.

Those are public service jobs, all getting a pension. You can also get the pension as a speech pathologist, social worker, occupational therapist, psychologist, etc.

So take your pick.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Seems like there's an awful lot of wasteful things they could get rid of. The number of "safe passage" employees I see standing around is comical.

Teachers pensions are a massive cost. They can live with 401ks like the rest of us.

That’s not the problem here. But nice try

It’s insane that teachers get pensions. They are ungodly expensive. But, sure, let’s cut a whole bunch of classes for children whose lives have barely begun so that teachers can retire in their mid 50s.

What an offensive comment, do you say this about firefighters and police officer who ALSO get a pension?
Who can retire even earlier than teachers and make a similar salary?

In the modern world, teachers face far more violence at their workplace than they should. It should be zero.

But firefighters and many policemen **risk their lives everyday**. The stress toll they face is much higher than teachers.

As a self-contained special education teacher I have had children try to do all kinds of things to me. Several of my students have to ride the bus with a straight jacket and their own personal bus aide.

Stress also varies by person. I will easily admit those 2 jobs are more stressful but what does stress have to do with a pension? All of these jobs there is a shortage. All of these jobs are free public services. We deserve our pension.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think people on this board understand how many of your experienced teachers (the ones you all want at the JKLM etc schools) are only sticking around because of the pension.

Teachers who are only teaching because of the pension should quit. We dont want them. Seriously. Leave. We want teachers who actually want to teach kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:but if private companies can’t afford pensions any longer ( I’ve worked for 30 years and just have my personal 401k) how can taxpayers afford them?

Private companies choose not to afford them. It's no coincidence that exec salaries have skyrocketed as pensions have disappeared.

100% this. And the joke is on all of us, because corporations have done everything they can to profit off the public (eliminating pensions, avoid paying taxes, refusing to pay a living wage, cutting corners, and eliminating safety and epa regulations all to create revenue for shareholders). And the best part - they get you to think teacher pensions are the problem. Guess we really are as stupid as they think we are…

Do you know how much regular people would have to save in their 401K to get what teachers get in their pensions? You'd have to save, like, $5 million. Do you know many people who have $5 million in their 401ks? Teacher pensions are a *complete* boondoggle. The reason pensions don't exist anymore except for, like, teachers and cops is because they are comically expensive.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:but if private companies can’t afford pensions any longer ( I’ve worked for 30 years and just have my personal 401k) how can taxpayers afford them?

Private companies choose not to afford them. It's no coincidence that exec salaries have skyrocketed as pensions have disappeared.

100% this. And the joke is on all of us, because corporations have done everything they can to profit off the public (eliminating pensions, avoid paying taxes, refusing to pay a living wage, cutting corners, and eliminating safety and epa regulations all to create revenue for shareholders). And the best part - they get you to think teacher pensions are the problem. Guess we really are as stupid as they think we are…

Do you know how much regular people would have to save in their 401K to get what teachers get in their pensions? You'd have to save, like, $5 million. Do you know many people who have $5 million in their 401ks? Teacher pensions are a *complete* boondoggle. The reason pensions don't exist anymore except for, like, teachers and cops is because they are comically expensive.

Many CEOs make 50 million dollars. Now that is expensive. And even when they run a company into the ground, they walk away with piles of cash. I’m way more outraged about that than teacher pensions

This is just a diversion argument: "...but look over there!" You can actually be outraged by both these things. I think CEOs make too much money, and I also don't want foreign language classes cut because of unsustainable teacher pension costs (And central office costs. Don't get me started...)

It is important to me that people who interact and influence my kids get paid well and also get the respect that they deserve. To me, a good teacher is worth their weight in gold. I would prefer it if they raised the bar to be a teacher but paid them more than they get at the moment. It is a very tough job to do well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think people on this board understand how many of your experienced teachers (the ones you all want at the JKLM etc schools) are only sticking around because of the pension.

Teachers who are only teaching because of the pension should quit. We dont want them. Seriously. Leave. We want teachers who actually want to teach kids.

NP but you say this and then complain when your kid is taught by a long term sub. People can do their jobs well and mainly do them for a paycheck or pension. I don’t assume my accountant loves doing my taxes. He’s doing it for the paycheck, but he still does a good job.

[Anonymous]

PP again and some teachers are only teaching in DcPS for the pension and pay. They’d still teach without them but in another district.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think people on this board understand how many of your experienced teachers (the ones you all want at the JKLM etc schools) are only sticking around because of the pension.

Teachers who are only teaching because of the pension should quit. We dont want them. Seriously. Leave. We want teachers who actually want to teach kids.

Haha I’m still teaching for the health insurance! The paycheck only coverages mortgage and childcare!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think people on this board understand how many of your experienced teachers (the ones you all want at the JKLM etc schools) are only sticking around because of the pension.

Teachers who are only teaching because of the pension should quit. We dont want them. Seriously. Leave. We want teachers who actually want to teach kids.

NP but you say this and then complain when your kid is taught by a long term sub. People can do their jobs well and mainly do them for a paycheck or pension. I don’t assume my accountant loves doing my taxes. He’s doing it for the paycheck, but he still does a good job.

Yup. I don’t care why teachers teach. If the pension is what keeps them teaching, great! Please continue to do this job few people want and can do well. Please.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think people on this board understand how many of your experienced teachers (the ones you all want at the JKLM etc schools) are only sticking around because of the pension.

I would much rather pay excellent teachers better salaries and have 401s than pay for a pension and healthcare costs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wish we all had pensions, too, but pensions are becoming unsustainable for public schools, just like they have for private industry as we're all living longer.

From 2002 to 2020, total state and local K-12 spending in the US rose 33 percent, while teacher retirement spending rose a whopping 220 percent.

Pensions are eating up a growing percentage of per pupil spending. The 100 largest districts in the US are spending an average of $1,549 per student per year on pensions.

Teachers pensions are the elephants in the room. Guess what gets cut when municipalities have budget problems? It's not the pensions! Kids are the ones who always get screwed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think people on this board understand how many of your experienced teachers (the ones you all want at the JKLM etc schools) are only sticking around because of the pension.

I would much rather pay excellent teachers better salaries and have 401s than pay for a pension and healthcare costs.

Except that’s never what happens. When pensions get cut, salaries don’t go up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wish we all had pensions, too, but pensions are becoming unsustainable for public schools, just like they have for private industry as we're all living longer.

From 2002 to 2020, total state and local K-12 spending in the US rose 33 percent, while teacher retirement spending rose a whopping 220 percent.

Pensions are eating up a growing percentage of per pupil spending. The 100 largest districts in the US are spending an average of $1,549 per student per year on pensions.

Teachers pensions are the elephants in the room. Guess what gets cut when municipalities have budget problems? It's not the pensions! Kids are the ones who always get screwed.

Look at the bloat in central office and the “violence interruption” programs. DC spends 100 million on that alone. It’s not teachers who are causing this budget problem.