Why do we feed teachers for "staff appreciation" when we have so many families below poverty level?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because teachers are a sacred cow. Just watch how many people are going to jump on you for asking this question.

Teachers are paid very fairly (on par with most other well-paid professionals when you compare hour-to-hour), have great work schedules, and good job stability. I am sick of their martyrdom and everyone else's putting them on a pedestal.

I'm curious. I'm a teacher. I make $80K for 11 months of 60 hours a week, so the equivalent of another profession which pays around $88K for 12 months.

I read on DCUM all the time about how salaries under $100K aren't "middle class". Which other professions do you consider "well-paid" which require advanced degrees, professional certifications, consistent unpaid overtime, and pay under $100K for someone with 20+ years of experience, in this area?

You are not contracted for 60 hours a week. Get serious. Other professions put in hours "after hours" too. And where do you work that you're 11 months a year at 60 hours a week? BS.

PERFECT example of martyrdom.

Yes, other professions put in 60 hours a week. I didn't say they didn't. I put in the hours because, with a few exceptions such as Big Law, I work the same hours as most professionals I know, except that I get one month off. I work 11 months because in order to make the salary I posted, I need to work 6 weeks in the summer.

So, answer my question. If you think that 88K is on par with other "well-paid professionals" (the term that was used), then what "well-paid professions" are you thinking of?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Because teachers are a sacred cow. Just watch how many people are going to jump on you for asking this question.

Teachers are paid very fairly (on par with most other well-paid professionals when you compare hour-to-hour), have great work schedules, and good job stability. I am sick of their martyrdom and everyone else's putting them on a pedestal.

I am a teacher and I agree. I don't need a staff appreciation lunch - I can feed myself like any other worker does.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

So, answer my question. If you think that 88K is on par with other "well-paid professionals" (the term that was used), then what "well-paid professions" are you thinking of?

Unsurprisingly, they did not answer your question. There are very few others who would be considered "well paid professionals" who make the same salary as teachers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because teachers are a sacred cow. Just watch how many people are going to jump on you for asking this question.

Teachers are paid very fairly (on par with most other well-paid professionals when you compare hour-to-hour), have great work schedules, and good job stability. I am sick of their martyrdom and everyone else's putting them on a pedestal.

I am a teacher and I agree. I don't need a staff appreciation lunch - I can feed myself like any other worker does.

I'm a teacher and I also agree. A full week of it (full of cookies, treats, etc) is quite overwhelming. I do like the lunch though I must admit. Our parents go above and beyond and it does make me feel appreciated. Our staff looks forward to it.
I feel like after 15 years in I make a decent salary for the time I put in. I wouldn't want to be a teacher many other places though, the pay is terrible. I am very grateful for my salary, benefits and retirement that I get through the county.....and my snow days as well

[Anonymous]

I donate to things like this because I feel that the school administration doesn't always support and appreciate the teaching staff and I want to show the parents support their efforts. There are over 1000 families in our MS, and very few actually donate, or are expected to donate. It's not a matter of staff appreciation events or feeding the hungry.

[Anonymous]

Also, if you have an idea for staff appreciate that doesn't involve food, speak up. I'm sure someone at your school who tries to think of these things would love the help.

[Anonymous]

I do not mind whatever I can do to show appreciation for a wonderful teacher my DS has. I won the lottery with her. We both work full time, so cant volunteer unfortunately. We do contribute any supplies she needs and to the "treasure chest" basket.
This is a first time I am hearing about all the other staff though (book drive, class basket etc.). Is this in every school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

So, answer my question. If you think that 88K is on par with other "well-paid professionals" (the term that was used), then what "well-paid professions" are you thinking of?

Unsurprisingly, they did not answer your question. There are very few others who would be considered "well paid professionals" who make the same salary as teachers.

Teachers salaries are on par with engineer salaries when comparing apples to apples number of hours worked (so no including "unpaid" vacations) - you don't get to say you work for 11 months but then claim your vacations are unpaid.

I don't even know why I bother because you will pick these to pieces: http://www.manhattan-institute.org/html/cr_50.htm
http://www.forbes.com/sites/warrenmeyer/2011/12/22/the-teacher-salary-myth-are-teachers-underpaid/

Remember, if you're going to pick apart the number of hours per week, you have to do that for the other industries too - so it may say teachers only work 37 hours per week on average, but it also says other professionals work around 38, so really it is apples to apples, even if you both work 60 hours a week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because teachers are a sacred cow. Just watch how many people are going to jump on you for asking this question.

Teachers are paid very fairly (on par with most other well-paid professionals when you compare hour-to-hour), have great work schedules, and good job stability. I am sick of their martyrdom and everyone else's putting them on a pedestal.

I'm curious. I'm a teacher. I make $80K for 11 months of 60 hours a week, so the equivalent of another profession which pays around $88K for 12 months.

I read on DCUM all the time about how salaries under $100K aren't "middle class". Which other professions do you consider "well-paid" which require advanced degrees, professional certifications, consistent unpaid overtime, and pay under $100K for someone with 20+ years of experience, in this area?

You are not contracted for 60 hours a week. Get serious. Other professions put in hours "after hours" too. And where do you work that you're 11 months a year at 60 hours a week? BS.

PERFECT example of martyrdom.

We return mid-August (two weeks). We work September- May (4 weeks each, plus "vacation," which isn't paid) and two weeks in June.
10 months

I just worked the entire day today, and tomorrow I'll be at work by 6 am. I usually stay until 3 or 4. When I arrive home, I often bring work with me. PE teachers have it good, I'll admit. But if you teach English or social studies, the planning and grading are so overwhelming that few stay in this profession for long stretches.

It's a terribly draining job where oftentimes the ignorant public finds satisfaction in destroying our reputations.

Good luck keeping good people in this field.

It's a sinking ship and has been for quite some time now.

I have been a teacher for 20 years and am here to tell you this: You are doing it wrong.

Of course our vacations during the school year are paid.

During the summer we are not, because we are not 12-month employees. You are free to work in the summer, as I do. I tutor from time to time.

It is not necessary to be at work at 6AM. You are not working efficiently if you do this. Nor are you working efficiently if you take home boatloads of work with you.

I love teaching. I love working for and in my community, love seeing kids grow and learn with my help. But I also love summers, snow days, school vacations and weekends. I love our excellent benefits, sick leave, medical and dental coverage, retirement plan.

My DH is a lawyer. Believe me, we do not work anywhere near as hard as lawyers do. And if you, I repeat: You are doing it wrong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because teachers are a sacred cow. Just watch how many people are going to jump on you for asking this question.

Teachers are paid very fairly (on par with most other well-paid professionals when you compare hour-to-hour), have great work schedules, and good job stability. I am sick of their martyrdom and everyone else's putting them on a pedestal.

I am a teacher and I agree. I don't need a staff appreciation lunch - I can feed myself like any other worker does.

I'm a teacher and I also agree. A full week of it (full of cookies, treats, etc) is quite overwhelming. I do like the lunch though I must admit. Our parents go above and beyond and it does make me feel appreciated. Our staff looks forward to it.
I feel like after 15 years in I make a decent salary for the time I put in. I wouldn't want to be a teacher many other places though, the pay is terrible. I am very grateful for my salary, benefits and retirement that I get through the county.....and my snow days as well

You guys are awesome. I think a once a year organized "thank you" luncheon is nice - but it's the 4, 5, 6 times a year we're expected to contribute to a gift, bring in dessert, bring in meals for a full week, etc that just get insane. And I know it isn't teachers organizing or requesting that, but it's the culture of "teachers are underpaid, under appreciated, overworked, and are on a pedestal" from other parents that drive the excess.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Also, if you have an idea for staff appreciate that doesn't involve food, speak up. I'm sure someone at your school who tries to think of these things would love the help.

I love office supplies! Especially cute binder clips, pens etc. most schools have very limited supplies of even the basics under lock and key.

[Anonymous]

The teacher on here makes more than I do as an associate professor and her pension plan is better. She should buy me a pie!

[Anonymous]

These things are optional. Most teachers aren't keeping track.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why do PTSAs demand pies for teachers on Pi Day, and on staff appreciation day and on ... . Well, you get my drift. I see this at a school where many kids are supposedly without the means to have a good meal. So, teachers why don't you tell our PTSA people to make a difference by feeding the needy?

I just don't see this as an either/or. My schools PTA plans many free evening family events at the school, that all can enjoy without having to pay an admission fee. My PTA also supports programs like coat donations, holiday baskets, and programs that provide food to families over long weekends and school breaks, knowing that for some families it's a struggle to feed their kids when they aren't going to school and getting the free breakfast and free lunch.

My PTA also supports things like staff appreciation lunches. We often work to get in-kind donations from local eateries, and similar types of contributions, so it doesn't take up too much or the PTA annual budget. People also can choose to contribute not with money, but with time, perhaps baking cookies or volunteering to help pick up and deliver food to the school or help with clean up. People do this because we want to, because we are grateful for the people who spend so much time with our children, and do so much for our children.

At the risk of alienating folks with a religious reference...
Paraphrasing mightily here but there is a passage in the Bible where a woman spends money to buy expensive oil to bathe Jesus's feet. An apostle chastises the woman for spending that money when she could have given it to the poor. Jesus then admonishes the apostle, pointing out that there will always be poor unfortunate people, and while we should always remember them and help them, that did not mean we needed to refrain from moments of pleasure or giving honor or praise those we care about.
(Full disclosure: while I regularly attend church and do read the bible, my memory of this passage comes chiefly from Jesus Christ Superstar, but I still think it's relevant!)

[Anonymous]

Tose folks living below poverty level all have i phones, flat tv's. gaming consoles and good snaekers! They may be on welfare and WIC but they are doing ok. They can contribute 2-5 bucks for a teacher who works their ass off to educate their kid (wo is likely here illegally). All it means is one less super size Mickey D's meal for a day!