FCPS teacher salaries--pathetic

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

average salary is 62K divided by 1552 hours (194 days) = 318/day divided by 8 hours = 40/hour. Actually more because teachers get personal days, as well. So, again, teachers why are you complaining? In a traditional office job this would be 80K/year. 40/hour is a decent wage even without COL!!!!

You realize that starting salary is not 62K, right? Starting salary is more like 48 K (14K less). You also realize that teachers pay into the VRS and a local retirement system as well as having deductions for other benefits. If a teacher has a student loan to pay back and is trying to live in Fairfax County, this is not a king's ransom. We're talking about a person who has a college degree here. Many people who do blue collar work make more than 48K. If a teacher works summer school, they might make 3-4K more. This is not big money. Teachers are not getting rich.

Nor are any teachers I know working only 8 hour days. Most do planning after school or on weekends when they're not grading papers or tests.

I would love some of these people who think teachers have it made try to do the job for a week. The vast majority of you wouldn't last.

Teachers do you get behind other professions that aren't making their fair share? How about all of the other non-teacher government employees? We never even hear about their pay freezes. Teacher pay needs to be looked at, but there are greater needs now within FCPS. They system needs more schools, many buildings are deteriorating, class sizes are growing, and there are children with many many needs, and teachers with not enough hours in the day to handle all of them. Can't you see teacher salaries as one item of a big picture of funding and not THE ONLY reason for providing more funding for schools?

No one said teacher salaries were the only reason schools need funding. Stop being simplistic. Read the budget or Garza's letter and you'll see that she addresses class sizes, ESOL, etc. But the fact that a rich county like this can't afford to pay it's teachers at the level of other area schools is ridiculous -- particularly given the gargantuan class sizes we're expecting them to handle.

Again, it appears the only thing that will work is a noticeable deterioration of the school system and it's reputation. When people's houses start losing value because know one wants to come here to have their kids jammed into classes like sardines and taught by overworked, underpaid teachers, perhaps then Fairfax County residents will wise up. Until then I have very little sympathy for all the whining and demanding from parents in this area. Everyone wants their children to be challenged and taught at their level and learning Chinese in elementary school, but God forbid anyone is asked to chip in for it. You don't get cadillac schools or teachers for peanuts.

And actually OP did point to the fact that teacher salaries were more important than anything else. It's one piece of many issues with the schools and to me it's not the most important. I've even seen posters saying FCPS teachers haven't gotten a raise in over 7 years. That's just not even true! So tired of teachers only supporting this initiative. You never see them talk about ANYTHING else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

average salary is 62K divided by 1552 hours (194 days) = 318/day divided by 8 hours = 40/hour. Actually more because teachers get personal days, as well. So, again, teachers why are you complaining? In a traditional office job this would be 80K/year. 40/hour is a decent wage even without COL!!!!

You realize that starting salary is not 62K, right? Starting salary is more like 48 K (14K less). You also realize that teachers pay into the VRS and a local retirement system as well as having deductions for other benefits. If a teacher has a student loan to pay back and is trying to live in Fairfax County, this is not a king's ransom. We're talking about a person who has a college degree here. Many people who do blue collar work make more than 48K. If a teacher works summer school, they might make 3-4K more. This is not big money. Teachers are not getting rich.

Nor are any teachers I know working only 8 hour days. Most do planning after school or on weekends when they're not grading papers or tests.

I would love some of these people who think teachers have it made try to do the job for a week. The vast majority of you wouldn't last.

Teachers do you get behind other professions that aren't making their fair share? How about all of the other non-teacher government employees? We never even hear about their pay freezes. Teacher pay needs to be looked at, but there are greater needs now within FCPS. They system needs more schools, many buildings are deteriorating, class sizes are growing, and there are children with many many needs, and teachers with not enough hours in the day to handle all of them. Can't you see teacher salaries as one item of a big picture of funding and not THE ONLY reason for providing more funding for schools?

No one said teacher salaries were the only reason schools need funding. Stop being simplistic. Read the budget or Garza's letter and you'll see that she addresses class sizes, ESOL, etc. But the fact that a rich county like this can't afford to pay it's teachers at the level of other area schools is ridiculous -- particularly given the gargantuan class sizes we're expecting them to handle.

Again, it appears the only thing that will work is a noticeable deterioration of the school system and it's reputation. When people's houses start losing value because know one wants to come here to have their kids jammed into classes like sardines and taught by overworked, underpaid teachers, perhaps then Fairfax County residents will wise up. Until then I have very little sympathy for all the whining and demanding from parents in this area. Everyone wants their children to be challenged and taught at their level and learning Chinese in elementary school, but God forbid anyone is asked to chip in for it. You don't get cadillac schools or teachers for peanuts.

And actually OP did point to the fact that teacher salaries were more important than anything else. It's one piece of many issues with the schools and to me it's not the most important. I've even seen posters saying FCPS teachers haven't gotten a raise in over 7 years. That's just not even true! So tired of teachers only supporting this initiative. You never see them talk about ANYTHING else.

Are you the Fairfax County employee who posted earlier about not getting raises while teachers have been getting raises? You do realize that many of the posts here in support of teacher raises are not from teachers but are from parents? So your statement about them never talking about ANYTHING else might be off base since much of the stuff you might be attributing to them wasn't from a teacher.

[Anonymous]

I think teachers just feel the need to defend themselves, so it comes across as not caring about anything else.

Believe me, we are screaming and crying to admin and gatehouse that we need classroom resources, class sizes, pacing guide changes...but since no one is saying, "Your class sizes are great, shut up and deal", I don't feel the need to constantly say to the public, "No, you don't understand...they really are too big to be effective with low level learners."

Trust me though, the conversations absolutely are happening behind the scenes in staff meetings, teacher forums, and county wide staff surveys.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think teachers just feel the need to defend themselves, so it comes across as not caring about anything else.

Believe me, we are screaming and crying to admin and gatehouse that we need classroom resources, class sizes, pacing guide changes...but since no one is saying, "Your class sizes are great, shut up and deal", I don't feel the need to constantly say to the public, "No, you don't understand...they really are too big to be effective with low level learners."

Trust me though, the conversations absolutely are happening behind the scenes in staff meetings, teacher forums, and county wide staff surveys.

And I guess my point is why pay teachers more when they already can't do their job effectively. Fix the problems that allow them to do their job effectively first. Paying teachers more at this point won't result in better teaching. There are underlying issues that prohibit teachers from teaching well despite how much money they make.

[Anonymous]

Has FCPS done a study on why teachers leave and how many this even amounts to be? The National Center for Education Statistics has done this and has tried to break it up into different reasons for leaving as well. FCPS should start there.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/local/wp/2015/04/30/study-new-teacher-attrition-is-lower-than-previously-thought/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Montgomery is only 5k more. Whatever. Teachers make a darn good salary when one considers their hours and days of work. Actual work. The teacher workdays are a joke.

And lets not forget 3 months summer vacation, 2 weeks at Christmas, a week a spring break, etc etc.

There's no summer pay. Christmas is a week and a day. Spring break is a week.

I have worked as a translator, a teacher and an administrator.

The most depleting job is being a teacher. Besides, on the days I teach, I am at work for at least 10 hours (lot and lots of prep) but only get paid for 8 hours.

[Anonymous]

Really? 8-6? BS. Stop complaining! You make 40/hour in 10 years and guaranteed PTO plus benefits. More than most in our region with 4 years and a grad degree. Your contact us 1550 hours. All workers take work home...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Has FCPS done a study on why teachers leave and how many this even amounts to be? The National Center for Education Statistics has done this and has tried to break it up into different reasons for leaving as well. FCPS should start there.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/local/wp/2015/04/30/study-new-teacher-attrition-is-lower-than-previously-thought/

Ummm, this article shows a very low attrition rate. It actually makes the case for lower pay. You might want to find a different reference.

[Anonymous]

Ummm, this article shows a very low attrition rate. It actually makes the case for lower pay. You might want to find a different reference.

+10000

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Taxes need to go up in Virginia. That is the short answer.

Fuck off back to New York. Oh wait, you can't, high taxes there drove away your former employer, so now there are no jobs for you there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm not saying we shouldn't pay teachers more, but...
I have those same qualifications and make a full-time salary a little less than depicted on the chart.

I work in the public sector.

I have the same qualifications and was making about what is on the chart, in IT. Most teachers are women, and most women are underpaid. This is just another example of women being underpaid.

[Anonymous]

And I presume you're working more than 194 days a year? You're underpaid or teachers are overpaid, but not the same.

[Anonymous]

I worked as an attorney for a Wall Street based firm. As a second career I became an elementary school teacher. For those who cite 35 hour work weeks you have no idea. I worked 7:30 to 6 weekdays and at least four hours on weekends. The pay for FCPS was/is pathetic and I made more as a first year associate in 1988 then I made as a teacher with a masters plus thirty in 2013. Society is fortunate that so many people are willing to give up money because they love working with, and teaching kids.

[Anonymous]

I am pp and I am a male.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

average salary is 62K divided by 1552 hours (194 days) = 318/day divided by 8 hours = 40/hour. Actually more because teachers get personal days, as well. So, again, teachers why are you complaining? In a traditional office job this would be 80K/year. 40/hour is a decent wage even without COL!!!!

You realize that starting salary is not 62K, right? Starting salary is more like 48 K (14K less). You also realize that teachers pay into the VRS and a local retirement system as well as having deductions for other benefits. If a teacher has a student loan to pay back and is trying to live in Fairfax County, this is not a king's ransom. We're talking about a person who has a college degree here. Many people who do blue collar work make more than 48K. If a teacher works summer school, they might make 3-4K more. This is not big money. Teachers are not getting rich.

Nor are any teachers I know working only 8 hour days. Most do planning after school or on weekends when they're not grading papers or tests.

I would love some of these people who think teachers have it made try to do the job for a week. The vast majority of you wouldn't last.

Teachers do you get behind other professions that aren't making their fair share? How about all of the other non-teacher government employees? We never even hear about their pay freezes. Teacher pay needs to be looked at, but there are greater needs now within FCPS. They system needs more schools, many buildings are deteriorating, class sizes are growing, and there are children with many many needs, and teachers with not enough hours in the day to handle all of them. Can't you see teacher salaries as one item of a big picture of funding and not THE ONLY reason for providing more funding for schools?

No one said teacher salaries were the only reason schools need funding. Stop being simplistic. Read the budget or Garza's letter and you'll see that she addresses class sizes, ESOL, etc. But the fact that a rich county like this can't afford to pay it's teachers at the level of other area schools is ridiculous -- particularly given the gargantuan class sizes we're expecting them to handle.

Again, it appears the only thing that will work is a noticeable deterioration of the school system and it's reputation. When people's houses start losing value because know one wants to come here to have their kids jammed into classes like sardines and taught by overworked, underpaid teachers, perhaps then Fairfax County residents will wise up. Until then I have very little sympathy for all the whining and demanding from parents in this area. Everyone wants their children to be challenged and taught at their level and learning Chinese in elementary school, but God forbid anyone is asked to chip in for it. You don't get cadillac schools or teachers for peanuts.

And actually OP did point to the fact that teacher salaries were more important than anything else. It's one piece of many issues with the schools and to me it's not the most important. I've even seen posters saying FCPS teachers haven't gotten a raise in over 7 years. That's just not even true! So tired of teachers only supporting this initiative. You never see them talk about ANYTHING else.

Are you the Fairfax County employee who posted earlier about not getting raises while teachers have been getting raises? You do realize that many of the posts here in support of teacher raises are not from teachers but are from parents? So your statement about them never talking about ANYTHING else might be off base since much of the stuff you might be attributing to them wasn't from a teacher.

No I am not a Fairfax city employee and I was responding to someone at least claiming to be a teacher