Fairfax public schools - pay freeze for teachers again?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:$60K a year with great benefits and off for the summer? sign me up. I took a $50K paycut already this year, and I work 12 months a year.

I do not think that most of you are weighing how demanding, challenging and stressful it is to work with children. Thank heavens there are people who have the skills to do this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:$60K a year with great benefits and off for the summer? sign me up. I took a $50K paycut already this year, and I work 12 months a year.

I do not think that most of you are weighing how demanding, challenging and stressful it is to work with children. Thank heavens there are people who have the skills to do this.

you are probably right that there are easier jobs, like a lot of govt jobs in this area, but most professional jobs are way more stressful with way more hours.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:$60K a year with great benefits and off for the summer? sign me up. I took a $50K paycut already this year, and I work 12 months a year.

I do not think that most of you are weighing how demanding, challenging and stressful it is to work with children. Thank heavens there are people who have the skills to do this.

you are probably right that there are easier jobs, like a lot of govt jobs in this area, but most professional jobs are way more stressful with way more hours.

I am not so sure about this. Years ago when I was single and in the corporte world, I thought about giving up on corporate stress and going back to school to get a teaching certificate. When my child got to school (I am the poster who volunteered in the classrooom extensively) I was so glad that I didn't!! I guess it is all about what stresses you, but I found the kids and the parents (!!!) so stressful to deal with. I do not know how teachers deal with all of the BS.

[Anonymous]

Yeah, well, I work with adults that ACT like children. I'm expected to respond to the blackberry in off hours and even have had to take it on vacations. It's a different hard than what a teacher does, but it is hard.

The thing is, I respect teachers. I do think that they should be paid more than we pay them. But, I also do not think they should be paid more when everyone is taking a hit. Plus, teachers have great job security, retirement and benefits.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
The thing is, I respect teachers. I do think that they should be paid more than we pay them. But, I also do not think they should be paid more when everyone is taking a hit. Plus, teachers have great job security, retirement and benefits.

I agree completely. Teachers do not get paid as well as they should, but in this economy, I think it is fair what their salaries/benefits/security are.

[Anonymous]

I don't see how anyone really can think they deserve a COL raise when we are in a deflationary economy and pricies are going DOWN, including groceries. Housing is down, interest rates are down, gas is down or at least flat, so the cost of living is actually lower than what is was last year.

Nothing is up, except probably healthcare. Can anyone thing of something that is more expensive than last year? I even have heating oil in my house and that is cheaper.

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20091004/D9B4D6C01.html

[Anonymous]

I'm a teacher, and I think I can make do on my 52,000 k a year. Not cushy, but certainly doable, and completely reasonable given the economy right now. You just have to cut back and do simple things. I hope we do get a raise when times are better, though. (I don't have kids, which makes it a lot easier for me. I can't speak for those with kids...) As for if we *deserve* a raise: For those who say it is so easy, we may not work 12 months a year (and btw, teachers usually fight over summer school jobs, but summer school is cut to save money lately), but many of us work from 6:30 am to 5 pm during the school year, with some evenings for conferences too. Being a good teacher is so much more than being great in the classroom. It means taking time to plan, give good feedback on student work and really looking closely at 120 + papers, making phone calls to parents, meeting with other teachers, helping students after school...etc. All of this while half of the class views you as a prison guard rather than a teacher. If you say "sign me up," I dare you to try it for a year! _Then_ tell me if you think we deserve a raise or not.

[Anonymous]

Why did you revive a thread which is a year old? You did not have anything amazing to contribute.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Spouse of FCPS teacher here. What everyone has to remember is that teachers never get to take advantage of the "good times." Teacher pay is atrocious all the time, even when everyone else's bonuses are rolling in. Don't make teachers make yet another sacrifice. That is why the teachers are getting out of the profession. Parent should consider who they want teaching their kids. It is hard to afford to live in this area on $60,000 a year.

Isn't that for 9 months of work though?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a teacher, and I think I can make do on my 52,000 k a year. Not cushy, but certainly doable, and completely reasonable given the economy right now. You just have to cut back and do simple things. I hope we do get a raise when times are better, though. (I don't have kids, which makes it a lot easier for me. I can't speak for those with kids...) As for if we *deserve* a raise: For those who say it is so easy, we may not work 12 months a year (and btw, teachers usually fight over summer school jobs, but summer school is cut to save money lately), but many of us work from 6:30 am to 5 pm during the school year, with some evenings for conferences too. Being a good teacher is so much more than being great in the classroom. It means taking time to plan, give good feedback on student work and really looking closely at 120 + papers, making phone calls to parents, meeting with other teachers, helping students after school...etc. All of this while half of the class views you as a prison guard rather than a teacher. If you say "sign me up," I dare you to try it for a year! _Then_ tell me if you think we deserve a raise or not.

So why do you choose to teach?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Spouse of FCPS teacher here. What everyone has to remember is that teachers never get to take advantage of the "good times." Teacher pay is atrocious all the time, even when everyone else's bonuses are rolling in. Don't make teachers make yet another sacrifice. That is why the teachers are getting out of the profession. Parent should consider who they want teaching their kids. It is hard to afford to live in this area on $60,000 a year.

Isn't that for 9 months of work though?

10 months actually. We work from the end of August until the end of June.

[Anonymous]

My spouse teaches in MCPS and we are in the same position. I didn't get a raise last year, either.

I know we should both be grateful for having jobs at all, but really, this is getting very old.

[Anonymous]

I do not think pay freezes are reasonable. I think we should be paying more in taxes to pay our teachers. But, I am a parent, and a Dem at that. Other residents don't seem to feel the same way. Happy to pay taxes for things that are important to me, like education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:$60K a year with great benefits and off for the summer? sign me up. I took a $50K paycut already this year, and I work 12 months a year.

And as a teacher I'm to feel sorry for you b/c you probably once earned over $100K?

I don't.

[Anonymous]

And you got to where you are now b/c of incompetent teachers, I assume?

quite the ignorant statement coming from one - I assume - who's educated

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a teacher, and I think I can make do on my 52,000 k a year. Not cushy, but certainly doable, and completely reasonable given the economy right now. You just have to cut back and do simple things. I hope we do get a raise when times are better, though. (I don't have kids, which makes it a lot easier for me. I can't speak for those with kids...) As for if we *deserve* a raise: For those who say it is so easy, we may not work 12 months a year (and btw, teachers usually fight over summer school jobs, but summer school is cut to save money lately), but many of us work from 6:30 am to 5 pm during the school year, with some evenings for conferences too. Being a good teacher is so much more than being great in the classroom. It means taking time to plan, give good feedback on student work and really looking closely at 120 + papers, making phone calls to parents, meeting with other teachers, helping students after school...etc. All of this while half of the class views you as a prison guard rather than a teacher. If you say "sign me up," I dare you to try it for a year! _Then_ tell me if you think we deserve a raise or not.

So why do you choose to teach?