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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I make less than my kid's teachers. We are in DCPS and teachers are well compensated here compared to other places. Are they well compensated compared to doctors and lawyers? No, but neither am I (I'm a librarian, spouse is in public service similar to teaching). Yes, this area is expensive. Guess what, it's expensive for me, too.

I actually still gave teachers gift cards the first few years because it felt compulsory. But I stopped, because it makes no sense. I write heartfelt thank you notes to teachers. That is gratitude. I also pay my taxes, which I think entitled my kid to public school without an obligation to "tip" teachers.

If this offends you, me don't care. [/quote]

I’m not offended but I would just remind you that other kids in your kids class are still gifting cash/cards.

Teachers are human. One piece of advice I was given when my daughter started daycare (from a retired daycare provider) was always make sure to send your kid with a dry diaper, clean clothes, and a washed face. Because if a teacher has time to wash one face or change one diaper, they will pick the kid whose parent is on top of that. That same logic underpins my decision about who gets financial appreciation.[/quote]

So the cash/gift card is a bribe to ensure my child gets necessary care and attention at school? Does amount make a difference too? So the parent who sends $50 in cash will get better "service" fir their kid than the one who sends a $5 gift card?

So it's like tipping so the waiter doesn't spit in your food. [/quote]

Yes.  I don’t understand why school administrators even allow this.  It’s insane.  I’m not even allowed to give cash, gift cards, or gifts to my kids’ sleepaway camp counselors at the end of session.  Yet [b]teachers that make above national average[/b], for far fewer hours and every single holiday off, can accept cash and gifts from families? [/quote]

People do realize that they make above the national average because this is a HCOL area, right?  It's not like they're taking that $74k back to Tuscaloosa each night and living like kings.[/quote]

The point is they have a fair salary.

I’m a teacher, and I’m going to be honest: you are WAY off on your assessment of my job.

I regularly work over 60 hours a week, reaching 70 if I recently assigned an essay. I stay home on weekends and work while my husband entertains my kids. And the summer? I’m attending trainings, working on curriculum writing, or prepping for the next year…. all for free since I don’t get paid for summer months.

I’m not complaining about my pay, but I will certainly speak up when somebody misrepresents my job. I earn every penny with hard work that some people (apparently) aren’t even aware teachers do.

And that’s why I don’t like this thread: I don’t want cash or gift cards because I don’t want this sort of debate to start… whether teachers are “worth it” or should get appreciation.

You know what I really want? Just to be respected for the job I do. That’s all. I don’t even need a thanks for doing my job; just don’t misrepresent my profession. [/quote]

DP. Nothing you said refutes the point of the poster above you. You don’t work any harder than any other professional working more than 40 hours a week making $90,000 or less. And there are thousands of them, especially in this town.

You do, however, sound a lot more entitled.[/quote]

So… writing that I don’t require cards, gifts, or even appreciation makes me entitled? Okay. We clearly have different definitions.

And did I compare my job to others? No, I did not. I don’t know others’ jobs, so I wouldn’t make presumptions. That’s RESPECT. I simply corrected somebody else’s assumption about MY job, and I’d do it again.

See: I asked for basic respect and it was too hard for you to give. That’s why I hate these threads. [/quote]

“Respect” doesn’t mean going along with your make-believe version of reality. No one forces you onto these threads to hear the truth. Believing people must adhere to your fantasy is, in fact, entitled.[/quote]

Just so I understand: my work hours are “make believe” because they don’t fit with your “reality” that teachers don’t work hard? I am requiring people to adhere to my “fantasy” that teaching can take long hours? I’m “entitled” because I, as the teacher, corrected someone who thinks they know my job… when they don’t?

Thank you for illustrating my point. I don’t ask for thanks, money, gift cards, or higher pay. I ask for quiet respect, which in this case simply looks like not misrepresenting my job. Thank you for illustrating why teachers so often hate these threads. [/quote]

These threads are for parents. It isn’t important if teachers hate them.

No one said teachers don’t have long hours. They said long hours are extremely common and teachers have more vacation than others working long hours. That’s true. Defining “respect” as pretending they don’t is entitled.[/quote]

This is what was posted upthread:

“Especially considering it is far fewer hours worked than any other job. They have the entire summer and every holiday off for days/week at a time. Plenty of people with degrees are making 90k or less and have to work over 40 hrs per week, all year long, with maybe 2 weeks vacation. Teachers dont work harder than anyone else.  Few are actually making and teaching their own lessons and material.  So no, I don’t feel compelled to leave them cash in an envelope”

All I did was state that statement is untrue. And guess what? That statement ISN’T TRUE! You really want to tell me I work “far fewer hours” than “any other job”? Really? And I don’t work harder than “anyone” else? And “the entire summer”‘off… to pay for my own recertification classes and do free curriculum writing?

So don’t tell me that this is what respect looks like. Because it’s not.

Here’s what respect would have looked like:
“I’m sorry. I wrote that in frustration. I’m sure teachers work hard, too.”

That would have been a stretch though, right? To show a modicum of respect to a teacher? [/quote]

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