Just Go Away Teacher Unions!...

[Jroc]

2/3rds of Detroit Public Schools 300 million dollar budget defecit! are personel costs
they planning are close half of all the schools making class size 60 students per class! Teachers unions are a big part of the problem.

Detroit appears to be one of the first municipalities to finally be addressing the education problem, and debt hole it has become. With teacher pensions and union contracts continuing to grow as the economy slides downward, this department must be addressed in every city, otherwise the alternatives are massive cuts, or city bankruptcy

.


Detroit's budget woes lead to school closings and not paying utility bills - National Finance Examiner | Examiner.com

 

[waynefromaitkin]

Kudos to new Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker!

More brave Politicians need to start standing up to the corrupt Teacher Unions. The Teacher Unions have brought our Public School System to its knees. It has become all about them. It's all about getting that cash for them. They don't care about the kids anymore. They also only want to force their politics and social experimenting on the kids at this point. Their number one goal these last few decades has been to brainwash the children and create good little future adult Democrats. They stopped teaching the kids the basics of Education a long time ago.

Teacher Unions now only do far more harm than they do good. It's time for them to go away. The Public School System will be so much better off when they're gone. The Kids could actually start learning again. American kids continue to fall further & further behind other far less developed and less wealthy nations. I do blame the Teacher Unions for this. They have become too obsessed with the cash and creating good little future adult Democrats. They have lost their way. Get rid of the Teacher Unions and our Public School System might just be salvaged.

this I will disagree with you on. The administration will play these techers like a bounsing ball. alway hire the newly graduated teachers and fire the old skill ones. [cost you know]

 

[LibocalypseNow]

Teacher Unions are part of the problem,not the solution. If the Governor can show that they are currently violating their agreement with the Wisconsin Government,he may be able to legally fire them. It's not something i want to see happen but the Teacher Unions aren't giving the guy much choice.

 

[mudwhistle]

Kudos to new Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker!

More brave Politicians need to start standing up to the corrupt Teacher Unions. The Teacher Unions have brought our Public School System to its knees. It has become all about them. It's all about getting that cash for them. They don't care about the kids anymore. They also only want to force their politics and social experimenting on the kids at this point. Their number one goal these last few decades has been to brainwash the children and create good little future adult Democrats. They stopped teaching the kids the basics of Education a long time ago.

Teacher Unions now only do far more harm than they do good. It's time for them to go away. The Public School System will be so much better off when they're gone. The Kids could actually start learning again. American kids continue to fall further & further behind other far less developed and less wealthy nations. I do blame the Teacher Unions for this. They have become too obsessed with the cash and creating good little future adult Democrats. They have lost their way. Get rid of the Teacher Unions and our Public School System might just be able to be salvaged.

How much time have YOU spend in the classroom Libo?

Didn't you mean "spent"? I don't think "spend" goes well in this sentence.

Not spend or spent but invest.

 

[Foxfyre]

How much time have YOU spend in the classroom Libo?

Didn't you mean "spent"? I don't think "spend" goes well in this sentence.

Not spend or spent but invest.

"Invest" in Obamaspeak too often looks more like payoff, bribe, soliciation, cronyism, and/or unholy alliances.

I would really like to see all that not involve our schools.

 

[Foxfyre]

After listening, watching, and reading up on everything I could find on this over the last few days, I think this is the problem:

For decades now, politicians, probably both Democrat and Republican, have been negotiating contracts with public employees. Politicians often need the votes of those public employees to get themselves elected or to get certain initiatives passed. So when wage and benefits negotiations come around, it was all too easy for those politicians to agree to increases in wages and benefits on down the road. It wouldn't affect their immediate budgets and wouldn't kick in until they had had their last election or were out of office. (Sort of like the most onerous and objectionable parts of Obamacare are not scheduled to kick in until after the 2012 election or that if everything he has gotten is allowed to stand, he has added $8 trillion to the deficit over the next ten years.)

Well all those promises that didn't affect anybody immediately have now ripened and come home to roost at the state levels. It would be wonderful to give public employees cadillac wages and benefits, but the fact is the taxpayers have to come up with the money to do that. And the unfunded entitlements have now surpassed the ability of the taxpayers to do it.

If the unions won't willingly renegotiate unsustainable contracts, then the only alternative is for the feds to pass a law allowing the states to declare bankruptcy, bust the unions, and start over with sustainable policy.

 

[mudwhistle]

After listening, watching, and reading up on everything I could find on this over the last few days, I think this is the problem:

For decades now, politicians, probably both Democrat and Republican, have been negotiating contracts with public employees. Politicians often need the votes of those public employees to get themselves elected or to get certain initiatives passed. So when wage and benefits negotiations come around, it was all too easy for those politicians to agree to increases in wages and benefits on down the road. It wouldn't affect their immediate budgets and wouldn't kick in until they had had their last election or were out of office. (Sort of like the most onerous and objectionable parts of Obamacare are not scheduled to kick in until after the 2012 election or that if everything he has gotten is allowed to stand, he has added $8 trillion to the deficit over the next ten years.)

Well all those promises that didn't affect anybody immediately have now ripened and come home to roost at the state levels. It would be wonderful to give public employees cadillac wages and benefits, but the fact is the taxpayers have to come up with the money to do that. And the unfunded entitlements have now surpassed the ability of the taxpayers to do it.

If the unions won't willingly renegotiate unsustainable contracts, then the only alternative is for the feds to pass a law allowing the states to declare bankruptcy, bust the unions, and start over with sustainable policy.

Figure the odds on that happening. The Dems will never allow that to happen. They'll lose all of their credibility. No, the unions are too big to fail.

It's one thing to negotiate with these people and yet another to use our money to pay for it. Obama has stuck the states with massive bills. Unemployment insurance is paid by the state and he promised them he would bail them out. Looks like it's not gonna pass. Now he's trying to cause the states to go deeper into debt by supporting their unions. He's painted himself into a corner and he's trying to look good. Maybe he figures it will help him in the election.

 

[LibocalypseNow]

And those Doctors who handed out those excuse notes to the crowd should be fully investigated and their licences should be re-examined. At the very least it was very unethical on their part.

 

[Wicked Jester]

And those Doctors who handed out those excuse notes to the crowd should be fully investigated and their licences should be re-examined. At the very least it was very unethical on their part.

And guess where those doctors are based...........University of Wisconsin.

It's definitely unethical, and should go to the state medical board for investigation

It's definitely fraudulent, and should go to the state AG office for criminal prosecution.

 

[Bern80]

Teachers have it pretty good compared to many other occupations. Yet Teachers seem to do the most whining & complaining. They get all weekends off,several weeks of paid Holiday time off,and they get their Summers off. That just doesn't seem so horrible. Of all professions,Teachers by far do the most whining & complaining. Look around America and see how many Americans enjoy all weekends off,several weeks of paid Holiday time off,and entire Summers off. So Teachers do have it pretty good. They need to slow down on their whiny greed. It does come down to the Teacher Unions in the end. They force their members to whine & complain so much. Give em the boot and our Schools might just recover.

Teachers earn far less on average than non-teachers with the same level of education required for the job.

Probably because that education is put to actual use far less than a non-teacher. Lib, is right. The education of a teacher isn't the only variable that determines their income. They work less than damn near everyone else and they have the nerve to comoplain that they aren't paid as much as someone else?

 

[LibocalypseNow]

Give me a flippin break! All Weekends off,Several weeks of paid Holiday Time off,and entire Summers off? Man,Teachers do have it pretty good. If you don't believe me,just look around this Country and see for yourself how many American Workers enjoy those kinds of benefits. Teachers just bitch way too much. Most people don't have so much sympathy for them anymore. Most Americans are far too busy working 6-Day work-weeks & Holidays to have sympathy for Teachers. These Teachers in Wisconsin need to quit their bitchin and just get back to work. The Kids deserve better than this.

 

[LibocalypseNow]

Teachers even had a paid day off today for President's Day. I got news for you,most other American Workers had to show up for work today. So spare me all your whining Teachers. You got it pretty damn good. Now get back to work. The Kids need you.

 

[Annie]

And those Doctors who handed out those excuse notes to the crowd should be fully investigated and their licences should be re-examined. At the very least it was very unethical on their part.

And guess where those doctors are based...........University of Wisconsin.

It's definitely unethical, and should go to the state medical board for investigation

It's definitely fraudulent, and should go to the state AG office for criminal prosecution.

They showed up over and over again in both media and print, now they are being investigated:

News: Statement Regarding UW Health Physicians, UW Health, University of Wisconsin Hospital, Madison

Statement Regarding UW Health Physicians

UW HealthThere are reports on both social media and news websites that a number of UW Health physicians were signing "medical excuse" notes for protesters at the Capitol on Feb. 19. This involves a few individuals out of the nearly 1,300 physicians at UW Health.

These UW Health physicians were acting on their own and without the knowledge or approval of UW Health. These charges are very serious and in response, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health and University of Wisconsin Medical Foundation, the UW Health entities that employ the physicians, have immediately launched an investigation of the reported behavior.

The investigation will identify which UW Health physicians were involved and whether their behavior constituted violations of medical ethics or University of Wisconsin and UW Health policies and work rules. The investigation and any potential future action will follow the established procedures of the University of Wisconsin. Any future disciplinary action taken will be considered a personnel matter and will be treated with the confidentiality required by University of Wisconsin policies.

Date Published: 02/21/2011

 

[Samson]

Give me a flippin break! All Weekends off,Several weeks of paid Holiday Time off,and entire Summers off? Man,Teachers do have it pretty good. If you don't believe me,just look around this Country and see for yourself how many American Workers enjoy those kinds of benefits. Teachers just bitch way too much. Most people don't have so much sympathy for them anymore. Most Americans are far too busy working 6-Day work-weeks & Holidays to have sympathy for Teachers. These Teachers in Wisconsin need to quit their bitchin and just get back to work. The Kids deserve better than this.

I agree: The best part of teaching is not working:

Fall Break: 1 week
Winter Break: 2 weeks
Spring Break: 1 week
Summer Break: 8 weeks

12 weeks!!!! And I'm not counting "Work Days" where kids don't show up at school, and all the various and sundry holidays (MLK's B'day, Easter, Columbus Day, etc., etc.)

 

[LibocalypseNow]

Give me a flippin break! All Weekends off,Several weeks of paid Holiday Time off,and entire Summers off? Man,Teachers do have it pretty good. If you don't believe me,just look around this Country and see for yourself how many American Workers enjoy those kinds of benefits. Teachers just bitch way too much. Most people don't have so much sympathy for them anymore. Most Americans are far too busy working 6-Day work-weeks & Holidays to have sympathy for Teachers. These Teachers in Wisconsin need to quit their bitchin and just get back to work. The Kids deserve better than this.

I agree: The best part of teaching is not working:

Fall Break: 1 week
Winter Break: 2 weeks
Spring Break: 1 week
Summer Break: 8 weeks

12 weeks!!!! And I'm not counting "Work Days" where kids don't show up at school, and all the various and sundry holidays (MLK's B'day, Easter, Columbus Day, etc., etc.)

Yes,Teachers enjoy benefits no other American Workers enjoy. They just do way too much Bitchin. If you're in it for the cash,then just get out and go look for another line of work. Teachers even had today off for President's Day. How many other American Workers were paid to be off today? I can assure you it wasn't many. Most had to show up for work today. These Wisconsin Teachers need to quit complaining and just get back to work. They don't have it so bad. It's just more greed and politics coming from them.

 

[Flopper]

Give me a flippin break! All Weekends off,Several weeks of paid Holiday Time off,and entire Summers off? Man,Teachers do have it pretty good. If you don't believe me,just look around this Country and see for yourself how many American Workers enjoy those kinds of benefits. Teachers just bitch way too much. Most people don't have so much sympathy for them anymore. Most Americans are far too busy working 6-Day work-weeks & Holidays to have sympathy for Teachers. These Teachers in Wisconsin need to quit their bitchin and just get back to work. The Kids deserve better than this.

I taught school for one year and it was the worst job I have ever had. The pay was crappy. The work was hard and the hours were long. Yes, I said the hours were long. Parents dropped their kids off at 8 and pick them up at 3 and said gee those teachers have got it made. They only have to work 7 hrs a day. To that I say BULL SHIT! It's more like 7:30 to 4:00, with hall monitoring, bus duty, chess club, and weekly staff meetings. Those hours would have been just fine if that was all, but every single night there were papers to grade, tests to prepare, lesson plans, student evaluations, state surveys, district surveys... Then there were the teacher parent conferences, PTA meetings, meetings with your curriculum supervisor, taking up tickets at basketball games. And that wonderful summer vacation with 3 months off, which was really only two months, I spent teaching summer school. That year, I think I had 7 days vacation.

I think what sent me out looking for a job was news that I had to buy all my classroom supplies out of my own pocket and there was only enough text books for for 22 students, when class was going to be over 30. After 1 year, I quit my $26,000/yr teaching job and took a job in industry at $40,000 with better benefits. After 5 years, I had a promotion and was making about $55,000. Had I stayed in the teaching job, I would have been making about $30,000 after 5 years. The only way to get a promotion as a teacher would have been to get a Master's Degree, which at time would have cost me $8,000 that I didn't have. The smartest move I ever made was getting out of teaching.

I really wish that every teacher in the country would walk off the job so people like you could give teaching a try and see just what an easy job it is.

 

[Oddball]

I wish they'd walk off the job too, and see what it's like to actually have to produce results to get paid.

 

[Flopper]

I wish they'd walk off the job too, and see what it's like to actually have to produce results to get paid.

Our approach to education in the US makes no sense. We acknowledge that without real improvements in education, the US will slip further and further behind other countries. But instead of looking for ways to bring better teachers into the field and retain them, we look for ways to discourage them by cutting benefits, freezing pay, and cutting positions.

In China a teacher is generally regarded as the most important member of the community. I saw a study a few years ago in which people in several US communities were asked to list the most important jobs in their community. The most important job in most communities turned out to be the garbage collector followed closely by policemen and firemen. Teachers generally fell somewhere between street cleaners and domestic help. As you might expect some communities pay teachers less than garbage collectors. They may have crappy teachers but they probably have great garbage service.

 

[LibocalypseNow]

Most people respect Teachers. They just don't respect the greedy political activist Teacher Unions. Personally,i do respect Teachers but i also think they complain too much. They receive some pretty nice benefits compared to many other professions in this country. Try working 6-Day Work-Weeks and Holidays. For example,most American Workers didn't have a paid day off today for President's Day. Most had to show up for work today. Many American Workers have it rough but none whine more than Teachers. They should stop all the complaining and focus more on helping the kids. If you're in it to get rich,then get the Hell out and go find another line of work. No one likes a whiner. It is what it is.

 

[Oddball]

I wish they'd walk off the job too, and see what it's like to actually have to produce results to get paid.

Our approach to education in the US makes no sense.

Very little that is run by gubmint does makes sense...Your point is?

We acknowledge that without real improvements in education, the US will slip further and further behind other countries. But instead of looking for ways to bring better teachers into the field and retain them, we look for ways to discourage them by cutting benefits, freezing pay, and cutting positions.

Who is "we"?...You got a turd in your pocket?

In China a teacher is generally regarded as the most important member of the community. I saw a study a few years ago in which people in several US communities were asked to list the most important jobs in their community. The most important job in most communities turned out to be the garbage collector followed closely by policemen and firemen. Teachers generally fell somewhere between street cleaners and domestic help. As you might expect some communities pay teachers less than garbage collectors. They may have crappy teachers but they probably have great garbage service.

In some communities garbage collectors have to actually compete with others for their business....Can't say the same for teachers in gubmint schools.