Victory: Wisconsin Teachers Just Voted to Disband Their Teachers Union

[Gadawg73]

1) That is your opinion on SS and I strongly disagree with it. I get a kick out of people saying that "if I was exempt I would save on my own". But the facts do not support your theory that people would do that. Bottom line? It ain't happening. Take away SS and you'll see welfare expenditures go through the roof.

Social Security Keeps 20 Million Americans Out of Poverty: ? Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

2) Do you realize just how much education spending would increase with "year round school"? You would probably see your property taxes increase nearly 40% since that's where most of your school funding comes from. Boy, you would sure see the right wingers screaming then!!!!

LOL, you do not like that fact goose so you label it an opinion!
HAHAHA, come on man, you can do better than that.

(What fact are you referring to?)

That fact is SUPPORTED by your post that it keeps Americans out of poverty. Many Americans do get a pant load more than they paid because THEY PAID VERY LITTLE IN.

(I was defending the existence of SS. One reason I did was because it does, in fact, keep Americans out of poverty as was supported by my link. So what's your point?)

Wrong again goose, 12 month schools will educate more literate adults. Sure, property taxes will go up round 10%. The schools are already there and built. We pay the teachers NO MORE to work a full year so where is your 40% figure coming from? Made up?

So you propose to keep teacher salaries the same and then try and force them to work beyond the 9 month salary that they currently get paid? AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN. (You DO realize that teacher salaries are based on a 9 month pay scale, right? Why do you suppose that you are getting professionals with Bachelors and Masters degrees so cheaply?)

40% was an estimate I came up with based on a 25% pay increase for teachers. You then add on 3 more months of bus drivers, increased wear and tear on busses and fuel, support staff such as coaches, secretaries and cafeteria workers, more food for lunches and additional utility costs to cool the buildings.

You do realize that there is more to a 12 month school year than simply sending children out the door, right? So that explains where my 40% tax increase comes from.

And believe me when I say that I am not opposed to year round school. In fact if it came to a vote I would support it. But I'm also realistic enough to know that it will come at a cost.

Now.....please explain 1) how you're going to get the teachers to work an extra 3 months without compensating them and 2) how you came up with your 10% figure.

Thanks for admitting that teachers do not work a full time job.

 

[Gadawg73]

Yup, Gadawag, that is your opinion and your opinion is not fact.

The average FULL TIME WORKER, that pays into the system for LIFE, gets less than a zero return on his social security payments.
Social security is an INSURANCE POLICY that pays you money every month IF YOU LIVE.
And if you become disabled and if you leave a spouse or young children.
There is NO account with your social security money in it.
Social security is a pay as you go system, there is no money saved for what you have paid in.
If you die with no spouse and grown kids your heirs receive NOTHING.

That is ALL FACT.
Also a fact that you did not know any of those facts.

 

[paulitician]

I will still waiting for Paulitician's backup of massive numbers of predator public teachers.

Where you been? Pick up a newspaper or watch the News once in awhile. Pervert Teachers are an awful plague on our Public School these days.

Sorry. Gotta do better than that. Back up you claim please or admit you're wrong.

Ignoring reality, doesn't mean you're right about anything. Pervert Teachers in our Public Schools has been a very disturbing trend for years. And shame on you and the Unions for protecting them so much.

 

[paulitician]

The only people "bitching and whining" are the wingnuts.

My wife doesn't complain about her 53k salary (even though with a Masters Degree she could probably make close to double that).

My wife doesn't complain about her 28k pension, no 401k and the fact that she cannot collect Social Security.

My wife doesn't complain about having to buy classroom supplies with her own money.

My wife doesn't complain about parents who demand that she spend all of her time with THEIR kid. (She's actually grateful for the parents who DO get involved in their kid's education.

My wife doesn't complain about losing her classroom aide (she teaches Special Education) due to school budget cuts even though she now has to help them use the toilet which takes away valuable teaching time from the rest of her students.

My wife's co-workers don't complain about the average low wages (about $15 an hour for degreed professionals).

They don't complain about staying up till 10pm grading papers after teaching all day.

All K-12 Teachers Wages, Hourly Wage Rate | PayScale

About the only thing she and her co-workers complain about is when clueless people call them overpaid leeches with golden parachute benefits.

You're 100% correct about one thing you said. "If Teaching isn't a passion, i would recommend doing something else". She is passionate about what she does. And why would you say that unless you recognize that they are overworked and underpaid?

For all of your "expertise" on the teaching profession I'll bet you have never been to one school board meeting, have never talked to a school board member or even any teacher, right?

Now please don't run away paulitician. Let's keep this dialogue going. Please detail what you base your opinions on....

All that, and you still managed to come off as a miserable whiner. Look, no one is forced to work for Taxpayer-funded Institutions. It's a choice. If you do make that choice, you have to accept the conditions. Taxpayers cannot provide Teachers with an endless flow of cash. That's just the way it is. You won't likely get rich working in the Public Sector. If you can't accept that, then move on and do something different. The Taxpayers are sick of all the endless whining. It is what it is.

Nope, wrong again my friend. The only people whining are the wingnuts.

You're talking out both sides of your mouth. On one hand you say that they have this incredible pay and benefit package from an "endless flow of cash". And then you turn around and say that teachers need to do it for around and say "If Teaching isn't a passion, i would recommend doing something else" and that they'll never get rich. So which is it?

And to top it off you try and say that the taxpayers are "sick of it" which is just another attempt to pass off as fact something you just made up.

When asked to evaluate the school their oldest child attends, an astonishing 77% give it an A or B. This is the highest rating in 20 years. Only 6% give it a D or F.

When asked whether they have trust and confidence in teachers, 71% said yes.

Analyzing the new PDK/Gallup poll on how Americans view public education - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

Now....wanna try again?

Teachers just overplayed their hand. Too much crying wolf. They have it pretty good. Much better than many professions in this country. And the Taxpayers are sick of the greed, endless whining, and political agendas. It's the Public Sector, it's not the Private Sector. These are Taxpayer-funded Institutions. And the funds are limited. Time for Teachers to accept that and quit all the bitchin & whining. Either do the job, or the don't. It's as simple as that.

 

[Steven_R]

Do they also want their children taught "creationism"?

Yup, that's the ones. They also teach that abstinence is the only form of birth control, gays are sub-human people, African Americans are ok as long as they're in their place and women do not belong in the workforce.

Those ideas have long been rejected by even the most conservative and whitest of Republicans.

Teaching intelligent Design (creationism) alongside of the equally ridiculous idea that things just evolved helter-skelter, haphazardly, would give a student a chance to compare philosophies and let him/her make up their own minds about it.

But as we all know, and have seen time after time, conservative thought is verboten in places of liberal indoctrination, laughingly called places of higher education, where long-haired punks like phony Indian Ward Churchill can spew all their hatred, but people like Ann Coulter and other conservatives are bombarded by pies and typical liberal intolerance.

Can we teach kids other nonsensical ideas while we're at it? Can we teach kids in civics the merits of Sovereign Citizen alongside discussion of the Constitution? Aids Denialism in Health? How the Jews and Bilderbergers run the world in History? The Four Humors in Health? The validity of Geocentrism in Earth Science?

Evolution is science. ID is Bronze Age superstition masquerading as science.

 

[DaGoose]

LOL, you do not like that fact goose so you label it an opinion!
HAHAHA, come on man, you can do better than that.

(What fact are you referring to?)

That fact is SUPPORTED by your post that it keeps Americans out of poverty. Many Americans do get a pant load more than they paid because THEY PAID VERY LITTLE IN.

(I was defending the existence of SS. One reason I did was because it does, in fact, keep Americans out of poverty as was supported by my link. So what's your point?)

Wrong again goose, 12 month schools will educate more literate adults. Sure, property taxes will go up round 10%. The schools are already there and built. We pay the teachers NO MORE to work a full year so where is your 40% figure coming from? Made up?

So you propose to keep teacher salaries the same and then try and force them to work beyond the 9 month salary that they currently get paid? AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN. (You DO realize that teacher salaries are based on a 9 month pay scale, right? Why do you suppose that you are getting professionals with Bachelors and Masters degrees so cheaply?)

40% was an estimate I came up with based on a 25% pay increase for teachers. You then add on 3 more months of bus drivers, increased wear and tear on busses and fuel, support staff such as coaches, secretaries and cafeteria workers, more food for lunches and additional utility costs to cool the buildings.

You do realize that there is more to a 12 month school year than simply sending children out the door, right? So that explains where my 40% tax increase comes from.

And believe me when I say that I am not opposed to year round school. In fact if it came to a vote I would support it. But I'm also realistic enough to know that it will come at a cost.

Now.....please explain 1) how you're going to get the teachers to work an extra 3 months without compensating them and 2) how you came up with your 10% figure.

Thanks for admitting that teachers do not work a full time job.

Really? That's the best you can do?

You really did not know that teachers are paid on a 9 month basis?
You really did not know that their hours extend long after the school day?
You really did not know that in a lot of cases they spend their own money on school supplies?
You really did not know that in most cases they are not allowed to participate in SS?
You really did not know that their average wages are about $15 an hour (and that's with having a Bachelors or Masters Degree)?
You really did not know that their salaries and pensions are based solely on the local school board?
You really did not know that there are more to school budgets than teacher salaries? (bus drivers, buses, fuel, support staff such as coaches, secretaries and cafeteria workers, food for lunches and additional utility costs.)

And not knowing all of that you want to decide how schools should work and make decisions on teaching staff? Wow. You're incredible.

Do yourself a favor. Attend just one school board meeting and get to know the board members you elected to office. (I'll bet you can't name even one.) Hell, it's YOUR tax money!! Remember, they work for YOU. Talk to them and learn how your local school system works and then come back and have an informed conversation with me.

 

[DaGoose]

Where you been? Pick up a newspaper or watch the News once in awhile. Pervert Teachers are an awful plague on our Public School these days.

Sorry. Gotta do better than that. Back up you claim please or admit you're wrong.

Ignoring reality, doesn't mean you're right about anything. Pervert Teachers in our Public Schools has been a very disturbing trend for years. And shame on you and the Unions for protecting them so much.

All that, and you still managed to come off as a miserable whiner. Look, no one is forced to work for Taxpayer-funded Institutions. It's a choice. If you do make that choice, you have to accept the conditions. Taxpayers cannot provide Teachers with an endless flow of cash. That's just the way it is. You won't likely get rich working in the Public Sector. If you can't accept that, then move on and do something different. The Taxpayers are sick of all the endless whining. It is what it is.

Nope, wrong again my friend. The only people whining are the wingnuts.

You're talking out both sides of your mouth. On one hand you say that they have this incredible pay and benefit package from an "endless flow of cash". And then you turn around and say that teachers need to do it for around and say "If Teaching isn't a passion, i would recommend doing something else" and that they'll never get rich. So which is it?

And to top it off you try and say that the taxpayers are "sick of it" which is just another attempt to pass off as fact something you just made up.

When asked whether they have trust and confidence in teachers, 71% said yes.

Analyzing the new PDK/Gallup poll on how Americans view public education - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

Now....wanna try again?

Teachers just overplayed their hand. Too much crying wolf. They have it pretty good. Much better than many professions in this country. And the Taxpayers are sick of the greed, endless whining, and political agendas. It's the Public Sector, it's not the Private Sector. These are Taxpayer-funded Institutions. And the funds are limited. Time for Teachers to accept that and quit all the bitchin & whining. Either do the job, or the don't. It's as simple as that.

Your ignorance of the truth and inability to back up your phony claims have rendered you irrelevant.

Here's the facts, moron. I already posted this once.

When asked to evaluate the schools in their own community, 48% give them an A or B, which is the highest rating in 20 years.

When asked to evaluate the school their oldest child attends, an astonishing 77% give it an A or B. This is the highest rating in 20 years. Only 6% give it a D or F.

When asked whether they have trust and confidence in teachers, 71% said yes.

Analyzing the new PDK/Gallup poll on how Americans view public education - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

 

[paulitician]

Sorry. Gotta do better than that. Back up you claim please or admit you're wrong.

Ignoring reality, doesn't mean you're right about anything. Pervert Teachers in our Public Schools has been a very disturbing trend for years. And shame on you and the Unions for protecting them so much.

Teachers just overplayed their hand. Too much crying wolf. They have it pretty good. Much better than many professions in this country. And the Taxpayers are sick of the greed, endless whining, and political agendas. It's the Public Sector, it's not the Private Sector. These are Taxpayer-funded Institutions. And the funds are limited. Time for Teachers to accept that and quit all the bitchin & whining. Either do the job, or the don't. It's as simple as that.

Your ignorance of the truth and inability to back up your phony claims have rendered you irrelevant.

Here's the facts, moron. I already posted this once.

When asked to evaluate the schools in their own community, 48% give them an A or B, which is the highest rating in 20 years.

When asked to evaluate the school their oldest child attends, an astonishing 77% give it an A or B. This is the highest rating in 20 years. Only 6% give it a D or F.

When asked whether they have trust and confidence in teachers, 71% said yes.

Analyzing the new PDK/Gallup poll on how Americans view public education - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

You must be a member of a Teacher Union. Taxpayer-funded Institutions. Funds are limited. Deal with it, or go find something else to do for a living.

 

[DaGoose]

Ignoring reality, doesn't mean you're right about anything. Pervert Teachers in our Public Schools has been a very disturbing trend for years. And shame on you and the Unions for protecting them so much.

Your ignorance of the truth and inability to back up your phony claims have rendered you irrelevant.

Here's the facts, moron. I already posted this once.

When asked to evaluate the schools in their own community, 48% give them an A or B, which is the highest rating in 20 years.

When asked to evaluate the school their oldest child attends, an astonishing 77% give it an A or B. This is the highest rating in 20 years. Only 6% give it a D or F.

When asked whether they have trust and confidence in teachers, 71% said yes.

Analyzing the new PDK/Gallup poll on how Americans view public education - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

You must be a member of a Teacher Union. Taxpayer-funded Institutions. Funds are limited. Deal with it, or go find something else to do for a living.

Nope, not a bit. You're wrong and a moron. Deal with it.

 

[JakeStarkey]

Paulitician has demonstrated almost no knowledge, and most the little he does have is wrong.

 

[Gadawg73]

So you propose to keep teacher salaries the same and then try and force them to work beyond the 9 month salary that they currently get paid? AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN. (You DO realize that teacher salaries are based on a 9 month pay scale, right? Why do you suppose that you are getting professionals with Bachelors and Masters degrees so cheaply?)

40% was an estimate I came up with based on a 25% pay increase for teachers. You then add on 3 more months of bus drivers, increased wear and tear on busses and fuel, support staff such as coaches, secretaries and cafeteria workers, more food for lunches and additional utility costs to cool the buildings.

You do realize that there is more to a 12 month school year than simply sending children out the door, right? So that explains where my 40% tax increase comes from.

And believe me when I say that I am not opposed to year round school. In fact if it came to a vote I would support it. But I'm also realistic enough to know that it will come at a cost.

Now.....please explain 1) how you're going to get the teachers to work an extra 3 months without compensating them and 2) how you came up with your 10% figure.

Thanks for admitting that teachers do not work a full time job.

Really? That's the best you can do?

You really did not know that teachers are paid on a 9 month basis?
You really did not know that their hours extend long after the school day?
You really did not know that in a lot of cases they spend their own money on school supplies?
You really did not know that in most cases they are not allowed to participate in SS?
You really did not know that their average wages are about $15 an hour (and that's with having a Bachelors or Masters Degree)?
You really did not know that their salaries and pensions are based solely on the local school board?
You really did not know that there are more to school budgets than teacher salaries? (bus drivers, buses, fuel, support staff such as coaches, secretaries and cafeteria workers, food for lunches and additional utility costs.)

And not knowing all of that you want to decide how schools should work and make decisions on teaching staff? Wow. You're incredible.

Do yourself a favor. Attend just one school board meeting and get to know the board members you elected to office. (I'll bet you can't name even one.) Hell, it's YOUR tax money!! Remember, they work for YOU. Talk to them and learn how your local school system works and then come back and have an informed conversation with me.

You look like Tarzan but act like Jane.
Everyone you speak of is on a 12 month salary.
About time they worked a full year like everyone else.

 

[Gadawg73]

In Georgia average salary is 53K a year plus benefits which average 10K a year.
9 months
7K a month. $1750 a week. $350 A DAY on average. $45 A HOUR ON AVERAGE.
AND they claim they are underpaid.

 

[asterism]

So you propose to keep teacher salaries the same and then try and force them to work beyond the 9 month salary that they currently get paid? AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN. (You DO realize that teacher salaries are based on a 9 month pay scale, right? Why do you suppose that you are getting professionals with Bachelors and Masters degrees so cheaply?)

40% was an estimate I came up with based on a 25% pay increase for teachers. You then add on 3 more months of bus drivers, increased wear and tear on busses and fuel, support staff such as coaches, secretaries and cafeteria workers, more food for lunches and additional utility costs to cool the buildings.

You do realize that there is more to a 12 month school year than simply sending children out the door, right? So that explains where my 40% tax increase comes from.

And believe me when I say that I am not opposed to year round school. In fact if it came to a vote I would support it. But I'm also realistic enough to know that it will come at a cost.

Now.....please explain 1) how you're going to get the teachers to work an extra 3 months without compensating them and 2) how you came up with your 10% figure.

Thanks for admitting that teachers do not work a full time job.

Really? That's the best you can do?

You really did not know that teachers are paid on a 9 month basis?
You really did not know that their hours extend long after the school day?
You really did not know that in a lot of cases they spend their own money on school supplies?
You really did not know that in most cases they are not allowed to participate in SS?
You really did not know that their average wages are about $15 an hour (and that's with having a Bachelors or Masters Degree)?
You really did not know that their salaries and pensions are based solely on the local school board?
You really did not know that there are more to school budgets than teacher salaries? (bus drivers, buses, fuel, support staff such as coaches, secretaries and cafeteria workers, food for lunches and additional utility costs.)

And not knowing all of that you want to decide how schools should work and make decisions on teaching staff? Wow. You're incredible.

Do yourself a favor. Attend just one school board meeting and get to know the board members you elected to office. (I'll bet you can't name even one.) Hell, it's YOUR tax money!! Remember, they work for YOU. Talk to them and learn how your local school system works and then come back and have an informed conversation with me.

Bullshit.

Assuming a 50 hour workweek during the times school is in session, that's still just 1950 hours of work in a year and the average annual salary is over $56,000 according to the NEA so that's really closer to twice what you said.

 

[Kondor3]

Mixed feelings about this.

Union-protected teachers can be some of the lamest, calendar-watching, pension-grubbing folk on the face of the planet.

Then again, a lot of union-protected teachers give it their all - their heart and soul - for decades - good people.

And, of course, this Victory for the Free Market happy horseshit chatter masks the distinct possibility that the various school districts in question will soon have their teachers working for $1.25 an hour and a box lunch on alternating Tuesdays...

 

[asterism]

Mixed feelings about this.

Union-protected teachers can be some of the lamest, calendar-watching, pension-grubbing folk on the face of the planet.

Then again, a lot of union-protected teachers give it their all - their heart and soul - for decades - good people.

And, of course, this Victory for the Free Market happy horseshit chatter masks the distinct possibility that the various school districts in question will soon have their teachers working for $1.25 an hour and a box lunch on alternating Tuesdays...

No mandatory union payments in Florida and the minimum salary is over $34K with full benefits and a pension. That's not bad for a 22-year-old fresh out of college with no experience.

 

[paulitician]

Your ignorance of the truth and inability to back up your phony claims have rendered you irrelevant.

Here's the facts, moron. I already posted this once.



Analyzing the new PDK/Gallup poll on how Americans view public education - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

You must be a member of a Teacher Union. Taxpayer-funded Institutions. Funds are limited. Deal with it, or go find something else to do for a living.

Nope, not a bit. You're wrong and a moron. Deal with it.

Well, you sure got that whiny victim thing down. Lets face it, bitchin & whining has become a knee-jerk habit for you. It's all you know. But lets get real, you don't have it nearly as bad as you claim. You have it pretty good. So stop trying to Bullshit people. You work in a Taxpayer-funded Institution. The resources are finite. You don't like that, then go get a job in the Private Sector. Be a man or woman. Stop crying. The People are sick of it.

 

[DaGoose]

Thanks for admitting that teachers do not work a full time job.

Really? That's the best you can do?

You really did not know that teachers are paid on a 9 month basis?
You really did not know that their hours extend long after the school day?
You really did not know that in a lot of cases they spend their own money on school supplies?
You really did not know that in most cases they are not allowed to participate in SS?
You really did not know that their average wages are about $15 an hour (and that's with having a Bachelors or Masters Degree)?
You really did not know that their salaries and pensions are based solely on the local school board?
You really did not know that there are more to school budgets than teacher salaries? (bus drivers, buses, fuel, support staff such as coaches, secretaries and cafeteria workers, food for lunches and additional utility costs.)

And not knowing all of that you want to decide how schools should work and make decisions on teaching staff? Wow. You're incredible.

Do yourself a favor. Attend just one school board meeting and get to know the board members you elected to office. (I'll bet you can't name even one.) Hell, it's YOUR tax money!! Remember, they work for YOU. Talk to them and learn how your local school system works and then come back and have an informed conversation with me.

You look like Tarzan but act like Jane.
Everyone you speak of is on a 12 month salary.
About time they worked a full year like everyone else.

Bullshit Gadawg!! Teacher salaries are paid out over 12 months but based on a 9 month year!!!!!!!!!!! And everyone else I spoke of is on an hourly wage.

Just attend ONE school board meeting and ask!!!!!!!

DAMN!! It's like arguing with Raymond from Rain Man!!!

 

[DaGoose]

Thanks for admitting that teachers do not work a full time job.

Really? That's the best you can do?

You really did not know that teachers are paid on a 9 month basis?
You really did not know that their hours extend long after the school day?
You really did not know that in a lot of cases they spend their own money on school supplies?
You really did not know that in most cases they are not allowed to participate in SS?
You really did not know that their average wages are about $15 an hour (and that's with having a Bachelors or Masters Degree)?
You really did not know that their salaries and pensions are based solely on the local school board?
You really did not know that there are more to school budgets than teacher salaries? (bus drivers, buses, fuel, support staff such as coaches, secretaries and cafeteria workers, food for lunches and additional utility costs.)

And not knowing all of that you want to decide how schools should work and make decisions on teaching staff? Wow. You're incredible.

Do yourself a favor. Attend just one school board meeting and get to know the board members you elected to office. (I'll bet you can't name even one.) Hell, it's YOUR tax money!! Remember, they work for YOU. Talk to them and learn how your local school system works and then come back and have an informed conversation with me.

Bullshit.

Assuming a 50 hour workweek during the times school is in session, that's still just 1950 hours of work in a year and the average annual salary is over $56,000 according to the NEA so that's really closer to twice what you said.

Whoops...I should have said starting wage. My bad.

 

[DaGoose]

Mixed feelings about this.

Union-protected teachers can be some of the lamest, calendar-watching, pension-grubbing folk on the face of the planet.

Then again, a lot of union-protected teachers give it their all - their heart and soul - for decades - good people.

And, of course, this Victory for the Free Market happy horseshit chatter masks the distinct possibility that the various school districts in question will soon have their teachers working for $1.25 an hour and a box lunch on alternating Tuesdays...

No mandatory union payments in Florida and the minimum salary is over $34K with full benefits and a pension. That's not bad for a 22-year-old fresh out of college with no experience.

And assuming that in many professions they can start out at over $50k with a BA that's not great either. Not bad but not great. Hell, I have only a HS diploma and make more than twice that.

 

[asterism]

Mixed feelings about this.

Union-protected teachers can be some of the lamest, calendar-watching, pension-grubbing folk on the face of the planet.

Then again, a lot of union-protected teachers give it their all - their heart and soul - for decades - good people.

And, of course, this Victory for the Free Market happy horseshit chatter masks the distinct possibility that the various school districts in question will soon have their teachers working for $1.25 an hour and a box lunch on alternating Tuesdays...

No mandatory union payments in Florida and the minimum salary is over $34K with full benefits and a pension. That's not bad for a 22-year-old fresh out of college with no experience.

And assuming that in many professions they can start out at over $50k with a BA that's not great either. Not bad but not great. Hell, I have only a HS diploma and make more than twice that.

Yes there are jobs that pay higher starting out and that's because there are relatively rare skills needed, performance requirements (like sales quotas) and active turnover. Education is not a hard major (neither is Psychology with a Teaching Certificate), it's very easy to find a teaching job right out of college, no special skills are required, and there is virtually no performance requirement. All one has to do is show up and generally follow instructions and there are guaranteed raises.

If the pay were too low, we'd have widespread teacher shortages. We don't.

The National Center for Educational Statistics, a federal body that reports to Congress, showed the Digest of Educational Statistics for 2010 that the total number of K12 teachers nationwide increased by 12 percent from 1999 to 2009, easily meeting the demands of increased enrollment over that time. The overall national pupil-teacher ratio declined from 16.1:1 to 15.3:1 during that same period. At a glance, it would seem that there was no teacher shortage, at least until 2009.

A 2007 policy brief from the National Commission on Teaching and America's Future noted that teacher attrition tends to tip the supply equation into deficit. Of course, it would seem that the teaching ranks have been diminished since 2009 by the economic downturn and resultant layoffs, even with the last federal stimulus to schools. In May 2010, the Obama administration estimated that 100,000 teachers would lose their jobs nationwide, and the federal stimulus to schools was implemented to negate this threat. Once this federal money dissipates by the end of 2012, it is expected that more teachers will lose their jobs if the economy fails to ignite.

The extent of this anecdotal decline is not yet showing up in the data.

Is There a Teacher Shortage on the Horizon? | District Administration Magazine