Texas Elementry Schools Caught Cheating - Page 3

stevepaa · 10:25 AM

I left teaching only because I wanted to start a family and couldn't do it on $9800 a year. If they would come anywhere near my pay I would jump back in. In fact, I have thought about returning later when I retire from being an engineer.

I do not believe teachers hang on for any reason other than a love of teaching. It isn't the pay, it isn't the respect. It isn't the crap politicians hand out about how teachers get rewarded with psychic dollars and that makes up for the poor pay.

On pensions, yeah I hope it is there. My first company, PanAm, went bankrupt and my brother in law saw most of his stock and pension disappear.

On reform, I am not a believer in reform for reform sake. There had better be something tangibly wrong before I go fix things. We have two sayings in missile work. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. And new is not better. We get success from this. 100% flight success so far. over 100 missions.

lendaddy · 03-22-2005, 09:40 AM

JUst to be clear, I don't think it's fair at all to us a GM worker as a comparison. They are without a doubt THEE most overpaid labor force in the world. IMHO, so saying "look, I have a degree and blah blah and still don't make what a factory worker makes" is BS. You make plenty more than most factory workers, just not those particular "factory workers"

But it does sound good to those that don't think it through.

stevepaa · 03-22-2005, 10:08 AM

Starting salary is around $40K for a teacher in NYC and here. Skip GM workers, most supervisors at burger places make more than that. And no degree is required for that at all.

But do you believe that teachers really do make a commensurate salary? What other field with a BS and one year of graduate work pays as poorly?

K.B. · 03-22-2005, 11:31 AM

I brought up the auto worker comparison as it hits close to home. My wife has 7 relatives who work for GM, 2 for Dodge, 1 for Ford. She is the only one in her entire family that got a degree. She now has her Masters in Special Ed and started teaching 3 years ago. She makes $35k. All the relatives laugh that they almost make double that, with overtime, sub-pay, unemployment during changeover, etc. We are still paying off the loans for college. Good thing its at 3%.

Education is faaaaaaaaaar from unreformed. I listened to a retirement speech from a colleague who had a flair for words describe all of the "new ideas" he had seen come and go in his 35 years as a teacher. Quite comical if you had been through them. I have been a part of dozens of committees for "School Improvement" (after I teach all day). We work to try to involve community member in these committees too. We only get a few volunteers.

People who have no idea what education is all about seem to have the loudest voices. Plenty to complain about, but no real solutions. I invite you to try teaching for a day - wear my shoes - see how "easy" it is.

lendaddy · 03-22-2005, 11:33 AM

K.B.

You're getting too personal here, I never said it was easy either.

K.B. · 12:57 PM

lendaddy, Sorry if it looked like I was putting words in your mouth, that was not my intention.

This is personal to me as it is what I do everyday. This is what my wife does everyday, In the evenings we try to support the kids by attending their "events" This isn't just a job. It isn't just a career. It is a lifestyle. How could I not take it personal. It is what I do.

If there was a magic solution out there, every school in america would be doing it. We keep trying new ideas all the time. Most of it boils down to teachers who care, kids that try, and parents that support.

No Child Left Behind is all about politics. Unfunded mandates that take up resources, so we have less time for kids.

350HP930 · 03-22-2005, 02:40 PM

Well, while those of us with some common sense can talk about what really needs to be done to improve education in america, at least one thing bush's dubious 'no child left behind' BS is good at is funneling money to his corrupt relatives.

Quote:

No Child Left Behind.

It has become one of the most contentious policies of the Bush presidency. Bush considers it to be his crowning achievement in education policy, saying it will improve Americas schools. Critics, mainly parents and teachers, who are opposed to privatizing education, say its about shifting resources from public schools to corporations. In a moment, we will have a debate on No Child Left Behind. But first, we're going to look at who's profiting and who stands to profit.

We'll begin by looking at the Bush family. Everyone knows the president's brother Jeb is the governor of Florida. But, less well known is his second youngest brother, Neil Bush. Years ago, he hit the front pages for his role in the Savings and Loan scandal. He was director of the Silverado Savings and Loan when it collapsed in 1988, costing taxpayers more than $1 billion. As a result, he was banned from banking activities. So when Neil Bush was banned from banking, he banked on education.

In October 2001, shortly after the United States began bombing Afghanistan, Neil attended an international technology conference in Dubai. He was fishing for investors for his latest business venture -- Ignite Incorporated, an interactive education software company that he founded in March 1999. Ignite says its goal is to help students improve their standardized test scores. And that's where No Child Left Behind comes into play.

Neil Bush's company sells software to prepare students to take comprehensive tests required under "No Child Left Behind." Schools that fail the tests will face termination of federal assistance. The contracts for these test programs are very lucrative. Ignite is currently running a pilot program at a Middle School in Orlando, Florida--where Neil's brother Jeb is governor. The company hopes to sell the software throughout Florida at $30 per pupil per year.

In mid-February, Houston school board members unanimously agreed to accept $115,000 in charitable donations that would be funneled to Ignite. The Houston Independent School District trustees had initially delayed a vote on the matter in December, saying they were concerned that Bush's Austin-based company might be benefiting from his family name. But in February, the nine board members approved the funding without discussion.

M.D. Holloway · 03-22-2005, 06:37 PM

I teach about 25% of my time - mostly to mechanics and plant techs. Sometimes I get engineers and plant managers. It is one of the toughest aspects of the job. You have to have 100% of your chops down and be able to get your points across to a wide range of intellects.

Those that teach kids most be saints or partially insane - dealing with blues is rough, teens and tweens would be crazy. What ever the reason these folks choose teaching may change why they stay teaching. I gotta believe that they get incredible gratifiaction when they can reach just one kid a year. They remind me of farmers - built on hope, faith and a lot of hard work. They (and cops/firemen) should get a salery bump IMHO.