K-12 Schools & COVID

[ZiggysFryBoy]

JB, your love of numbers, experience with teenagers, and affinity for precision would make you a great high school math teacher.   Consider a career change.

Will you teach even your FD retirement hits? You'd have a good 15 or so years to give.

[The Sultan]

I brought up my uncle as an example that there are MANY lawyers who work more than a 9-5 who aren't banking.  Yes they chose their specific field, but its also a job that needs to be done.  Much like teachers choose their specific field, a job that needs to be done.  Nobody is forcing them to teach.  So thats a dumb argument.  If my uncle could have simply chose a different law path, well then a teacher could simply choose a better paying profession.

Yep. Corporate training is a field full of former K-12 teachers. We also just hired a former elementary school teacher that helps professors design ways to incorporate technology into their curriculum.  The idea that teachers have no choice but K-12, and the compensation that it comes with, is wrong.

That being said, teachers should be compensated more.

[tower912]

I will probably wait until my son graduates high school before I re-enter the work force.   I have missed way too many baseball games and band performances.
I already have some volunteer work lined up.    And I can see grabbing a tee ball team and working with a group of kids for a few years.    But actually going into a classroom every day has never held any appeal to me.

[4everwarriors]

Here a novel thought. Let's raise property taxes and give some teachers raises, of course not based on merit, and get the same piss poor product at the end. There is no inflation, hey?

[The Sultan]

Here a novel thought. Let's raise property taxes and give some teachers raises, of course not based on merit, and get the same piss poor product at the end. There is no inflation, hey?

Well, since many districts are reporting shortages, I think that means you should increase property taxes and pay teachers more.  And I am all for paying higher performing teachers more than low performers.

But the idea that the product of the K-12 system is "piss poor" is laughably inaccurate. People have been saying that for 30+ years and the kids seem alright to me.  Each generation brings their challenges, but they are hardly insurmountable.

Honestly one of the great injustices is that people have been brainwashed to think that our educational system didn't deserve investment.

[4everwarriors]

I am a product of MPS. It was chitty then and significantly worse now. I've been told teachers have been reduced to glorified baby sitters, hey?

[The Sultan]

Yes, because MPS is the only public school system in Wisconsin. 

And it doesn't come with a host of other challenges that would be impossible for any public school system to fix.

Cmon...

[The Sultan]

Not to mention they aren't going to improve by giving them LESS money.

[Uncle Rico]

Chef's kisses 😍

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Yes, because MPS is the only public school system in Wisconsin. 

And it doesn't come with a host of other challenges that would be impossible for any public school system to fix.

Cmon...

Do MMSD next.

[mu_hilltopper]

Today ..

https://www.axios.com/2022/08/25/teacher-pay-college-graduates-inflation-report

[tower912]

Silly data. 

[Jay Bee]

Today ..

https://www.axios.com/2022/08/25/teacher-pay-college-graduates-inflation-report

Those unions sure have gotten the public to pay for crazy-high benefits! Part-year job, but huge benefits

[Uncle Rico]

Those unions sure have gotten the public to pay for crazy-high benefits! Part-year job, but huge benefits

Still underpaid  even with that

[Jay Bee]

Still underpaid  even with that

What should they be paid for this part-year work, and why the big diff between public school & private school comp?

[jesmu84]

What should they be paid for this part-year work, and why the big diff between public school & private school comp?

Because of their importance to our society? Is that enough of a reason?

[Jay Bee]

Because of their importance to our society? Is that enough of a reason?

Public school teachers are more important than private school teachers and therefore are rightfully paid more is your stance? Why is that?

Two eight grade teachers. But why the disparity in pay?

[jesmu84]

Public school teachers are more important than private school teachers and therefore are rightfully paid more is your stance? Why is that?

Two eight grade teachers. But why the disparity in pay?

My apologies.

I was replying to the overarching thread of why should teachers be paid more.

I suppose when it comes to private vs public, it's cause the private schools haven't raised enough funds to pay their staff equal to what the public teachers get paid.

[Uncle Rico]

Public school teachers are more important than private school teachers and therefore are rightfully paid more is your stance? Why is that?

Two eight grade teachers. But why the disparity in pay?

Teachers in private schools should be paid more as well.  Probably even more

[Jay Bee]

Teachers in private schools should be paid more as well.  Probably even more

Ok. But why do private school teachers get paid less than their public school counterparts?

[The Sultan]

Teachers in private schools should be paid more as well.  Probably even more

Turnover in private schools are severe so they probably should be paid more. But the main reason is that the working conditions are better. Smaller class sizes. More parental involvement.

[Uncle Rico]

Ok. But why do private school teachers get paid less than their public school counterparts?

Beats me.  Pay them all more

[Jay Bee]

Turnover in private schools are severe so they probably should be paid more. But the main reason is that the working conditions are better. Smaller class sizes. More parental involvement.

Ahh. So private is better for the teachers (except if they want to be paid) and the kids. Wonder why that is. Heh

[Uncle Rico]

Ahh. So private is better for the teachers (except if they want to be paid) and the kids. Wonder why that is. Heh

Or we could just pay all teachers better, private or public.  Probably wouldn't have a shortage then.  Alas, we don't value education in this country and revel in our ignorance

[The Sultan]

Ahh. So private is better for the teachers (except if they want to be paid) and the kids. Wonder why that is. Heh

Probably because they don't have to provide universal service, including kids with troubled backgrounds and/or kids whose family's aren't engaged in the process. 

Also many private schools, if not most, don't provide much in the way of special education, which is the source of a great deal of the shortages in public schools.