Standing Strong Petition
I’m Standing Strong for Public Education!
With this petition, I commit to standing strong for our students, educators and public schools. Along with the NEA, I will work to:
- Defeat efforts in Wisconsin, Ohio, Florida, Idaho and across the country that undermine collective bargaining, weaken support for working families and strengthen the grip of powerful corporate interests.
- Elect pro-public education candidates at the local, state and national level in 2012, who will stand strong for public schools.
- Ensure that reform of No Child Left Behind includes the voice of educators.
I’m adding my name and joining with others who are ready to fight for our future. We won’t back down.
After signing the petition, you will be automatically redirected to a new page where you can download your “Standing Strong” profile badge!
Facebook Like Box
Featured Video
Twitter: edvotes
- Find your state and local NEA affiliates on #Facebook. Know of any more we should add? http://t.co/sFNK9xew
- Consumers, employers to receive $1.3 billion in health care law rebates http://t.co/DJZdFV5U
- Patricia Speer: You are right - teachers of America have never been able to agree or oganize into one voice about an...
- kristy: This is very good news. Lets get this country back to its former greatness. I hope that this enthusi...
- Robert Mortenson: Although you claim to be forced to belong to a union, who is forcing you to accept the wages and ben...
Posted September 18th, 2011 at 2:26 am
I am so sick and tired of everyone blaming Obama for our economy it happened way before he was even thought of the NCLB law was passed when Bush was in office. Yes I do agree polictians should stay out of education because they do not have a clue as to what goes on in the public school system. How can we pay lawyers, doctors, athletes,etc more than we pay the teachers when we are the ones who educated them without teachers they wouldn’t be who they are Hello Somebody?????? If the polictians really want to do something they should put prayer back in the schools which they should have never taken out….
Posted July 14th, 2011 at 6:15 pm
Those of you who are sick and tired of “teacher bashing” need to take an honest look at what we’ve allowed this profession to become. A lack of supervision and accountability, undeserved tenure and pay that is not merit-based all undermine the good work that many of us do. We need to start rallying against what’s wrong with our own system as much as we rally for it…starting with this union that spends more time flag-waving and blocking improvements than it does coming up with ways to restore this profession to the ranks of this country’s most revered. If you want folks to respect our work and support our needs, we need to stop giving them reasons not to.
Posted July 19th, 2011 at 7:04 pm
You can “thumb down” this post all you want and continue to treat this profession like an entitlement rather than a job, but know that you are part of the problem.
Teachers like me welcome the opportunity to stand on their own two feet; to be retained, compensated and promoted based on merit. We understand that the quality of our schools is more important than protecting the jobs of sub-par teachers. We don’t need or want the blind protection of an organization that preys on the fears of its weakest (and loudest) members.
Caring about kids is important, but this is a job, not a hobby–it’s time to break some eggs and make a better omelette.
Posted August 27th, 2011 at 11:54 pm
It is very unfortunate that we teachers as professional servants for the public, especially in the education of our youth..the future, have had to seek the support of union representation. Why? Well, sir..as you put it, this is not a hobby, it is a job and our entitlement is nothing more than the human rights we deserve in doing this job. Even with a union, teachers such as myself spend endless hours and extra money to help bring equity into the classroom which everyone seems to demand, but very few are willing to support it. When I run out of paper and other supplies, my administrators look at me and shrug their shoulders, and then walk away. When I report such instances of need for basic tools for any classroom, I am quickly reminded that “teaching” is a vocation and when you care about your students, this is also what you must do…provide the essentials out of pocket. No merits there! I can barely afford the things my own children need!!
And when certain programs proclaimed as the “only” answers to problems in reaching some of our children in need have taken huge sums of money for purchasing such programs from those who are readily available to sell them for profit, we are quickly reminded that we have no “real” knowledge of what will really work. No honor here either! And we just spent thousands of dollars completing Masters programs in our professional study for Literacy and Content Areas!
And then when some of our students fail because we are not allowed to teach according to “their” needs, we are ultimately held accountable for what we cannot control as damage control…which of course begins from the top down.
If you propose to stand your ground and welcome your status based upon merit rewards, then that is your choice, but somehow that is not even honored. I, for one will stand my ground with a whole entity of dignified professionals and command that in order for those who are in control of assessing “merits” for our work, they must also hold merits for their expertise in earning this place in evaluations. Many of our administrators may have about 3-5 years classroom experience or many of them have not been in the classroom for 20-30 years!!
And this is why unions became necessary in the first place….There are not those qualifications among our administrators, superintendents, department heads and board members to complete the task of objectively evaluating teachers. It’s time that the damage evolving from the top executors of mandates, parameters, guidelines, goals, objectives, materials, procedures and evaluations take their place in the forefront for their mistakes; their continuous endeavors to rob from the children in order to pad their own life styles. It’s time that those who actually have the power to enforce good standards or “fix” the damage they’ve done come forward with honesty and with an active sincere pledge to do better. I may then consider listening to them again and observe their actions in order to deem them respectable enough to evaluate my actions in carrying out their goals.
It should not be up to the reapers of a design to repair the design. Unions help us to negotiate ideas to help, otherwise we would be fired for any reason or without a reason. No…sorry Jesse…until my superiors prove their worth as qualified experts in their professional jobs, I certainly will not trust their judgments in their assessments of my work. The evaluation of my work comes when my student shows his/her understanding of learning in order to solve a given problem. Credit needs to be given for those who follow a new learning even though they still come up with some wrong answers…sometimes it just takes more practice or the “other” essentials to help them achieve. Sometimes it’s a matter of home environment and responsibilities or support and/or lack of. And most times, it’s the portrayal of “modeling” students observe and remember when those in authority admit to their errors and are willing to correct them instead blame others. In behavior modification programs, we called this “responsibility for one’s actions.” In the politics that run rampant in education, that model is seldom witnessed and when brought to the public’s attention….well, if it weren’t for our unions, those of us who really do care and speak out would not have a job and the opportunity to help our students really learn.
What workers need to do is to work cohesively within their union shops and even though it takes more time and energy in the daily life of a teacher, we need to ensure that as a team we are held accountable for the objective of teaching….and that also includes the “management team”. Otherwise…there are no real merits anyway. And in the eyes of our students we cannot be trusted to offer the security of all that is good when learning does take place. How can we expect our students to work hard at something worthwhile when their leaders do not care if they don’t have enough books, or given the equity in differentiation which they may need for students in need, language concerns, mathematical thinking awareness and the study of common knowledge?
Until there is fair play among all ranks in the professional job of teaching, I’ll stand behind veteran teachers who have worked the “trenches” and have successfully inspired many young students, and who have offered significant models for good teaching because they are still with us.. .and only because they are indeed tenured!!
Posted February 11th, 2012 at 12:20 am
Hey, I get it. Teaching it tough. We are absolutely under-appreciated. I live it every day. BUT rather than pulling my head into my shell, digging my heels into the ground, claiming to be a ‘hero’ and helping to run the ship into the rocks, I recognize that a better option is to help make some positive changes.
I’m sorry that your supervisors stink. Guess what? They’re typically former teachers…teachers that graduated from non-competitive, philosophy-bloated education programs, joined the union and were given tenure after 3 underwhelming years, just like the rest us. That’s called reaping what was sown, so don’t complain about the quality of the folks who work above you as you support a system that enables their retention and promotion.
To be frank, I don’t care how many years you’ve put in, how many lives you think you’ve touched or how much respect you feel like you’re owed. I care about student outcomes first and foremost, and, if you have an agenda that you hold above this, you (and your union) have no place in education. It’s time to restore the dignity of this profession, and that means adopting a model of productivity and accountability (like the rest of the world’s businesses).
Posted July 1st, 2011 at 8:13 pm
It is truely amazing the attitude towards teachers.
We are dedicated teachers trying to make a difference.
Our state will never be the same. The quality of education is on the table!
How sad is that ! ! !
I taught for many years, enjoyed being in the classroom, wore my heart on my sleeve.
Now retired, I go out for lunch and listen to near by tables talk about playing golf, talking about the next stop at a tavern to end their day.
The difference is…..teachers never think about anything BUT the school day before the even walk into their school.
Children are their FULL day. Over lunch, in the hallways, in a meeting, after school, tutoring, coaching, preparing for the next day, on their drive home and at night. You never stop thinking about making school the best for the children.
Teachers need support and respect.
The politcal upheavels going on are going to hurt our future generations.
I drove back and forth to my classroom 12,096 times because I cared….and I still care…I feel for the children. I also hope that our young teachers will not give up.
Attacking the education and the middle class, which makes this world what it is, certainly is not the answer.
Posted June 26th, 2011 at 10:29 am
Never in my lifetime as a past active public school employee, now retired, have I seen such an aggressive attack against union employees. Rights to collectively bargain have been trampled for political gain as in NJ. Now Gov. Chris Christie can rant on national TV shows how he beat the unions in NJ. Now the Dems in our state are divided. Do they really think because they used us as an example, he will work with them on the state budget??
Posted June 18th, 2011 at 11:34 pm
I don’t think we should endorse a candidate unless they will be positive for education. Wouldn’t it send a louder message, if we say we will NOT endorse you in the coming election? President Obama does not deserve our endorsement for the coming election.
Posted May 31st, 2011 at 7:07 pm
Educators need to be respected for the great influence they contribute to our children,our communities and our country,Education must always be a top priority.
Posted May 26th, 2011 at 10:07 am
It is so disappointing that Obama turned his back on us that helped him get elected. Who would have thought that he would be the worst enemy of public education this country has ever faced in a President: Merit Pay, Charter Schools, More Standardized Tests, Elimination of Tenure, Believes that the “teachers” of Teach for America are better than we are. He will say to teachers, yes I’m bad for you, but the Republicans will be worse. Is that a good enough reason to continue our support? And why does our NEA President already want to endorse him? Has he or a family member been offered a favor in return? We didn’t even try to negotiate anything in our favor before issuing our intent to endorse….very baffling to say the least.
Posted June 4th, 2011 at 10:30 am
I agree Obama has been a disappointment to education. The only hope is that after educators win some of the battles with the states, Obama will wake up. The reason he’s being endorsed–and I also agree with this endorsement–is one look at the alternatives. Unless someone whom we KNOW will support us comes along, we are safer and stand a better chance of working with Obama than, Heaven Forbid, a Teabagger.
What I really want to see is politicians sending their children to their local public schools. Even the more economically endowed ones (which is where the politicians live) are having a tough time with budgets. If these people had to send their kids to public schools, perhaps they would appreciate a lot more of what teachers do and what they face.
Posted May 22nd, 2011 at 9:50 am
“Nothing done for children is ever wasted” – G. Keillor. A democracy works only when the populace is well educated. We must stand strong for ALL of the children, or risk losing our democracy.
Posted May 21st, 2011 at 9:07 pm
I promised myself I wouldn’t do this, but I am fed up. I swore to myself that I would stand above the fray, but I am fed up. I am fed up with feeling like I need to apologize for choosing teaching as my career. I am fed up with teachers and the teaching profession being denigrated at every turn. I am fed up with the mean-spirited comments of the under-informed. I am just fed up. So, here goes (I will try to be as concise as possible).
• Most teachers (every one that I know) care deeply for their students and work countless hours to ensure their success. There are those who say teachers only work nine months a year. Well, in this case they are correct. I DO teach in the classroom nine and a half months a year but put in 60+ hour weeks during that time (that’s more than 700 hours beyond 40 hour work weeks over the course of a school year). I’d be glad to punch a time clock as long as I am compensated for my overtime. I’d take compensatory time off in lieu of pay, but there aren’t enough hours in the 10 weeks that I’m not in the classroom. Besides, it wouldn’t really be time off – I have to work a second job during that time not to mention continuing education and training.
• I have over 14 years of experience and hold a Master’s degree. For all of this I am paid $44,250 a year. Oh, and I paid for all of my education myself while raising two small children. I am still paying off my student loans.
• Let me pose this question – is the entire medical profession maligned because of experiences with one bad doctor? How about dentists? Accountants? Sales clerks? Mechanics? Secretaries? Store owners? Are all of them terrible because of the actions or behaviors of one or even a few? Logic will tell you no. That kind of thinking, as I teach my students, is hasty or faulty generalization. I know what people will say – we are free to change doctors or dentists or accountants if we choose. That’s true, but it doesn’t change the fact that lumping ALL teachers into ANY behavior group is hasty or faulty generalization.
I long for the day when members of my chosen profession receive the respect their positions, sacrifices, and dedication deserve. Until then I will be satisfied with what I received today. After scolding a student for talking too much during class that student saw me in the hall later and, as he walked by, told me I was his favorite teacher.
Oh, and one more thing. Public education is not “broken.” The problem with public education can and should be placed squarely on NCLB legislation which, among other things, creates unattainable goals and sets all public schools up to fail. NCLB takes the focus off of providing a quality, global education and places it on making sure students can pass standardized tests.
Posted May 23rd, 2011 at 12:12 pm
After 31 years as a teacher in the State of Missouri, I retired thinking my pension was set and I wouldn’t have to worry about it being there. This pension I helped fund every year I taught. I also worked in the evenings and/or summers in order to build up enough quarters so I would also have a small Social Security monthly income to help supplement my pension. Much to my surprise when I applied for that Social Security small amount, I was told I couldn’t collect some of it because I had a teacher’s pension. Now the State of Missouri, thanks to a handful of legislators who for some reason have decided to target teachers pensions, are trying to make changes to the State constitution in order to reduce and/or change our pension plan which is funded and receives no money from the State.
I now live in Florida and what the State is doing to teachers here is horrible. They are taking money from Education and giving it to the big corporations in tax breaks/incentives saying that will create jobs. Meanwhile jobs in Education are being lost.
Posted May 29th, 2011 at 7:55 pm
I couldn’t agree more with everything you said. Thank you for saying it so well, especially the part about NCLB. It should be called No Public School Left Standing because the whole point of the law is to create a crisis and then privatize education.If you have a chance this summer read Shock Doctrine by Naomi Klein. It is not about education per se, but rather about the drive to privatize all that is publicly owned for the profit of the few. Of course the cost will be shared by all of us.
I’m a teacher also and feel just like you. You may have had it, but you still managed to express our situation so clearly. You must be a great teacher.
Posted June 25th, 2011 at 12:56 pm
I agree 150%! You said exactly what I wanted to say. When and what caused educators to become the enemy? What exactly have we done to bring on all of this anger and hatred? I thought the reason we were educators was to help children develop into their best selves….I thought the reason we were educators was to share knowledge, encourage creativity, and support our community…I thought the reason I became an educator was that I wanted to be a productive part of a democratic society working to improve our world home…
Public education is responsible for educating most of those who now have turned against us to foster their own ambitions. O.K., maybe we weren’t as successful with these individuals as we hoped to be, but we have still been successful with more than 95% of our students…..a few rotten eggs can surely be excused.
Vote all of them out…..exercise our constitutional rights, vote, speak with one voice that educators are to be respected, treated fairly, and encouraged to do their best….
Just give the US one year without public education and see where we end up then.
Posted June 25th, 2011 at 5:23 pm
‘When and why?’ In any crisis, someone has to be blamed. Let’s consider those who are doing the blaming. They are the selfish, narcissistic minority who have managed to live in isolation – having been protected from the dregs of society for most of their lives. Now that comfortable, rosy-tinted life is in danger. Are they at fault for the global economic crisis taking place? Pshaw! I imagine most of you heard the report on NPR this past week in which the interviewee stated that those bad-boy bankers were not going to be tracked down and held accountable.
The blamers also include the folk who just don’t want to be bothered with the offspring they’ve produced. Teaching is a ‘calling’, so that must mean that parenting is optional. Welfare is a license to free-load, not a temporary helping hand.
So who does that leave to blame? The ones down in the trenches – the ‘foot soldiers’. We are educated, we are informed, and we live in a democracy. We are strong in number and in perseverance. The more that is revealed, the harder we’ll fight to clean up this country – the government is more corrupt and therefore more of a threat to our nation’s security and global financial status than public education.
Those crafty legislators have the power right now to play their ‘poker games’ in back rooms after midnight. We have the power to educate the masses. From Wisconsin, Texas and New Jersey to Yemen, Algeria and Chile. People are demanding better education – because they all know how vital it is to a nation’s welfare.
But the trouble still lies with the fact that legislators and the general public aren’t willing to admit that you need funds to get the job done. They aren’t willing to ante up to compensate educators. They still have the image of a school marm like in Little House on the Prairie willing to work for a roof (school roof) over her head and a bucket of coal. Yikes!
They aren’t willing to look at the data and realize there are a lot of special-needs students in so many public schools. (Most of these special needs are a result of the lack of parental responsibility!) You’ll find these students in PUBLIC schools because we don’t turn anyone away. Do private schools do that? No – 21st Century segregation.
Not only do legislators refuse to allow their children into public schools, they themselves refuse to observe them to see exactly what resources are needed to effectively serve the population. You can’t ask Title 1 schools to operate with the same budget and staffing as CBG schools.
When students are hungry, they have trouble learning. When students are exhausted from hearing loud fighting all night long in their apartment or neighborhood, they have trouble learning. When they are depressed because a parent or both parents are absent from their lives, they have trouble learning. Their low test scores are not indicators of bad teaching.
So what are they? They’re indicators of cultural biases running rampant on standardized tests. They’re indicators of a SOCIETY that is not supporting the students – a society of people who can’t see beyond their personal desires or needs. Educators are left holding the bag because it’s too easy to use them as scapegoats. Public schools are just a drop-off for kids who no one else wants around. Every day teachers are asked why they can’t stay 2 hours extra to tutor or sponsor a club – free of charge of course – because no one wants to share the responsibility.
Educators are asked to teach students character: honesty, accountability, responsibility, etc, Wait a minute…didn’t YOU learn that at home? Eating a healthy diet…again, where did YOU learn that? Conflict resolution? Money management?? Who expects all of this? Parents who are too busy going on dates or business trips to spend quality time with their own children, reading, playing outside, TALKING, etc. Plenty of them want to make the babies, few of them want to raise them.
Posted June 25th, 2011 at 3:25 pm
This post really spoke to me, and I printed it out when I first read it. I even took it to school to share with colleagues! I agree with everything you say. I’m just stunned at the vitriol I am seeing-what’s worse is the ignorance of so many people who are so, so vocal lately! Even staff in my school don’t seem to be aware of what is happening all around them-probably because they are so busy doing their jobs! I am one of the union reps in my building, so I’ve been privy to much of the politics, but I spend time on the weekends reading and evaluating information about this issue.
I, too, have a master’s degree and 18 years experience. I earn more in the state where I currently teach-a collective bargaining state-than I did back east in a right to work state. When I came here, one of my first impressions was that teachers had a voice here! The benefits were better, too. I have seen that “voice”, the benefits, and the working conditions erode over the last few years, sadly-but, still, it’s better than in many other places in this country. How did we get to this point?
I wonder about the general apathy throughout the populace, which might be a factor. It’s pretty sad when less than 50% of eligible voters actually cast a vote, isn’t it? I made it a priority this spring to try to teach my 10th graders to evaluate sources and not believe everything they read or hear-doesn’t matter what “side”, either. They need to learn how to sift through the immense volumes of information available to them and find what they need. They need to look at both sides of an issue in order to make an informed decision. Other teachers in my school try to do the same, but many students just don’t want to put forth the effort required, and they don’t have the support at home to reinforce this learning.
I have long believed that our public education system needs reform, but the powers that be have gone about it all wrong! Reform in public education needs to start with our culture; others have made good points there. Personally, I don’t think that education has ever been a priority in this country nor have teachers ever been respected as they should be. I’m not sure where that “what have we lost?” viewpoint came from (likely the same place the notion of “back to the basics”, I guess).
I wish I could be in DC for that march, especially since that area is my home…sigh. I am very fearful for the future of this country if these very rich men have their way-and I’m not alone. What I do know is that my school is fortunate to have a very strong staff who do incredible things-if students choose to take advantage of what is offered to them. I never had much instruction that involved critical thinking (in the 50s and 60s)-even in college! Most of it was pretty rote-and, until recently, I thought I had received a really good education! The world has changed since then-we simply cannot go back; I’m not sure why some folks believe that we can. So, what do we do? How do we wake up the people of this country to what is really happening? The media is such a pervasive influence now, and more biased than ever before.
I truly resent being asked to pay for a situation that I had NOTHING to do with! I didn’t cause ANY of it, I didn’t vote for anything or anyone that exacerbated it…so, why do I have to pay? No one ever answers that question. Why aren’t we going after the greedy bankers and corporate types who created this mess? Instead, we reward them! Incredible! I’ve been learning a bit about economics and agree about the shift toward the philosophy of “Uncle Miltie”. I read Diane Ravitch’s book and plan to read Naomi Klein’s. I can no longer afford to be ignorant-neither can anyone else.
My other question is: “if teaching is such an easy, cushy job that pays so extremely well and offers such great benefits, why aren’t the complainers teachers?” I never get an answer to that one, either! Thanks for such a great post-so well-said!
Posted June 26th, 2011 at 6:16 pm
I agree with you, I have been working 12 years and make the same amount. I’m still paying for my student loans, I really don’t know how to afford another cut in pay! I love teaching but what’s going on in this “Career” Why not pick on the rich who don’t pay taxes, Thanks!
Posted June 29th, 2011 at 10:57 am
AMEN !
Posted May 21st, 2011 at 4:04 pm
When I was in college, my mother was against the fact that I was going into education. She had ben a teacher herself until retiring under a disability after many years in the classroom. I stand strong with the fight that is yet to be won for public education. Education has been the victim of under funded mandates forever. The government and Congress need to start realizing that. There aren’t enough good teachers out there because of pay raises that do not exist, lack of technology, and parents that are lawsuit happy and want to blame everything on the schools. Wake up America! I am a teacher that has paid my own medical insurance, bought school supplies, lunches, and winter coats for years for kids other than my own. I have worked over summers, written grants, and taken classes to bring opportunities into my classroom. What other occupation gives up weekends to go to someone else’s kids performances and athletic events? During the school year, I usually work 60-75 hours each week. I know there are many others out there that do the same. No Child Left Behind is doing exactly the opposite of what it was intended to do. There is reason why some students cannot pace with regular classes, take state standard tests and do all of the same things as their same age peers. These students will probably never be able to get a state driver’s license, and a job that they will make a reasonable living wage. Many of the special education students cannot even be referred to an adult servicing agency without a high school diploma. They will not be able to handle the technical jobs that the funding is currently geared towards. Thirty years ago, these students could contribute to society with a manufacturing, welding, trades job. We are running out of options. What is going to be left for the students to be able to have a job and make a strong contribution back to society?
Posted May 21st, 2011 at 1:54 pm
keep politicians out of education. They don’t have a clue as they have no experience. Our governor christie in new jersey thinks teachers are living the high life when him in his wife for making over 600,000 dollars a year .the average teacher here makes 47,000 dollars a year .they are not for the working man the middle class they are for big business..he needs to get a clue along with the governor of wisconsin
Posted May 22nd, 2011 at 8:50 pm
$ 600,000 for him and his wife ? You are being too kind. It’s way above that. And don’t let us forget that our great Gov’s law firm can turn away any client that they wish. I Can’t, I teach everyone that is given to me. Not like his ” Treat School ” in Newark or Delbarton where his son attends.
Posted May 21st, 2011 at 1:48 pm
In order for dictators to take over a country, they must first control education, crush unions, and eliminate the middle class. That is what big business is doing in this country. Choice and charter schools will give them control of education, anti-union legislation – starting with public employees – will eliminate unions and thus destroy the middle class. Big business does not want educated workers, only trained workers. There will be 2 classes in this country – the rich and the slaves. If you want an idea of what will happen, read Upton Sinclair’s THE JUNGLE. We must all fight this together.
Posted May 22nd, 2011 at 9:00 pm
There are more than just Upton Sinclair’s “The Jungle”. History books tell us about Irish and Chinese Immigrants building the railroads. Irish immigrants being bought to replace rich people in the civil war. The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory, Newsies, Child labor in factories ( That’s why you can’t see in factory windows, old school, today illegals. Breaker Boys in coal mines, 16 hours a day for 12 year olds. Ect., Ect. , and so on. However, we will bounce back. What goes around comes around.
Posted May 21st, 2011 at 12:54 pm
How many doctors, lawyers or professional athletes do you know who work a second job? I know lots of teachers who work in the summer, the evenings or on week-ends to help make ends meet.
Posted May 20th, 2011 at 8:48 pm
Education is power. Is that what they are afraid of?
Posted May 20th, 2011 at 8:36 pm
We need to work together. Lets get those teachers, both active and retired, out there and make some noise.
Posted June 26th, 2011 at 6:19 pm
I agree with you, The union leaders can’t do everything for us, We need to get up from the sofas and go and make our voices be loud.
Posted May 16th, 2011 at 3:11 pm
We look at these Actors/actresses,sports businesses/CEO and other in any sector where they can make money in their field but teaching is the one who gets no the short end of the stick.These are lives that we are molding, nurturing and sculpting for the impressionable years.To be exact 12+ years. We don’t pay doctors in any practice ,just pennies. So why are teachers being paid below the minimum . We have been under paid, overwork and sometimes we are more than mentors but we are counselors.On top of that the cost-of- living and raises have been on freeze for awhile and gas,homes and food are rising at 20%. Know one cares that I have to work 3 jobs and take care a family and still put a “HAPPY FACE” in the classroom. Thank you America….
Posted May 16th, 2011 at 3:28 am
A reliable, standardized Public Education is the best for improving unity within a very diverse American population. It needs to be equally available to all students. Students from every nation come to our country to learn about our exceptional freedoms. The protection of which is our way of education. Government-vouchers, allowing students to purchase inferior knowledge, from scam-vendors is a high-speed shift, to create a state of division via corruption. Knowledge is fact-based; it’s not faith-based. Research for those facts takes established procedures. Sharing that knowledge is the responsibility of collectively-organized educators, not elected officials.
Posted May 15th, 2011 at 6:59 pm
We already know this is the way it is. Our prisons are filled with those who fell through the cracks while everyone was so preoccupied with themselves they diddn’t notice. Time for good right action….we are eachothers keepers
_
Posted May 15th, 2011 at 10:46 am
Our families and culture are broken. It will not be fixed until all citizens of this country value education and being educated as a life long journey. LOTS of work to do there. ALL people must OWN education. As part of being educated, our culture needs to develop listening skills and understanding of people with different views and develop compromising solutions when needed. We must also punish the CEOs of big businesses with criminal consequences when they commit crimes. And last but not least, we need to understand that our life time is limited and we are here for a specific reason. Finding out what that reason is will only come when we discover what we really are…. and it’s not flesh and blood. May all that read this be on a journey of life long education. Blessings
Posted May 14th, 2011 at 10:20 pm
I am finishing my first year of teaching, I am 49 years old, if it had not been for several wonderful mentors I am not sure what would have happened. MENTORS are soooooo important!!!!
Posted July 15th, 2011 at 1:35 pm
I taught my first year at 45 and then my contract was cut due to the school budget (or so I was told) and I was not rehired-I was told it was because I have a Masters degree and why would they pay for it if they could hire a bachelors and I was also told that Principals in my state want young teachers not middle aged! I am working my way out of the field of education.
Posted May 14th, 2011 at 1:27 pm
As the wise saying goes…”It’s cheaper to educate than incarcerate”.
Posted May 14th, 2011 at 4:56 pm
American public school system: Too big to fail!
Posted May 11th, 2011 at 8:57 pm
I am retiring this year and one of my biggest fears concerns new teachers We must recruit our best and brightest into education, provide excellent, expert mentors and finally assure that they receive financial compensation commensurate with their skills and responsibilities.
Posted May 11th, 2011 at 9:21 am
This deficit crisis was manufactured by the Bush administrations massive tax cuts for the wealthy, deregulation of the financial industry, unfunded wars and treasury subsidies to the military industrial complex. Their policy was to starve government because they could never win the moral arguments with the public. Now they want to change the middle class access and finance of unions so our voices are not heard. Notice how their strategy is to concentrate on the states where the national elections are typically decided. Ohio, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Florida.
Posted May 10th, 2011 at 10:08 am
I have taught 40 years and still only make $48,000 per year. I have to do outside work, pay a large portion of my insurance, fund my own retirement, and buy many of my own supplies.
States all around us have better retirement programs.
The responsibility of this job and the degree that are required should warrant a better retirement program and better pay.
Morale is terrible!
Not good for the students, parents, or teachers.
Posted May 9th, 2011 at 6:33 pm
We are in this present “Financial Crisis ” because all those bums like Madoff got too greedy in 2008 and now we the Middle Class and the Lower Class has to a hit for their recklessness!!!
Posted May 9th, 2011 at 2:14 pm
Go Gina, thank you for standing for stronger education. We are all behind you.
Posted May 8th, 2011 at 5:02 pm
The coordinated attacks on educators across our great nation is not coincidental it cannot be. We spend billions on foreign business, could we not increase tariffs instead? Look at how much senators and representatives make, are they taking a pay cut? The president? Our superintendents, mine said no way. So why are we having to do with less. I love when they start saying that the average salary in NC is 50 thousand (*without including our healthcare packages). A friend of mine is retiring after 31 years and still makes less than 50 thousand a year. My husband and I combined only clear 55… so where do their numbers come from? I know, they include all of the decision makers at the central office who make more and do less than those of us in the classroom everyday! I would like to see some true assessment of what real teachers make, not the made up numbers they like to use!
Posted May 12th, 2011 at 10:32 am
AMEN, Dee!!
Posted May 12th, 2011 at 10:19 pm
Ever since our CEO’s, bankers, brokers, etc. figured out that China (manufacturing base) and India (technological base), as well as Indonesia, Taiwan, and other Asian, Middle East and South American countries could be used to manufacture goods at a fraction of the price, our jobs and currency have flooded out of the US of A. Good, smart business! It’s as if our elite have figured out how to exploit a new SLAVE LABOR force. Except now they don’t have to worry about annoying problems like child labor laws, 40 hr. work week, overtime compensation, and minimum wage, etc., let alone health care, pensions, workman’s comp., etc., etc. They can leave that to the oppressive governments who rule with an iron fist. I don’t blame our CEO’s and investors; they are making money- that’s their job. But what is to be said of our politicians, elected by the people and for the people? Shouldn’t they be looking out for the best interests of the USA? If America’s elite feel no obligation or loyalty to the USA, then why haven’t our politicians leveled the playing field with taxes and tariffs? If our investors want to invest off shore for a greater profit at the expense of the American worker, tax the difference. Wouldn’t that give investors an incentive to invest in the USA, and if not, it would at least help our nearly bankrupt government recover a fraction of American revenue that is just gushing out of our coffers for the past 30 years… I honestly don’t understand!
Posted May 22nd, 2011 at 1:48 pm
CEOs and the like just don’t want to share the profits. They’ve been spoiled for decades. So if they do agree to keep their manufacturing jobs here, prices will have to rise so the business folks can maintain their ridiculous lifestyles. No politician is going to support a cause that will drive the cost of living higher than it already is. Regulation of these companies is apparently un-American despite the fact that current/typical big business practices are what is bringing this nation down.
Hiring illegal immigrants to fill undesirable job positions has been proven to cost us more than paying legal residents the minimum (or a low) wage. We’ve got the evidence, so why aren’t we acting on it?
Boycotting and voting are our ways of affecting change. Power to the people!
Posted May 22nd, 2011 at 8:45 pm
To Marie and the other fine and deep thinkers who know what this current manufactore education crisis is all about and what coporate america and the riches 5% of our population want. They want to control; the processes of what we teach the next generations,the content,direction and policies of these schools and underling principles that guide these k12 and colleges and the dumbing down of our most precious products, an educated American Citizens who can discern ,advise,consent or diagree. Our current elected officials have not produced a job bill,comprehensive health care(unless yoiu count Ryan plan),control of the bankers and insurance companies, instead they have attacked the . civil rights,voting rights,union rights,relaxed FCC,ursurped dicatorial messages and laws in states to to abridge voters choices. Is like we seeing a rerun of 1900′s when we had;Jim Crow,no child labor laws,no worker rights etc. Teachers we are the vanguards of American society,we are the keeper of the flame and the only thing that keep back the will and barbarism of the huns. My hat,heart and pride bow to you and your courageous stands. Union workers and public workers we have been here before,the last time they had hired corporate hit men to shoot us down(a la gov. walker). We will win this battle,but the danger to our liberties will not cease nor go away.