OUR VIEW: Teachers must share the struggle

Home :: East County :: Opinion :: OUR VIEW: Teachers must share the struggle :: Photo Gallery

« back to news article

OUR VIEW: Teachers must share the struggle

Date: 04/06/2011

Currently 5 Responses

1.
For a neighborhood paper who gleans a large majority of their stories from local school activities, I would be surprised if the local schools allow the ECO on campus moving forward.

Mr. Thomson...where you are from (Michigan) there a quite a few unionized, overpaid, tenured workers who pull down a large salary after years in the school system. Why don't you ask a 20 plus year educator in Manatee County, with a Masters Degree, what they make.

Do your research before spouting off with your pen.
Ben Franklin
Sat 9th Apr 2011
at 1:35pm

2.
Now I know why teachers get a bad rap! Its horrible articles like this. Your article gave NOTHING but a one sided opinion and information that is TOTALLY biased. Instead of giving your opinion, why not actually interview some teachers? Why not interview some teachers to see how they are actually TRYING to survive? Many are single parents, many have unemployed spouses, many have their own kids on free/reduced lunch. Do you realize that if you are a family of 5 would qualify for free/reduced lunch on a beginning teachers salary? For a bachelors level job, its shameful! And you should be ashamed for giving such a one sided opinion.
Maureen Connelly
Fri 8th Apr 2011
at 10:57pm

3.
Ouch! This sounds personal - many sweeping statements, skewed and exaggerated. Where do I begin? First of all, the $50,000 you mention is a salary for a teacher with a Master's Degree more than "several" years. It takes 14 years to get there. You also fail to be specific when mentioning the generous pay raises (the pay steps on the salary schedule) - in reality, the amount is about $300-400/year and is really nothing more than the cost of living adjustment. Contrary to what you believe, those "sweet gifts" have not been handed out. The salary schedule has been frozen in Manatee for about 3 years now, and if you every wanted to try informed and fair journalism, you would have also discovered that many teachers here took a 5% cut a couple of years ago to prevent teacher layoffs. With insurance premiums going up for teachers as well, the salaries have been actually decreasing. I would also advise the authors to remember this is not New Jersey when discussing unions. Also, those "enormously generous benefits" you are mentioning, would you please elaborate? I am a teacher, I live in this community, and I most certainly do not expect to be exempted from sharing in any responsibilities. I am grateful for being able to pursue a career that I love, and I struggle with paying my bills and keeping my head above water just like any other middle class family I know. What worries me is that I see a lot of anger directed at teachers these days. You need to remember that there are people who do a crappy job in every business and organization. Go ahead, get rid of those, but be fair in your judgment. Articles like this, ones that provide a one-sided and biased look and misrepresent the facts, mislead people and allow for teachers to become a target in a way that fractures the very community you are so passionate about.
IAM Teacher Too
Fri 8th Apr 2011
at 5:44pm

4.
Also, I don't where those raises you talk about went to...they didn't go to me or anyone that I work with!
IMA Teacher
Fri 8th Apr 2011
at 3:39pm

5.
Wow. Don't generalize and say teachers don't feel the pain. You don't know. I'm a teacher, and my spouse has been out of work for 3 years. I feel the pain.
Unfortunately, for you, you've probably just lost A LOT of readers. Myself included.
IMA Teacher
Fri 8th Apr 2011
at 8:55am