Posted on 06/17/2006 5:15:15 AM PDT by wintertime
One of the ongoing controversies in the public schools is the issue of teacher salaries. Teachers largely claim they are too low while taxpayers are equally vehement that they are more than adequate.
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Then there are the actual salary levels. Statistics in 2005 showed the average teacher salary in the nation was $46,762, ranging from a low of $33,236 in South Dakota to $57,337 in Connecticut. Even this ignores the additional compensation teachers receive as fringe benefits, which may add an additional 33% or more to the costs, primarily for very good retirement and health coverage plans. Further, averages include starting teacher salaries, which may begin at $30,000 or less, which teachers gladly mention, but ignore the high salaries of career teachers at or near the maximum on their salary schedule, important because retirement pensions are often based on the best three or so years.
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Last year, the New York State Department of Education issued a study that reported maximum teacher salaries in that state of $100,000 or more and median salaries as high as $98,000 per year. That is, there were districts, in Westchester County for example, where half of the teachers earned more than $98,000 a year.
A novel approach a few years ago by Michael Antonucci, director of the Education Intelligence Agency in California, compared teachers average salaries to average salaries all workers state by state. First prize went to Pennsylvania where the teachers received 62.5% more than the average employee. That difference is even greater when it is further considered that teachers average a 185 day work year while most workers put in 235.
(snip) Women who had been educators were 7.4% of the total deceased that year but 20.6% of them, nearly three times the statistical expectation were among the affluent few. Former male educators didn't do quite as well but even they were represented among the wealthy decedents by a ratio nearly 1.5 times the anticipated numerical ratio.
I live in Pittsburgh. I know two people who make 3x what I do. They are teachers in the City of Pittsburgh. I make what I consider to be a good living, and still save 25%-40% of my income. I spend 25% of my income on entertainment (eating out, cigarettes, books). Now, the cost of living here is inexpensive. Homes can be bought for $50,000 - $100,000, in safe city neighborhoods. I think these two friends of mine are overpaid. I rent. They both own their homes. Both have brand new cars. I ride the bus. Both have new clothes. I wear clothes until they disintegrate... A study was done comparing cost of living and teachers' salaries. Pittsburgh was either the highest paid, or nearly so, in the country. Teachers, at least here, are drastically overpaid.
I know every time I talk to a teacher I get the feeling that I am talking to a wall. They remain clueless outside of their little club. The profession is filled with some of the dumbest of the dumb. Amen.
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Amen, Bro!
I only work 39 weeks a year, but those are 60 hour work weeks.
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More whining!
Molly,,hate to break it to you but there are THOUSANDS upon THOUSANDS of workers working 60 hour weeks with NO vacation. Guess what! Some are on 24/7 call, wear beepers on their belts to respond to life threatening emergencies.
Dr. Morton
Attorneys, although holding a doctorate, chose to be addressed by the title of Mister.
Doctor? Your professional attorneys would consider this an affectation.
Actually my fellow attorney would not consider this an affectation, at least not among attorneys in Oklahoma. For you see, Oklahoma is one of the few states that confers the title Dr. upon any attorney teaching in an educational setting. If this upsets you so much, your beef lies with the Oklahoma Legislature who enacted the law conferring such title designation. Out of curiosity do you suffer from degree envy or something?
What conclusions ought I derive from this?
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They are envious Marxists.
Hold on a sec, let me check. No I don't care...It's great that you 'taught'. 3 whole children even. Do you want a cookie for it? My point was to the poster who made the ridiculous claim that most teachers are 'overpaid'. And my point (proven by the NC pay schedule) is that they're not. It has nothing to do with homeschooling success stories.
All finished all general college requirements by the age of 15 and all levels of calculus to Calc III. The oldest is a national ranked athlete with a heavy travel and training schedule. He majored in business. He also spent 2 years in Eastern Europe on a church assignment and returned home completely FLUENT in Russian. Despite this eclectic experience he will finish his degree at the same age as his schooled contemporaries.
Well whoopity do. Shall I post my successes? Wait nevermind, I'm not trying to impress people..You're touting the career of a homeschooled student (which has nothing to do with the discussion) and not addressing the concern that in some states, still, teachers are not paid what someone would make if they worked in 95% of all other possible jobs for 30 years.
Besides that, now that I am in the workforce, my entire day is spent teaching, both employees and patients.
Awwww, how sweet. It's called teaching a skill to another employee. We do it everyday. And you know what? We receive praise for it. We are compensated for it, and yes we even receive promotions for it. And at the end of our careers, our salaries, compensation, and 401ks show it. And many teachers don't have that.
And before you go on with your ridiculous argument's next step, I don't agree with public sponsored schools in any way. They should all be privatized. However under the 'excellent' leadership of Republicans, billions more have been thrown at the problem, bureaucratic redtape at levels never seen have been introduced, and intelligent children are held back while those of lower intelligence are pushed to catch up. But that doesn't change the fact, many teachers aren't paid what they're worth. Even in a private system, teachers should be paid accordingly for their job
wintertime, your bitter carping and juvenile insults would be funny if they weren't so pathetic. It must be horrible to have such a nasty, hateful attitude.
You sound a little jealous. Failed to get into the College of Education, huh?
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Gator Girl,
Teaching majors have the lowest SAT scores on campus. Their low standardized exam scores continue on the graduate level in the GRE, LSAT, and MCAT.
Yes I got your joke and I made a commensurate joke.
At recess, a little boy was running after a little girl, wagging his exposed tiny willy at her, and yelling "Git down, 'ho!"
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Again,,,,Is this the wonderful "socialization" and "real world" experience that homeschoolers are missing?
Actually, the homes these kids come from are usually worse.
Having read many of your posts, you have some good points on the subject, but unfortunately for the rest of us, you also make some rude unfounded ones.
You definitely need to remember that educated people can debate issues without very rude mannerisms. Case and example: when the lady made the comparison of day care pay vs. school job... You made a great retort to her comparison.. but then you had to get personal and rude with your no knowledge of business expenses. We are for the most part intelligent people reading these post. We don't need you coaching us on how you disdain other posters for daring not eating up your every word in agreement.
IOW.. you are a great debater, but lose arguement points in many people's eyes because of your lack of class. As far as I can tell, Alvindsv seems to be an outstanding asset to FR we may not see 100% eye to eye on every subject, but she is willing to debate subjects in a manner worthy of reading her posts. Cut the crass, and yours will be in the same boat.
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