Obama warns on teacher layoffs

Politico44 ^ | 6/9/12 | JOSH BOAK

[ColdOne]

The $30 billion package to fill in the gaps left by slashed state education budgets failed to get a passing grade from Capitol Hill. And with summer vacation about to start across the country, a wave of teacher firings is expected to happen at a delicate moment for the recovery.

“All across America – tens of thousands of teachers are getting laid off,” Obama warned in the address broadcast Saturday. “In Pennsylvania alone, there are 9,000 fewer educators in our schools today than just a year ago. In Ohio, the number is close to 7,000. And nationwide, over the past three years, school districts have lost over 250,000 educators.

[freedumb2003]

We might have to *gasp* HOME SCHOOL (only the best educated and most measurably intelligent cohort).

The fewer socialists we have indoctrinating our children, the better the possible results.

[tbw2]

We shouldn’t have teacher layoffs, just administrator layoffs. Each administrator costs 2x each teacher and produces nothing of value.

[mass55th]

He takes 5 minutes off to deliver a threat to Congress, then it’s off to more fund raising, or golf...whichever comes first. What a work ethic.

[Gabrial]

Obama, you have spent your way into this.

FU

[wiggen]

These articles are free advertising for my tag.

[Rapscallion]

It’s a lie to get us to allow a tax increase. Teachers are public employees and they have a massive union. They must be subject to layoffs just like “the people”.

[Drango]

It’s the spending stupid!

[NonValueAdded]

The case needs to be made that we cannot continue to "federalize" the teaching workforce through these annual stipends to the states. Look to the Wisconsin model for how states can dig themselves out of the holes they have dug. (OK, that violates the first rule of holes but you know what I mean)

[6SJ7]

And with summer vacation about to start across the country, a wave of teacher firings is expected to happen at a delicate moment for the recovery.

Delicate moment for the recovery? Why be delicate? The recovery, if there ever was one, is dead.

[shreve884]

Here’s a though ... why not insist that for a school system to get Federal Funding, 80% of the employees must be classroom teachers (or in-class assistants), cooks, janitors, or bus-drivers. That’s still one admin employee for every 4 teachers. If we did this we could probably double the number of teachers AND spend less money.

Private sector managers understand that admin positions grow like weeds. They have to be cut out every once in a while. Governments are just not equipped to do this. It USED to happen because the money ran out ... then we learned we could just borrow to no end and avoid these tough calls ... so ... here we are.

[BookmanTheJanitor]

In Pennsylvania alone, there are 9,000 fewer educators in our schools today than just a year ago. In Ohio, the number is close to 7,000

I'm sure those numbers are easily verified (rolling eyes)

[shreve884]

Above was SUPPOSE to say, “here’s a THOUGHT!”.

[shreve884]

Above was SUPPOSED to say, “here’s a THOUGHT!”.

[GlockThe Vote]

Maybe if pay and benes were brought into line w reality with exoconic conditions, there would not be the need for layoffs.

Or better yet, if the economy were doing fine as Obozo claims, tax recipets would be increasing to support the payroll.

Obama = FNG MORON

[Gaffer]

In my book, this day and age with administration-brain washed educators, this is a GOOD thing. The less your children are influenced by zealots the better.

[HiTech RedNeck]

Lemmings running off the cliff.

[Cheerio]

“All across America – tens of thousands of teachers are getting laid off,” Obama warned in the address broadcast Saturday

Well DUH - most teachers are out of a job in the SUMMER.

[xkaydet65]

He throws numbers around like frisbees on a Malibu beach,with no concern for where they land. The 250K number in three years is 83K a year out of 2 million teachers. How many of those are retirees who were simply not replaced? In NYC there has been a quasi hiring freeze for the last three years, but no layoffs, though Bloomie keeps threatening. The schools lose 3 to 5 thousand teachers to retirement and resignations a year. Less than half are replaced.A retiree does not add to the unemployment numbers unless they do something like work at Barnes and Noble and cause a younger worker to be laid off. There are 23 million unemployed. Spending tax$$$ to keep 250K in their jobs,even if they all were actual lay offs,represents less than 1% of the unemployed. Not a lot of bang for the buck.

[ridesthemiles]

Who here on FR is old enough to remember the term: “Featherbedding” on the railroads???

IMO, teachers have been ‘feathbedding’ for years with complaining on the sizes of classes & they keep trying to convince parents today that if they have ‘only 20’ or ‘only 15’ or fewer kids in their classes, everything will be unicorns & rainbows.

I was raised in a small rural town.

We averaged 32-36 in our high school classes, and about the same in the 8th grade I attended. Prior to that, I was in a one room school with 14 kids, 8 grades & 1 teacher who had only 2 years of college.

I’ll put my fellow classmates up against any other school you can name, with their overall smarts & successes thru life.

Now that taxpayers & SOME politicians are getting the message that having tons of teachers in the schools doesn’t get your little Johnny or Susi a decent education. preparing them for adult life.

Get back to the basics-—
Toss out the teachers ‘union’-—
Teach kids about real life-—

Then we might have a chance to employ someone useful.