Posted on 12/02/2002 9:13:24 AM PST by geedee
After reading about the trials of Santa Monica (California) High School student Steve Miller, to say nothing of how many young minds are being poisoned every day, teachers themselves, seemed like a worthwhile educational topic.
Teachers Consider Themselves Victims
According to the National Education Association (NEA), the average salary of a U.S. public school teacher for the 2001-02 school year was $44,499. No doubt, this is much lower than other professions such as law and medicine, but one can't enter those with a 2.0 undergrad average from, say, Chico State, nor are there many emergency provisions to obtain employment in those fields without proper certification.
Unlike the other professions, teaching has the security of civil service, and there are almost unlimited opportunities to make considerably more money by simply hanging in, running extracurricular programs, and by becoming an administrator. It is not uncommon for a school administrator, in larger districts, to make well over $100,000.
The "victim" persona comes from them comparing their worthy occupation of instructing America's youth, and being involved in intellectual pursuits, to highly paid entertainers and athletes. To be fair, they also take way too much criticism for being the sole cause of our country getting continuously more stupid with every passing year. They are more aware than most that this failure is primarily the result of the destruction of the American family – especially amongst the Black population – but being toe-tag liberals, cannot say this. This makes them feel even more victimized.
If you're a victim, you're a leftie.
Teachers Consider Themselves To Be Intellectuals
Teachers work with books all day, and, at least, on the surface, are engaging in activities of the mind. They can take some comfort in this, when they compare themselves to athletes and others who seem to get a lot of money for merely physical attributes. Most intellectuals believe that they are superior to all other people, who, even if they must use their minds in their work, have sold out in some manner to achieve their economic success. What could be a more pure use of the intellect than instructing children, after all?
As intellectuals, they are only too ready to tell everyone else how to live, and to put that into practice requires an all-powerful government. Like most intellectuals, they seem to care little for the original functions of government, such as defense, police, and promoting commerce. And like most intellectuals, they enjoy embracing the most perverse ideas, just for the attention.
If you're an intellectual, as this term applies today, you're a leftie.
Teachers Belong To A Huge And Powerful Union
Stripped to its essentials, the NEA is about more money for the school districts, always and without limits of any kind, less accountability, and nearly every single left-wing cause you could possibly imagine. Oh yes, they talk about accountability, but inevitably refer to it as a complex issue that will require more study, so nothing ever seems to actually get done about it.
The NEA sends more voting delegates to the Democratic National Convention than does the State of California, yet the NEA enjoys tax-exempt status, claiming not to engage in political activities of any kind.
Perhaps the teachers would consider themselves less of a victim class if they made significantly more money, but the NEA – like most unions – does its best to determine that will never happen, by protecting bad performers, and fighting against the competition that would occur if vouchers were widely used. The NEA's animus against vouchers stems, of course, from its atheism, since a goodly portion of vouchers would be used to support parochial schools. I guess it's important to be able to choose to terminate a pregnancy, but not to choose where your kid goes to school.
If you're still a true believer in trade unions, you're a leftie.
Teachers Have No Self-Esteem
I know teachers talk about self-esteem all the time, but think of the frat boy who always talked about his sexual conquests, and then was unmasked to have none. For many of them, it's all they can do to lord it over a bunch of kids, and it is just in this kind of environment that Leftist politics flourishes. Why? Since none of the cockamamy ideas would ever stand up to debate, and can only be promulgated unchallenged. That's also why most teachers tend to hang out with other teachers. Despite all the air of superiority, they really do feel inferior. They can take comfort only with their own, and other downtrodden folks.
If you have no self-esteem, you're a leftie.
One or two of these factors would push many people over to the Left, but since most teachers have all four going full-blast, their present condition is easy to understand.
You really get it. And that is one debate that will never happen, because it involves personal freaking responsibility. Not a trend in this country that I can see.
But I will still fight the good fight... one middle schooler at a time.
Not to be a jerk, but what was your undergrad degree in? 3.8 is good, but it is more impressive in some subjects than others. Also, 45k a year is almost twice the national average wage. More importantly, is this 45k a year include working during the summer or not? 45k with good health care, good retirement...it could be a lot worse!
I am 44, and have worked in the High Tech sector since I got out of the Army in 80.
With the ups and downs of the economy, I have found myself out of a job on several occasions, and have been working for a School District of 50,000 students for 10 years.
I manage a huge Telecom Network. I attend planning sessions, do Infrastructure design, and manage a multi milliom dollar budget.
And what do I get paid for this you ask?
About $60K a year. What I made in a bad year as a contractor.
In return, I get a lot of days off and job security.
I would LOVE to become a teacher. I am great with kids, and actually was an Instructor in the Army in Electronics and loved it.
I enquired to the possibility of becoming a teacher and found the dirty little secret of the teaching profession.
You must have a Teaching Certificate in order to become fully qualified. I could of course have gone back to school and recieved a Degree then a Teching Certificate, after about 8 or 9 years of course.
The fact that I actually DO the craft has apparantly nothing to do with it.
The recent trend in education is to do away with all education in "the trades", such as Carpentry, Automotive and Electronics in favor of a strictly college bound track.
So I ask you, what should be done to open up the system to people like myself ?
I ask all the time, to those of whom will listen anyway, where will the next set of Mechanics, Carpenters and Electricians come from ?
Certainly not from the pencil necked geek crowd who think the world lives and dies on degrees. frankly, I think the majority of the "Certificated Employees" I work with, would all tend to agree. They all make at least my salary or better, all for 2 months a year more off and better benefits.
Please don’t take any of this as a personal attack, far from it.
I sympathize with you and would love to join you in the teaching profession, but the deck seems stacked against it.
The fact is, for most Government jobs that involve any sort of education requirement, you nearly always get paid less.
This is not always a bad thing.
I am personally willing to trade a more lucrative lifestyle for security and free time.
It all depends on what you are looking for...
Cheers,
knews hound
3.8 is good, but it is more impressive in some subjects than others.
I wasn't trying to impress anyone. All that means to me is that I did what I was asked to do in college. (...and I still mourn over those few Bs I got.)
Also, 45k a year is almost twice the national average wage.
It is hardly the national average for Americans with a graduate degree.
More importantly, is this 45k a year include working during the summer or not?
Okay add on a few k for my after school and summer teaching gigs.
45k with good health care, good retirement...it could be a lot worse!
Make no mistake, I am grateful every day for the career I have. Some days I can't believe I am where I am. I would do it for free. I never meant to complain, just to make the point to those who are constantly bashing all teachers in general, and making no attempt to support the good ones and root out the bad ones.
It wouldn't take you "8 or 9 years" to get certified. No way. You would just have to work your ass off, jump through the regulation hoops, and do whatever it takes.
However, (and please don't take this personally) please don't become a teacher for the "security and free time". We already have a myriad of teachers who teach because they get the Summers off and are guaranteed their job just for showing up most of the time.
You need to have a fire burning that compels you to spend your days with kids, make a difference in their lives, and make a valuable contribution to them that will be with them always.
You will know if you are a teacher if you must pursue the profession, no matter what it takes.
Teachers are not all lefties...
And?
People who generalize are automatically going to be wrong...
And?
If you think that it's so damn easy, you come and try it for a semester.
Thank you class.
A) I couldn't stand the horrific pay cut;
B) I couldn't stand working with such drooling idiots (the teachers and administrators) all day,
C) Been homeschooling probably longer than you've been teaching......and I'm the dad of seven,
D) I've already given one small example of what I've done to deal with public schools. We homeschool our kids up to high school, so I wind up dealing with public high schools only.
I wish you well in your chosen career....but many of us choose to change the "system" in other ways that are every bit as effective.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.