It Just Doesn't Seem Right To Me

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In the transcript of an interview between Jeffrey Brown of PBS and Elizabeth Kneebone of the Brookings Institution, it was stated:

New census data out today showed one in 15 Americans now lives in extreme poverty, the poorest of the poor, defined as earning less than 50 percent of the official poverty line. In 2010, that meant an income of around $5,500 for an individual and just over $11,000 for a family of four.

In other news, the candidates for the 2012 presidential election have, so far, raised over 186 million dollars for their campaigns.

Does anyone else think that $186 million could be better spent?

The Reality of Teaching

Tweet On Tuesday, I received the email that appears below from a friend. I'd like to think that he was just being funny (he does have an unusual sense of humor), but I'm pretty sure that he was horrified by what he read here and wanted to make sure I knew.

In the next few days, I'd like to analyze different parts of this email and give my opinions about it, because while the actual information may be factual (I'm not sure - I'll have to fact check it), there's a lot more to it than the "facts." Unfortunately, people read this nonsense and form negative impressions of public employees without truly using their critical thinking skills to analyze what they're reading.

This is the email I received (my analysis starts below the email):

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Subject: Fwd: Soooo, this is what the big fuss is about in Wisconsin...... Date: Tue, 29 Mar 2011 14:22:45 -0400 (EDT)

2010 WISCONSIN TEACHER AVERAGE WAGE AND BENEFITS (remember this is for 9 months of work)

TEACHERS:

Milwaukee $86,297
Elmbrook $91,065
Germantown $83,818
Hartland Arrwhd $90,285

Men Falls $81,099
West Bend $82,153
Waukesha $92,902
Sussex $82,956
Mequon $95,297
Kettle Mor $87,676
Muskego $91,341
(highest paid teacher was $122,952 and the lowest was $64,942)

STAFF:

Arrowhead - Bus Mng - Kopecky - $169,525
Arrowhead - Principal - Wieczorek - $152,519
Grmtwn - Asst Princ - Dave Towers - $123,222

Elmbrk Elemetary - Principal - Zahn - $142,315 (primary school)
Madison - Asst Principal - McGrath - $127,835

UNIVERSITY of WISCONSIN STAFF (2009 salary alone):

Michael Knetter - Prof of Bus - $327,828

Carolyn Martin - Chancellor Mad - $437,000

Hector Deluca - Prof of Nutritional Science - $254,877

Source: Madison.com

How about some other "public servant job" ? What do they make?

Madison Garbage men (2009 salary only):

Garbageman, Mr. Nelson earned - $159,258 in 2009, including $109,892 in overtime and other pay.
Garbageman, Greg Tatman earned - $125,598
7 Madison garbage men made over - $100,000
30 Madison garbage men made over - $70,000

MILWAUKEE CITY BUS DRIVERS (salary only):

136 Drivers made more than - $70,000
54 Drivers made more than - $80,000
18 Drivers made more than - $90,000
8 Drivers made more than - $100,000

Top Driver made $117,000

Source WTMJ

(In contrast, the average private bus driver makes $9 - $13 an hour (about $20,000 yr) with no pension, or healthcare.)

AND THEY EXPECT THE TAXPAYERS TO CONTINUE PAYING 100% OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE WORKERS’ GENEROUS RETIREMENT ON TOP OF ALL THIS!

IT'S WORSE THAN ABOVE. IN THE BOOK "OUTRAGE", AUTHORED BY DICK MORRIS, PAGES 176 - 196, THE FOLLOWING UNION RULES APPLY IN NEW YORK SCHOOL SYSTEM. I SUSPECT THESE "RULES" ALSO APPLY IN OTHER STATES, INCLUDING WISCONSIN. DON'T BELIEVE ME - CHECK IT OUT FOR YOURSELF!

1. SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS CANNOT ASK HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS TO TEACH MORE THAN 3.75 HRS./ DAY.

2. TEACHERS CANNOT BE ASKED TO SUPERVISE LUNCHROOM OR STUDY HALL, HELP STUDENTS ON/ OFF BUSES, HELP COLLEGE APPLICANTS PREPARE

TRANSCRIPTS, SCORE CITY-WIDE TESTS OR WRITE TRUANT SLIPS.

3. A TEACHER CANNOT BE PAID MORE OR LESS THAN ANY OTHER TEACHER AT THE SAME SENIORITY LEVEL (I.E PERFORMANCE GETS NO CONSIDERATION)

4. THE RIGHT TO HIRE OR NOT HIRE A TEACHER IS DETERMINED BY "TRANSFER RIGHTS" - NOT PERFORMANCE.

5. THE RIGHT TO HIRE OR FIRE A TEACHER IS LIMITED BY THE "TEACHER'S RETENTION RIGHTS" -- AGAIN, NOT BY PERFORMANCE.

6. PRINCIPALS CANNOT HIRE, FIRE OR PROMOTE TEACHERS, DETERMINE THEIR PAY, WORK HOURS, ASSIGNMENTS, REQUIREMENTS OR EXPECTATIONS.

7. PRINCIPALS CANNOT ASK TEACHERS TO SUBMIT LESSON PLANS.

8. TEACHERS CANNOT BE ASKED TO MEET BEFORE OR AFTER SCHOOL W/O CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS IN ADVANCE.

9. TEACHERS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO ATTEND FACULTY MEETINGS MORE THAN 2.5 HRS./MONTH.

YOU HAVE TO ASK - WHAT DO THE TEACHERS DO FOR THIS EXORBITANT PAY? AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, WHY DO 40% OF OUR STUDENTS FAIL TO MAKE

PASSING GRADES AND WHY DO WE HAVE OVER 40% DROP-OUT RATE OF OUR STUDENTS?

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My Analysis:

Let's start with the very first part: 2010 WISCONSIN TEACHER AVERAGE WAGE AND BENEFITS (remember this is for 9 months of work)

Nine months of work? Really? First, instead of saying teachers only work nine months of the year, you could argue that teachers are forcibly unemployed for three months of the year. The salaries teachers receive are based on the number of days worked in a school year, which varies from state to state. In Iowa, teachers' contracts are usually for 188 days. In Wisconsin, the Milwaukee school calendar shows 186 teacher contract days (if I counted correctly).

In the private sector, assuming an employee has earned 4 weeks of vacation per year, s/he would work 240 days. Assuming another 10 days off for federal holidays, that brings the total to 230 days per year. An employee with only 2 weeks of vacation would work 240 days a year.

So that's about 40 to 50 days more than a teacher works, but that doesn't tell the whole story. When I was teaching (and I believe this is true for most teachers), I worked at least two hours extra at home every evening and an average of 5 extra hours on the weekend. (This would be time spent checking papers, figuring grades, filling out reports, making lesson plans, gathering materials, writing parents, etc.) So, assuming a 36-week school year and 15 extra hours at home per week, that multiplies to 540 extra hours per year. Based on an 8-hour work day, that extra 540 hours is the equivalent of 67.5 days. Added to the 188 days of my school contract, I was actually working the equivalent of about 255 days per year.

That still doesn't tell the whole story. Teachers must keep up their teaching certificates. This requires coursework that must be taken during the summer. Teachers must also keep up with new trends in their fields. This also requires continuing education during the summer.

Over the years, I've often heard people say, "But you only work nine months of the year!" And I would respond, "Well, if it's so great, why don't you become a teacher." At this point, most would just shudder and walk away. Occasionally, one would say, "There's no way I would put up with those kids." Perhaps this is why teachers need a bit of a break during the summer.

Collective Bargaining is Important

Tweet I have been watching the protests and demonstrations in Wisconsin and definitely support what they're doing. While I'd like to think our employers would do the right things concerning salaries, benefits, working conditions, contracts, etc., the fact is that they don't. That is why unions and collective bargaining are so important.

Let me illustrate with a personal example. When I was first hired as a teacher, I took the place of a teacher who was going on maternity leave. I started in November and finished out the year. I was given a "non-continuing" contract. This meant that I had to resign at the end of the year so that the other teacher could have her job back.

As it turned out, she resigned. I also had to resign so that any teacher with more seniority in the district could bid on the job. Someone did, so I then applied for her job and got it.

At the end of my second year, the district eliminated my position and I was again without a job. Fortunately, a 9th grade position became available and I applied. Another teacher, who had completed his first year with the district, also applied and he had a coaching certificate. He was given the job.

When I asked why he was given the job when I had one more year of experience with the district, they argued that we had the same amount of seniority. Because my first year was with a "non-continuing" contract, they did not count that as a year toward my seniority. I didn't think that was right. Neither did the union leaders.

Needless to say, a grievance was filed and it went to arbitration. The arbitrator, after reading clear contract language that stated seniority was determined by consecutive years of teaching, ruled in my favor. I was given the job.

The district leaders were not particularly happy, but were always kind to me. They were nice men who just really wanted to hire the man with the coaching experience. In order to get what they wanted, they were willing to interpret the master contract in their own way. That is why there are unions ... to protect the workers. I can't imagine what they would have done had they not been nice men. I'm sure my life for the next 32 years could have been very unpleasant.

To do away with collective bargaining leaves workers, salaries, benefits, and working conditions at the whims of their employers. As I said, I'd like to think they would always do the right thing, but they don't. Even the nice ones make mistakes. Imagine what the not-nice ones might do.

And just for your information, the man with the coaching experience also got a job when another teacher moved. The coach and I continued to work together for another 30 years. He understood why the situation ended as it did. He was a union member also.