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):
How about some other "public servant job" ? What do they make?
Madison Garbage men (2009 salary only):
(In contrast, the average private bus driver makes $9 - $13 an hour (about $20,000 yr) with no pension, or healthcare.)
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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:
TEACHERS:
Milwaukee $86,297
Elmbrook $91,065
Germantown $83,818
Hartland Arrwhd $90,285
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:
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
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
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
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
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.
