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EducateWorthington.org

The 912 Project - Glenn Beck

912 Group of Central Ohio

Please let me know if you'd like your link added

Scores for Columbus, other school districts slip

The number one is sobering. Disheartening.

But of the 22 chances to meet state testing and graduation rate goals this past school year, Columbus Public Schools likely met only one. If preliminary numbers hold up, Columbus schools would have the worst performance among the 49 central Ohio districts.

"You want to see all of your kids be successful. It is a blow to all of us when that doesn’t happen," said Rhonda Johnson, who heads Columbus’ teachers union.

Columbus is not the only district in line to stumble a bit on the state’s report card, which is due out next month. Toward the bottom of the scale, Groveport Madison and Whitehall schools might meet only two academic standards; while Marysville schools, which had a perfect record in 2003-04, could see some blemishes this time.

In Columbus’ case, the tumble from last year’s standing — five of 18 goals — would send the district into the worst-possible state rating, academic emergency, if the goals were the only thing that counted. But as in many other districts, Columbus officials think they’ll be able to hold on to their rating, no matter how many statetesting goals the district has met.

http://www.dispatch.com/news-story.php?sto...0723-A1-03.html

http://www.columbustownhall.com/townhall/i...=30&#entry11614

Nation's largest union sets goal of $40,000 starting salary for teachers

By BEN FELLER
ASSOCIATED PRESS

LOS ANGELES, July 3 — The typical starting salary for teachers should be $40,000, the head of the country's largest education union said Sunday, pledging a renewed fight for higher pay.
 

http://www.columbustownhall.com/townhall/i...2167&hl=swcs&s=

Look at how much these administrators get paid. Note the $300,000+ salary. That is more than the POTUS gets paid.

Over 50% of teachers make more than $50,000/yr, and SWCS is trying to cut the prom? How about cut the salaries of these over paid teachers? Forget "pay for play", institute "pay for pass." If a teacher's students don't pass, the teacher doesn't get paid. Don't forget, they get 3 months off each year, so in essence, multiply their salary by 4/3 or 1.33 to get their annual salary. On an annual basis, the $50,000/yr teacher is really making 66,700/yr.
http://www.columbustownhall.com/townhall/s...2167/#entry8653

Your idea of "pay to pass" is good in theory.  But how would you deal with the teachers who would pass undeserving kids just to keep their jobs?  Even though there are state proficiency tests that might curb this to a point, these tests do not give some kids a fighting chance.  There are several different ways a student learns - and they display that knowledge the same way they learned it.  These tests don't account for that.  Plus, have you SEEN the recent graduation tests?  They're written horribly and are given at a bad time of year.  The state tests in the middle of March before all of the material can even be addressed in the classroom.  How is that fair to the students?

And I COMPLETELY disagree with the claim that ANY new teacher should have a starting salary of $40,000.  That's insane.  And I also feel that the administrators are HIGHLY overpaid.  They're not even down in the trenches.

Salary -shmallery...
Teachers are in it for the retirement benefits.
The average teacher retires in 30 years, everyone else 45 years. WOW!
That means the average schmuck is working 50% longer than the average teacher.
WOW!
I won't even razzle dazzle you with the shorter work day, shorter work year, higher pensions....
But the voters keep giving it to them.
Good for the teachers.
Everyone else, get back to work!

I've seen a few posts where members are complaining about teachers only being teachers just for the retirement benefits.  If this is true, then it must be sour grapes on the parts of these posting members that they aren't teachers?  "WAAAH!  Somebody has it better than me."

Shorter work year?  Even after the students are gone I am STILL working.  I continue to take graduate level courses throughout the summer.  Partly to keep my certificate and partly to keep up with the other latest demands of the state.  This is paid for out of pocket by ME - there goes some of that salary.  During the school year I VOLUNTEER for committees to change what I see is wrong in my district - most likely a futile attempt on my part.  This doesn't make MY work day shorter.  Not to mention the VOLUNTARY time spent making home visits and phone calls to parents outside of my contracted schedule.  And I won't "razzle dazzle" you with the amount of money I spend on student supplies, student rewards, classroom materials, etc.

You can choose to find fault with your own district and the teachers/administrators it employs.  But don't lump every teacher into your reality.

If this is true, then it must be sour grapes on the parts of these posting members that they aren't teachers? "WAAAH! Somebody has it better than me."

Damn don't make this too easy, I haven't sold out therefore they don't have it better than me. These teachers are running scared at the thought that the seats in their classrooms could be filled in the near future with only a few students, that's not much job security when enrollment drops when parents get tired of the lame teachers who aren't held accountable.

You can choose to find fault with your own district and the teachers/administrators it employs. But don't lump every teacher into your reality.

I find fault with the district who fails to be a financially responsible steward of taxpayer's money. I find fault with the district being led around by their noses by union scum and giving piss poor reasons why things don't change.

I won't even take the time to litter my reponse with paragraph #2, however I will tell you this coming from a parent of kids who had their civil rights violated by a school district that already pays out too much in hush money.

BTW the kids who had their civil rights violated choose not to sue the district they moved to another school district, showing far more maturity than the teachers who tried to scare them w/what they wouldn't have because their parent's didn't care about their education.

You knew when you wanted to be a teacher it was explained to you in detail what was expected of you. Sounds like you've had more than enough of it and it's time for you to quit. If you don't want to make home visits, keep your CEU's current, make phone calls to parents outside of your contractual time and if you don't want to keep the morale of your student's up with the amount of money I spend on student supplies, student rewards, classroom materials then perhaps it's time you consider another occupation.

I am bloody sick and tired of teaches believing they are the only ones who have jobs that bring extra financial and time demands on their time outside of the classroom. Don't come here looking for sympathy because it's not on the menu, I cannot give you the exact figure of the jump a 10 year teacher w/a masters made after the last 3 year contract yet I seem to think it jumped from $49,000 to roughly about $62,000.

When 87% of Worthington Schools budget goes to salaries there is something terribly wrong with that number. Our kids don't get jack after that then we have to hear how the district has no money to take care of business. It's time teachers had a reality check when our social workers, firefighters and policeofficers are lucky to get 4% per annum on their contracts after having worked roughly 3/4 of it in while in co;;ective bargaining come on.

Perhaps if we had test scores and kids coming out of school that were competitive with kids from around the world you wouldn't be seeing this post. We as a nation aren't getting near the bang for our educational buck and neither are our kids with the cookie cutter education that won't get the around the corner after graduation.  

Something has to give and I as a taxpayer am sick and tired of it, welcome to the real world teachers.

 

I am not running scared at the thought of empty seats.  More power to the parent who gets their student(s) into a better school.  I KNOW that I am an effective teacher - my students' test scores prove this.  I take my job very seriously, even when the parents and students don't.  If the number of students leaving my school gets to the point where I need to look elsewhere for a job, I am confident that I will find another job teaching - in ANY district.

"I won't even take the time to litter my reponse with paragraph #2, however I will tell you this coming from a parent of kids who had their civil rights violated by a school district that already pays out too much in hush money.

BTW the kids who had their civil rights violated choose not to sue the district they moved to another school district, showing far more maturity than the teachers who tried to scare them w/what they wouldn't have because their parent's didn't care about their education."
I'm not even sure how to address this comment.  I know I have never violated ANYONE's civil rights.  Perhaps I haven't been here long enough to know the background for this comment?

You are right in finding fault with a district that isn't financially responsible.  Looking at the chart posted by AdamSmith definitely illustrates how bad Columbus Schools are!

You're right - I knew exactly what was expected of me when I became a teacher.  My comments weren't ones of complaint.  I'm not here looking for sympathy.  I'm sick and tired of being bashed as lazy or greedy.  I get tired of being lumped into the problems that exist within my district as well as other districts I have no contact with.  I do not think that teachers are the only ones who have work outside of the work day.  I'm sick of people assuming that I DON'T just because my contracted day is shorter than theirs.  I enjoy my job.  I also am not foolish enough to consider it my career should a time come when I become "burned out".  

Believe it or not, there ARE teachers out there who HAVE a conscience.  I am one of them.  I have my masters and am entering my 9th year of teaching.  I don't make anywhere near $62,000.  Nor is that a goal.  I believe all districts could do more with what they ALREADY have.  I believe all administrators are way overpaid for what little they do - at least in my district.  I believe we have teachers on both ends of the salary scale who need to be let go for incompetence, but that is hampered by the union.  I'm not going to completely bash the union because I have had to call on them a time or two to deal with incompetent administrators.  Do I agree with everything the unions do?  No.  But with a corrupt school board I suppose it's easier to fight fire with fire??  

I am a parent, too.  I am terrified of what my children will get for a teacher when they go to school - in my own district!

Apparently, I've hit a nerve with you.  I don't know what you have to look forward to in the fall, but if venting on a faceless teacher gives you relief, then I hope you feel better now.

BTW, I do not teach in Worthington Schools OR Columbus Schools.

[Edmund Burke]

We shouldn't expect any more altruism from teachers than any other profession.  When someone becomes a teacher, they encounter a preexisting structure (i.e., the district, the union).  I have no doubt that many, many teachers go into teaching for the best of reasons, just as many go into it for somewhat worse reasons.  Nonetheless, our focus should be on the structure of public education, not on individuals.  Indeed, we should reshape the system to reward altruistic and effective teachers and to weed out lesser individuals and MOST of the useless and parasitical administrators.

Any teacher who is 1) open-minded enough to discuss restructuring, and 2) isn't afraid of change is probably just the kind of teacher we would admire and hope to retain.  Although it is easy to become anti-education when we see all the current problems with public education, we need to remind ourselves that many good people are trapped in a system they didn't choose and can't control.

Thank you, Dain.  Well put!

Believe it or not, there ARE teachers out there who HAVE a conscience. I am one of them. I KNOW that I am an effective teacher - my students' test scores prove this. I take my job very seriously, even when the parents and students don't.

That is great to hear, unfortunately your far and few in between.

Although it is easy to become anti-education when we see all the current problems with public education, we need to remind ourselves that many good people are trapped in a system they didn't choose and can't control.

That is the unfortunate part of the situation that the few and proud who make the attempt to change are villified with many different inappropriate actions from within the union.

I'm not even sure how to address this comment. I know I have never violated ANYONE's civil rights. Perhaps I haven't been here long enough to know the background for this comment?

There is a time and place for redress concerning this particular situation, unfortunately this is one district that acts in direct colusion with the teacher's to ensure they show all students being promoted from year to year no matter what educational price the student may pay in the future.

Apparently, I've hit a nerve with you. I don't know what you have to look forward to in the fall, but if venting on a faceless teacher gives you relief, then I hope you feel better now.

Believe it or not it's not that you hit a nerve w/just myself, there are many more taxpayers who feel the same, it would be nice that venting would make things feel better. I as a parent am concerned not only for my kids, it extends further than that. Try a day working as skilled labor when kids come to the job site not being able to read a tape measure or how roof pitch affects the rest of a house.

During my mornings during the first WSJ reports on the radio the reports that are run stating the extremely low test scores from students now that make the NASA folks who sent Neil Armstrong to the moon look like pure geniuses. With a small side note they were just that with the brave men of the space program that gave most of what we take for granted today.

I'm sick and tired of being bashed as lazy or greedy. I get tired of being lumped into the problems that exist within my district as well as other districts I have no contact with.

Unfortunately the Union President of the NEA made his position perfectly clear that he would ignore many different factors concerning the demand of $40,000 starting jobs for teachers.
As I will look at my previous post  I do not see that I made comments with you directly in mind, those are generalized comments.

[I]Any teacher who is 1) open-minded enough to discuss restructuring, and 2) isn't afraid of change is probably just the kind of teacher we would admire and hope to retain.[/I]

It would be nice that those teachers would be taken seriously.

 

"That is the unfortunate part of the situation that the few and proud who make the attempt to change are villified with many different inappropriate actions from within the union."  Not only by the union - which was what I was trying to get across.  Because I carry the title teacher I get a lot of undeserved "actions" thrown in my direction.

"Unfortunately the Union President of the NEA made his position perfectly clear that he would ignore many different factors concerning the demand of $40,000 starting jobs for teachers." I suppose I could liken this to any head of industry (or our commander in chief) who pushes for something not everyone agrees with.  Not that I'm defending his position or his comments.  Just because I'm a teacher doesn't mean I believe everything or agree with everything the NEA spouts.  One of the requirements of becoming a teacher is forced membership in these organizations.

"As I will look at my previous post I do not see that I made comments with you directly in mind, those are generalized comments."  That is what I took issue with - the generalized impression that I get lumped into on a daily basis.

I think we agree on many points.  Try not to see me as the enemy just because I have the title of teacher.  You might actually like me - to a point.  lol

I think we agree on many points. Try not to see me as the enemy just because I have the title of teacher. You might actually like me - to a point. lol

It would be very wrong to believe that all teachers are really the enemy. In one way or another we end up being generalized into one catagory or another at sometime in our lives, at that point it's best to kind of let it roll off your back.