If it is such a small amount of money...why can't they cut the salary of all PPS employee by $35? And if you make more than $50K a year, then you get a $70 cut. Why is that not an option?
Yet, it seems like the public employees salaries and benefits have not eroded at the same rate as this "funding" and my middle class income. Wonder why that is?
THAT is the reason that $35 is a real burden, it might as well be $3500. I think most of us are sick of the schools and other government agencies having their hands in my wallet just to take whatever they think they need!
***Newsflash*** the public schools are in such sad state that my property value is already low. Good thing I live within walking distance of a couple of private schools (one of which I send my kids to).
Could this be because Oregon sends its kids to school 10-15 days (now closer to 20 days) LESS per year than many other states. That is almost an entire month! I would hope with that stat, Oregon's spending would be dead last.
Wait! Breaking News! A teacher...in Oregon...at a PUBLIC school paying hundred's of dollars out of pocket each month for health insurance? Really? Where? Who? Are you sure that you are not talking about "Car" Insurance? The OEA would never allow that.
Oh and I am pretty sure that union will pay insurance premiums and a per day stipend for striking.
Now - can someone PLEASE answer me these 2 questions: 1)Why isn't illegal in this state for the teachers to strike? And when do we get to vote on that?? and 2) If teachers insist that they work 50+ hours 48 weeks per year, then why don't they stirke when the kids are NOT in school? In most Districts the kids are only actually at school 165 days per year?
Interesting! So you get $100 a day? Get your insurance premiums paid for by the OEA? Have access to low interest loans? Wow there must be some strong and financially stable organization (OEA) behind this! If only we could get that kind of interest looking after our kids education and not teachers $70,000 a year salaries and administrators $150,000 a year salaries! Just sayin...
What you just described of your cuts and bigger workload is what just about what every other employee of any other company in any industry has faced. But the difference is that "teachers are there for the kids", so automatically it is assumed that your profession and your industry should be immune to what the rest of the country is going through. Prep time? I'd love prep time at my job. Teacher work days, the entire day off? I'd like at least one of those please! The other states that I have lived in, have funded their schools for way less per student AND the kids go to school 180 day per year AND they make up snow days. Why is it so different in Oregon? Something is not adding up and I'd like it for all the teachers to strike and maybe we can start over.
I'm in the same boat...sending my kids to private school and amazed at how well they can educate my kid for 1/2 the cost...yeah yeah yeah, I know that they don't "have to" accept all the kids and the parents at private schools are soooo involved. But it is more than that. The teachers have jobs and yes, they love their jobs, but they also know they need to be really good at their jobs because if they are not, they will get fired! Just like in any profession ('cept public school teacher) The only way to get fired in a public school is to have sex with a student and I don't even think THAT gets you fired anymore!
"fat" chance....if they did that, then the public would realize the amazing benefits the staff gets for essentially being a part time employee! My husband works for a multi-billion dollar company and and our medical insurance has gone from $25 a month (for the whole family) to $400 a month for the whole family in the past 12 years. Wonder if the PPS benefits (or any public school benefits) have increased member cost that much in the same time frame. Doubt it!
By Golly! I think there is a slight chance that the Portland Tax Payers might get it right this time!! At least based on these comments, I think that people *might actually* realize that PPS is crying wolf, again, as they do EVERY YEAR. Then they put a tax measure on the ballot, the OEA (the most powerful teachers union in the nation) and the PAT (because why have only one union when you can have two?) throw a ton of money (from where?) to scare the public into voting yes for the poor sweet kids. Oh pluuusee! I'm willing to bet that there are more than just the 2 options to cutting the budget...you can't cut any more school days and you can't cut teacher staff. I'm not an accountant, but I am almost 100% positive that their budget has more than 2 line items.
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