If you know a teacher, you probably hear a lot about heart and how he or she teaches with his or her heart and does all the extra stuff because of that pesky heart. I know that's why I do it, because I love it. My heart is in it. But after the past few days, weeks, months (I can't keep track any more), my heart is bruised and broken. It makes me so sad to know that people don't care for ALL students as much as I do. Wow. That sounded like I think I'm Mother Teresa. I don't. I'm saying, all students deserve the same education regardless of how much money their parents make.
It's no secret. Teachers don't make much money. Don't believe me? Check the pay scale here. (then click licensed staff then salary schedule) Too lazy? I'll tell you. As a first year teacher with a Bachelor's Degree, I make $32, 899 a year. Not much, especially when you consider that there are not enough hours in our contract hours to go to all the meetings, contact parents, plan for the next day, help struggling students after school, and grade papers. I'm sorry but I can't get all that done in 1 hour. 1 hour is all the time I'm paid for to get all these things done. So, I, along with 99% of first year teachers and most other teachers, spend hours before and after "contract time" to get all these things done.
I am not telling you these things so you can say, "Oh, poor picked on teachers." I love my job. I wouldn't and couldn't do what I do every day if I didn't. I'm telling you these things because I'm annoyed. Annoyed with the fact that people voted to have 500 jobs cut and class sizes raised (even before this, we have the highest class sizes in the nation) instead of increasing taxes less than $10 a month. Are your children worth $10 a month?
We need to think about who is going to run this state and country in the next 20 years. An educated workforce is invaluable to the state. If we continue to "pack 'em deep and teach 'em cheap" we're going to get in trouble sooner rather than later.
I'm realizing this post is getting lengthy and is probably rambling. Go check out these news stories.
Here and here
Just as a note, I want to punch the lady in the red shirt from Canyons in the second video. I hope you don't know her. If so, I'm sorry but what she says makes me want to punch things (by things I mean her).
This is a letter to parents from Jordan District:
To Jordan District Parents:
Please tell the School Board to rescind their decision to increase class size and lay off 500 District employees.
The School Board can make a better choice to meet their budget: Furlough school days to protect the quality of our programs. Raise taxes to maintain the quality of our schools.
1. Recent Dan Jones and Jordan District survey results state that the public is willing to increase taxes for education. This tax increase would be under $10 a month ($9.40) for a $200,000 home.
2. The Jordan PTA has also called for a tax increase.
3. This large class size increase will force 250 teacher layoffs. Laying off a total of 500 District employees will slow down the economic recovery of our communities.
4. The Board decided to increase class size by an average of 4 students per class. Utah already has the highest class size in the U.S. Class size increases:
- Keep students from receiving the individual attention they need.
- Force the cancellation of special programs that have benefited students at all grade levels.
- Limit teachers' ability to include higher level learning activities and assessments due to the additional preparation and grading time required.
- Risk all schools' ability to make AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress).
- Risk high schools' ability to maintain accreditation (as determined by Northwest Association of Accredited Schools) due to increased teacher class loads and significant loss of preparation time.
- Make teams and programs less competitive in statewide competitions due to inadequate preparation time.
- Lower property values as the school district loses its reputation of having great public schools.
- This School Board decision will lower the quality of education in our schools.
The Jordan Education Association encourages you to contact your Board member and tell them to make a better choice. You can also attend Tuesday night School Board Meetings (schedule at www.jordandistrict.org).
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