Fairfax County General :
Fairfax Underground
Welcome to Fairfax Underground, a project site designed to improve communication among residents of Fairfax County, VA. Feel free to post anything Northern Virginia residents would find interesting.
Welcome to Fairfax Underground, a project site designed to improve communication among residents of Fairfax County, VA. Feel free to post anything Northern Virginia residents would find interesting.
Pay now or pay later - Teachers in Fairfax County have been asked to “do more with less” for years.
Posted by:
Ms. Crabapple
()
Date: June 07, 2013 06:31AM
Teachers in Fairfax County have been asked to “do more with less” for years.
Since 2008, Fairfax teachers have seen their paychecks rise on just two occasions. During that same span, most were asked to teach larger classes and work longer hours for which they didn’t receive comp time or overtime pay.
Given all that, we were surprised that teacher compensation was among the School Board’s most divisive issues in getting a $2.4 billion budget passed last week. While concerns about cutting maintenance funds and scaling back academic programs are legitimate, so is the prospect of losing talented, cash-strapped teachers to neighboring counties and states that already view Fairfax as fertile recruiting territory.
The vast majority of teachers don’t enter the profession to get wealthy — most are more concerned about issues related to autonomy, teaching conditions, and parental and administrative support — but they do want to be adequately compensated.
Fairfax County is among the most expensive places to live in the U.S. A $45,000 salary doesn’t last long when you’re renting a $1,600 apartment in Chantilly, shelling out $15 for a take-out dinner or spending $9 in gas and tolls just to get to your classroom.
It’s also worth noting that many of families and corporations decide to come here due to the gold-plated reputation of our 180,000-student school system. Maintaining that reputation — especially in tight economic times — is a difficult task that requires School Board members to continually pick Peter’s pocket to pay Paul.
After all, there are thousands of computers to upgrade, hundreds of industrial-sized heating units to maintain and dozens of roofs to replace. There are also academic programs to expand and ball fields to mow. With dozens of schools across the county fast-approaching their 60th year, the school system’s “to-do” list will grow in coming years and tough decisions will become even more difficult.
That said, none of those gaps should be closed on the backs of teachers who have been at the front of Fairfax County’s fiscal firing line for nearly a decade.
Fairfax County needs to find a way to pay teachers, or they’re going to lose their brightest stars. There’s also the matter of passing up a one-time, $6.3 million boost in state funding that Fairfax will get to help finance the raise, which is slated to go into effect next January and cost the school system approximately $22 million.
While that’s big number, it’s an investment that needs to be made to retain our best talent and preserve Fairfax County’s place as one of the top places to educate children.
We can pay now or pay a whole lot more later.
Since 2008, Fairfax teachers have seen their paychecks rise on just two occasions. During that same span, most were asked to teach larger classes and work longer hours for which they didn’t receive comp time or overtime pay.
Given all that, we were surprised that teacher compensation was among the School Board’s most divisive issues in getting a $2.4 billion budget passed last week. While concerns about cutting maintenance funds and scaling back academic programs are legitimate, so is the prospect of losing talented, cash-strapped teachers to neighboring counties and states that already view Fairfax as fertile recruiting territory.
The vast majority of teachers don’t enter the profession to get wealthy — most are more concerned about issues related to autonomy, teaching conditions, and parental and administrative support — but they do want to be adequately compensated.
Fairfax County is among the most expensive places to live in the U.S. A $45,000 salary doesn’t last long when you’re renting a $1,600 apartment in Chantilly, shelling out $15 for a take-out dinner or spending $9 in gas and tolls just to get to your classroom.
It’s also worth noting that many of families and corporations decide to come here due to the gold-plated reputation of our 180,000-student school system. Maintaining that reputation — especially in tight economic times — is a difficult task that requires School Board members to continually pick Peter’s pocket to pay Paul.
After all, there are thousands of computers to upgrade, hundreds of industrial-sized heating units to maintain and dozens of roofs to replace. There are also academic programs to expand and ball fields to mow. With dozens of schools across the county fast-approaching their 60th year, the school system’s “to-do” list will grow in coming years and tough decisions will become even more difficult.
That said, none of those gaps should be closed on the backs of teachers who have been at the front of Fairfax County’s fiscal firing line for nearly a decade.
Fairfax County needs to find a way to pay teachers, or they’re going to lose their brightest stars. There’s also the matter of passing up a one-time, $6.3 million boost in state funding that Fairfax will get to help finance the raise, which is slated to go into effect next January and cost the school system approximately $22 million.
While that’s big number, it’s an investment that needs to be made to retain our best talent and preserve Fairfax County’s place as one of the top places to educate children.
We can pay now or pay a whole lot more later.
Re: Pay now or pay later - Teachers in Fairfax County have been asked to “do more with less” for years.
Posted by:
Beat the dead horse
()
Date: June 07, 2013 06:58AM
Were all suffereing Ms Crabapple, please go back to grading your papers.
Re: Pay now or pay later - Teachers in Fairfax County have been asked to “do more with less” for years.
Posted by:
Ms. Crabapple
()
Date: June 07, 2013 07:01AM
Beat the dead horse Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Were all suffereing Ms Crabapple, please go back
> to grading your papers.
I have completed grading all my papers thank you. I'm merely trying to get some movement on making the county more "teacher friendly".
-------------------------------------------------------
> Were all suffereing Ms Crabapple, please go back
> to grading your papers.
I have completed grading all my papers thank you. I'm merely trying to get some movement on making the county more "teacher friendly".
Re: Pay now or pay later - Teachers in Fairfax County have been asked to “do more with less” for years.
Posted by:
tgbwc
()
Date: June 07, 2013 07:23AM
Why come here with this,OP?
Somebody is a glutton for ridicule.
Somebody is a glutton for ridicule.
Re: Pay now or pay later - Teachers in Fairfax County have been asked to “do more with less” for years.
Posted by:
privilege
()
Date: June 07, 2013 07:29AM
Isn't the privilege of teaching the children from the "finest, brightest" families in the US (snort) enough for FCPS teachers? Many school districts in other parts of the US must make do with a lot less money.
Re: Pay now or pay later - Teachers in Fairfax County have been asked to “do more with less” for years.
Posted by:
Ms. Crabapple
()
Date: June 07, 2013 07:32AM
privilege Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Isn't the privilege of teaching the children from
> the "finest, brightest" families in the US (snort)
> enough for FCPS teachers? Many school districts
> in other parts of the US must make do with a lot
> less money.
What are the results?
-------------------------------------------------------
> Isn't the privilege of teaching the children from
> the "finest, brightest" families in the US (snort)
> enough for FCPS teachers? Many school districts
> in other parts of the US must make do with a lot
> less money.
What are the results?
Re: Pay now or pay later - Teachers in Fairfax County have been asked to “do more with less” for years.
Posted by:
you have to work 2 more weeks?
()
Date: June 07, 2013 08:12AM
Interesting that you dont hear other employee groups who have to work 12 months a year (and not getting pay increases either) whining like teachers. You have a couple months a years , at least, to work a second job. We just finish our 8 hours and then head to the second job, get it? Get another job or be quiet, the public is sick of hearing it.
Re: Pay now or pay later - Teachers in Fairfax County have been asked to “do more with less” for years.
Posted by:
cry me a river
()
Date: June 07, 2013 08:22AM
If you don't like it get another job where you will get what you believe is fair compensation.
Re: Pay now or pay later - Teachers in Fairfax County have been asked to “do more with less” for years.
Posted by:
Jess1
()
Date: June 07, 2013 08:45AM
"so is the prospect of losing talented, cash-strapped teachers to neighboring counties and states"
I'm certain that teaching in West Virginia will be quite rewarding...
I'm certain that teaching in West Virginia will be quite rewarding...
Re: Pay now or pay later - Teachers in Fairfax County have been asked to “do more with less” for years.
Posted by:
9 months
()
Date: June 07, 2013 08:48AM
Teachers never stop whining. Their usual response is they can make much more in the private sector, yet they stay with the school system.
Re: Pay now or pay later - Teachers in Fairfax County have been asked to “do more with less” for years.
Posted by:
WingNut
()
Date: June 07, 2013 08:56AM
Society needs teachers and they should be applauded, but they should not be applauding themselves in the self-congratulatory way they do. "Oh pity me, I am underpaid" Get real.
I truly feel for some of the lower level educators, but they chose their profession (because they love kids! LOL smiley,smiley) and they are perfectly aware going in what the pay is, what the demands are etc,
They get a couple months off every year, I'm not going to even address that they should be mowing grass, sealing driveways, waiting tables, babysitting etc etc. They should be though.
The problem with FCPS is they are in solidarity with all of the other higher paid deadweight shits in the system. Once you are in the FCPS "Family", there is never room for reforming your own or reducing waste. They too much understand the power of teachers as a united body and an organization to ever, ever fix from within.
Do you think they would ever consider complaining about the inequity in pay and frame their complaint by asking for a "sacrifice" from some of the admins who pull six figures a year?
No, the complaint ALWAYS comes back to the taxpayer and the entry level teacher usually always subscribes to the notion that "everyone" in the FCPS deserves MORE, MORE, MORE.
No one owes you anything. Yes, you are the ONLY ONES who provide a "free" structured education, but you are also the ONLY ONES who can use your power to make demands of taxpayers and government budgets.
Fuck yourselves already.
I truly feel for some of the lower level educators, but they chose their profession (because they love kids! LOL smiley,smiley) and they are perfectly aware going in what the pay is, what the demands are etc,
They get a couple months off every year, I'm not going to even address that they should be mowing grass, sealing driveways, waiting tables, babysitting etc etc. They should be though.
The problem with FCPS is they are in solidarity with all of the other higher paid deadweight shits in the system. Once you are in the FCPS "Family", there is never room for reforming your own or reducing waste. They too much understand the power of teachers as a united body and an organization to ever, ever fix from within.
Do you think they would ever consider complaining about the inequity in pay and frame their complaint by asking for a "sacrifice" from some of the admins who pull six figures a year?
No, the complaint ALWAYS comes back to the taxpayer and the entry level teacher usually always subscribes to the notion that "everyone" in the FCPS deserves MORE, MORE, MORE.
No one owes you anything. Yes, you are the ONLY ONES who provide a "free" structured education, but you are also the ONLY ONES who can use your power to make demands of taxpayers and government budgets.
Fuck yourselves already.
Re: Pay now or pay later - Teachers in Fairfax County have been asked to “do more with less” for years.
Posted by:
your own worst enemies
()
Date: June 07, 2013 09:46AM
9 months Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Teachers never stop whining. Their usual response
> is they can make much more in the private sector,
> yet they stay with the school system.
Show up late because they dont have a first period class, leave early because they dont have a last period class, "work at home" on teacher workdays, week off Chritmas and Easter, .I dont think you see that in the private sector. Get some work ethic and then we will talk pay.And get over yourselves.I have seen some of the "fine" graduates of the Fairfax County School System in my neighborhood and place of employment.
-------------------------------------------------------
> Teachers never stop whining. Their usual response
> is they can make much more in the private sector,
> yet they stay with the school system.
Show up late because they dont have a first period class, leave early because they dont have a last period class, "work at home" on teacher workdays, week off Chritmas and Easter, .I dont think you see that in the private sector. Get some work ethic and then we will talk pay.And get over yourselves.I have seen some of the "fine" graduates of the Fairfax County School System in my neighborhood and place of employment.
Re: Pay now or pay later - Teachers in Fairfax County have been asked to “do more with less” for years.
Posted by:
Jess1
()
Date: June 07, 2013 09:57AM
"Their usual response is they can make much more in the private sector"
You mean the starting salary at OverPricedCoffee or Tarrjay isn't more????
You mean the starting salary at OverPricedCoffee or Tarrjay isn't more????
Re: Pay now or pay later - Teachers in Fairfax County have been asked to “do more with less” for years.
Posted by:
Gimme a Raise!
()
Date: June 07, 2013 10:27AM
We've all been doing more with less pay for a long, long time. This isn't a Teachers-Only issue.
Move on.
Move on.
Re: Pay now or pay later - Teachers in Fairfax County have been asked to “do more with less” for years.
Posted by:
Ms. Crabapple
()
Date: June 07, 2013 01:27PM
WingNut Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Society needs teachers and they should be
> applauded, but they should not be applauding
> themselves in the self-congratulatory way they do.
> "Oh pity me, I am underpaid" Get real.
>
> I truly feel for some of the lower level
> educators, but they chose their profession
> (because they love kids! LOL smiley,smiley) and
> they are perfectly aware going in what the pay is,
> what the demands are etc,
>
> They get a couple months off every year, I'm not
> going to even address that they should be mowing
> grass, sealing driveways, waiting tables,
> babysitting etc etc. They should be though.
>
> The problem with FCPS is they are in solidarity
> with all of the other higher paid deadweight shits
> in the system. Once you are in the FCPS "Family",
> there is never room for reforming your own or
> reducing waste. They too much understand the power
> of teachers as a united body and an organization
> to ever, ever fix from within.
>
> Do you think they would ever consider complaining
> about the inequity in pay and frame their
> complaint by asking for a "sacrifice" from some of
> the admins who pull six figures a year?
>
>
> No, the complaint ALWAYS comes back to the
> taxpayer and the entry level teacher usually
> always subscribes to the notion that "everyone" in
> the FCPS deserves MORE, MORE, MORE.
>
> No one owes you anything. Yes, you are the ONLY
> ONES who provide a "free" structured education,
> but you are also the ONLY ONES who can use your
> power to make demands of taxpayers and government
> budgets.
>
> Fuck yourselves already.
I really didn’t think we were asking for so much. If you look at the budget breakout for FCPS, the teachers get a small percentage out of it (breaking it out).
-------------------------------------------------------
> Society needs teachers and they should be
> applauded, but they should not be applauding
> themselves in the self-congratulatory way they do.
> "Oh pity me, I am underpaid" Get real.
>
> I truly feel for some of the lower level
> educators, but they chose their profession
> (because they love kids! LOL smiley,smiley) and
> they are perfectly aware going in what the pay is,
> what the demands are etc,
>
> They get a couple months off every year, I'm not
> going to even address that they should be mowing
> grass, sealing driveways, waiting tables,
> babysitting etc etc. They should be though.
>
> The problem with FCPS is they are in solidarity
> with all of the other higher paid deadweight shits
> in the system. Once you are in the FCPS "Family",
> there is never room for reforming your own or
> reducing waste. They too much understand the power
> of teachers as a united body and an organization
> to ever, ever fix from within.
>
> Do you think they would ever consider complaining
> about the inequity in pay and frame their
> complaint by asking for a "sacrifice" from some of
> the admins who pull six figures a year?
>
>
> No, the complaint ALWAYS comes back to the
> taxpayer and the entry level teacher usually
> always subscribes to the notion that "everyone" in
> the FCPS deserves MORE, MORE, MORE.
>
> No one owes you anything. Yes, you are the ONLY
> ONES who provide a "free" structured education,
> but you are also the ONLY ONES who can use your
> power to make demands of taxpayers and government
> budgets.
>
> Fuck yourselves already.
I really didn’t think we were asking for so much. If you look at the budget breakout for FCPS, the teachers get a small percentage out of it (breaking it out).
Re: Pay now or pay later - Teachers in Fairfax County have been asked to “do more with less” for years.
Posted by:
Liberal Logic 09
()
Date: June 07, 2013 02:06PM
Ms. Crabapple Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> privilege Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Isn't the privilege of teaching the children
> from
> > the "finest, brightest" families in the US
> (snort)
> > enough for FCPS teachers? Many school
> districts
> > in other parts of the US must make do with a
> lot
> > less money.
>
> What are the results?
So your saying that if teachers arent paid more youll stop trying or those other teachers arent trying?
A teaching job is very well paid compared to other start up jobs and you make more than EMS.
I would suggest getting a second job or tutoring over those summer months
-------------------------------------------------------
> privilege Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Isn't the privilege of teaching the children
> from
> > the "finest, brightest" families in the US
> (snort)
> > enough for FCPS teachers? Many school
> districts
> > in other parts of the US must make do with a
> lot
> > less money.
>
> What are the results?
So your saying that if teachers arent paid more youll stop trying or those other teachers arent trying?
A teaching job is very well paid compared to other start up jobs and you make more than EMS.
I would suggest getting a second job or tutoring over those summer months
Re: Pay now or pay later - Teachers in Fairfax County have been asked to “do more with less” for years.
Posted by:
Just STFU
()
Date: June 07, 2013 02:51PM
Liberal Logic 09 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> So your saying that if teachers arent paid more
> youll stop trying or those other teachers arent
> trying?
No, that's not what she's saying, you idiot. Stop distorting what people say.
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> So your saying that if teachers arent paid more
> youll stop trying or those other teachers arent
> trying?
No, that's not what she's saying, you idiot. Stop distorting what people say.
Re: Pay now or pay later - Teachers in Fairfax County have been asked to “do more with less” for years.
Posted by:
Liberal Logic 09
()
Date: June 07, 2013 03:04PM
Just STFU Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Liberal Logic 09 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> >
> > So your saying that if teachers arent paid more
> > youll stop trying or those other teachers arent
> > trying?
>
> No, that's not what she's saying, you idiot. Stop
> distorting what people say.
Actually it was, she was implying that poor districts would have better results if they paid teachers more. Chicago teachers are some of the best paid in the country and get miserable results.
-------------------------------------------------------
> Liberal Logic 09 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> >
> > So your saying that if teachers arent paid more
> > youll stop trying or those other teachers arent
> > trying?
>
> No, that's not what she's saying, you idiot. Stop
> distorting what people say.
Actually it was, she was implying that poor districts would have better results if they paid teachers more. Chicago teachers are some of the best paid in the country and get miserable results.