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.
what a disgracefully intellectually dishonest statement you've made. thanks for intentionally punishing our kids because of your frustration with the administration.
i don't deny the county's responsibility, and i do what i can as an individual to help. yet you're punishing my kids anyway.
basically, you're a quitter without the balls to actually quit. dodging YOUR responsibility to the kids and instead just counting days till you collect the pension that you don't deserve in the eyes of any reasonable observer.
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.
County teachers campaign for higher salaries; Teachers say they feel disrespected after years of stagnating salaries
Posted by:
Tax and Spend
()
Date: February 01, 2014 03:48AM
County teachers campaign for higher salaries
Teachers say they feel disrespected after years of stagnating salaries
http://www.fairfaxtimes.com/article/20140131/NEWS/140139770/1117/county-teachers-campaign-for-higher-salaries&template=fairfaxTimes
Teachers at Woodson High School are dressing down to stand up for higher salaries.
Faculty members at the Fairfax school are abandoning their professional attire to demonstrate their dissatisfaction with stagnating salary levels in county schools.
The campaign, dubbed “A Dressing Down,” starts on Monday the first day of third quarter. Participants hope that the effort will spark a larger discussion about teacher treatment in the school system.
“We’re shedding our professional attire and sticking with the practical,” said Drew Marvin, an English teacher at Woodson. “We’ll dress up in our professional clothes again once our professional pay is restored.”
Teachers from Woodson are encouraging other schools to participate in “A Dressing Down.” At McLean High School, teachers are organizing a separate publicity campaign calling for higher teacher salaries, another sign of the unrest bubbling across the county.
“There’s nothing left to lose now,” said Dean Howarth, a physics teacher at McLean. “I think that’s where a lot of the rank-and-file teachers are.”
The school system’s proposed budget for the next school year includes $41 million for a 2 percent salary increase for most school employees, including teachers.
Teachers, though, say this problem has been years in the making. Teachers in Fairfax have only received an equivalent bump in pay once in the past five years, in 2012. Pay was frozen in 2010 and 2011 because of the economic recession, and in the past two years teachers have made do with only modest increases.
“It’s been a good half-decade of watching our paychecks stagnate or even decline,” Marvin said.
At Woodson, the idea for a demonstration started as a lunchroom conversation.
“We were looking at our paychecks and saying, ‘At this rate, we’re going to be hobos and still teaching in the classroom,’” Marvin said.
That inspired the idea to “dress down” to raise awareness for teachers’ salary squeeze.
The county’s dress code for teachers states: “Employees shall dress and conduct themselves in a professional manner.” As this is open to interpretation, some organizers have left interpretation of “dressing down” to individual teachers. Some plan to show up in jeans, T-shirts and sneakers, while others are simply ditching their blazers or ties.
“It’s a way of showing support and solidarity for changing teacher salary across the county,” said Woodson Principal Jeff Yost. “They can wear on their sleeve the disrespect they feel.”
A key factor in the Woodson campaign is that the dressing down has no impact on teacher responsibilities. According to Marvin, he and his fellow teachers do not want to cut back.
“That’s one of the reasons teachers are so easy to squeeze,” Marvin said. “The county knows we want to support our kids, and so we’re not going to cut back on anything that will affect them.”
Still, teachers have watched their salaries fall behind their peers in the region. Last year, the average salary for teachers in Fairfax County ranked below Montgomery County, Arlington County and Alexandria, according to statistics from the Washington Area Boards of Education, and the divide only grows as teachers gain experience.
“We want the public to know what’s happening and the damage being done to one of the supporting columns of Fairfax,” Marvin said.
Teachers say they feel disrespected after years of stagnating salaries
http://www.fairfaxtimes.com/article/20140131/NEWS/140139770/1117/county-teachers-campaign-for-higher-salaries&template=fairfaxTimes
Teachers at Woodson High School are dressing down to stand up for higher salaries.
Faculty members at the Fairfax school are abandoning their professional attire to demonstrate their dissatisfaction with stagnating salary levels in county schools.
The campaign, dubbed “A Dressing Down,” starts on Monday the first day of third quarter. Participants hope that the effort will spark a larger discussion about teacher treatment in the school system.
“We’re shedding our professional attire and sticking with the practical,” said Drew Marvin, an English teacher at Woodson. “We’ll dress up in our professional clothes again once our professional pay is restored.”
Teachers from Woodson are encouraging other schools to participate in “A Dressing Down.” At McLean High School, teachers are organizing a separate publicity campaign calling for higher teacher salaries, another sign of the unrest bubbling across the county.
“There’s nothing left to lose now,” said Dean Howarth, a physics teacher at McLean. “I think that’s where a lot of the rank-and-file teachers are.”
The school system’s proposed budget for the next school year includes $41 million for a 2 percent salary increase for most school employees, including teachers.
Teachers, though, say this problem has been years in the making. Teachers in Fairfax have only received an equivalent bump in pay once in the past five years, in 2012. Pay was frozen in 2010 and 2011 because of the economic recession, and in the past two years teachers have made do with only modest increases.
“It’s been a good half-decade of watching our paychecks stagnate or even decline,” Marvin said.
At Woodson, the idea for a demonstration started as a lunchroom conversation.
“We were looking at our paychecks and saying, ‘At this rate, we’re going to be hobos and still teaching in the classroom,’” Marvin said.
That inspired the idea to “dress down” to raise awareness for teachers’ salary squeeze.
The county’s dress code for teachers states: “Employees shall dress and conduct themselves in a professional manner.” As this is open to interpretation, some organizers have left interpretation of “dressing down” to individual teachers. Some plan to show up in jeans, T-shirts and sneakers, while others are simply ditching their blazers or ties.
“It’s a way of showing support and solidarity for changing teacher salary across the county,” said Woodson Principal Jeff Yost. “They can wear on their sleeve the disrespect they feel.”
A key factor in the Woodson campaign is that the dressing down has no impact on teacher responsibilities. According to Marvin, he and his fellow teachers do not want to cut back.
“That’s one of the reasons teachers are so easy to squeeze,” Marvin said. “The county knows we want to support our kids, and so we’re not going to cut back on anything that will affect them.”
Still, teachers have watched their salaries fall behind their peers in the region. Last year, the average salary for teachers in Fairfax County ranked below Montgomery County, Arlington County and Alexandria, according to statistics from the Washington Area Boards of Education, and the divide only grows as teachers gain experience.
“We want the public to know what’s happening and the damage being done to one of the supporting columns of Fairfax,” Marvin said.
Re: County teachers campaign for higher salaries; Teachers say they feel disrespected after years of stagnating salaries
Posted by:
Face for Radio
()
Date: February 01, 2014 07:27AM
Trust me, I am NOT a bleeding heart liberal when I say, "Give them a fucking raise". I have been reading about the pay freezes for several years and each year I think that really sucks. Don't confuse other issues you may or may not have with other benefits with this issue; giving them a raise is just common decency.
Re: County teachers campaign for higher salaries; Teachers say they feel disrespected after years of stagnating salaries
Posted by:
loveeesh
()
Date: February 01, 2014 08:03AM
this is the school with so many suicides by kids, right?
Re: County teachers campaign for higher salaries; Teachers say they feel disrespected after years of stagnating salaries
Posted by:
Curmudgeon
()
Date: February 01, 2014 08:43AM
i have some sympathy for teachers -- they have a hard job, and too many parents are jerks.
that said, i'd like to say something to any teachers who might happen to read this board (i know -- unlikely). shut the fuck up. nobody else is getting raises either.
that said, i'd like to say something to any teachers who might happen to read this board (i know -- unlikely). shut the fuck up. nobody else is getting raises either.
Re: County teachers campaign for higher salaries; Teachers say they feel disrespected after years of stagnating salaries
Posted by:
Silv
()
Date: February 01, 2014 09:00AM
Some people never get raises, they just do their job for the amount of money they agreed to.
Re: County teachers campaign for higher salaries; Teachers say they feel disrespected after years of stagnating salaries
Posted by:
Bill.N.
()
Date: February 01, 2014 10:11AM
Silv Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Some people never get raises, they just do their
> job for the amount of money they agreed to.
I believe the rich call them SUCKERS.
While I have sympathy with the teachers, the problem is WHERE IS THE MONEY GOING TO COME FROM?
-------------------------------------------------------
> Some people never get raises, they just do their
> job for the amount of money they agreed to.
I believe the rich call them SUCKERS.
While I have sympathy with the teachers, the problem is WHERE IS THE MONEY GOING TO COME FROM?
Re: County teachers campaign for higher salaries; Teachers say they feel disrespected after years of stagnating salaries
Posted by:
paulinVA
()
Date: February 01, 2014 10:12AM
True professionals act like professionals no matter what the circumstances.
Dress like a bum and expect to be treated accordingly.
Dress like a bum and expect to be treated accordingly.
Re: County teachers campaign for higher salaries; Teachers say they feel disrespected after years of stagnating salaries
Posted by:
LOLNoVa
()
Date: February 01, 2014 10:20AM
Too many damn kids flooding are this area. Its the librals who just let all these fucking people come into this country. We are over populated and societies poor choices are impacting teachers. I agree with the poster. Anyways, how do you go about setting up such a protest in the school?
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/01/2014 10:21AM by LOLNoVa.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/01/2014 10:21AM by LOLNoVa.
Re: County teachers campaign for higher salaries; Teachers say they feel disrespected after years of stagnating salaries
Posted by:
tgb
()
Date: February 01, 2014 11:55AM
paulinVA Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> True professionals act like professionals no
> matter what the circumstances.
>
> Dress like a bum and expect to be treated
> accordingly.
My wife and I both teach for FCPS and we agree with you on this one. When we first heard of this we thought, "Well, that's a stupid strategy". How is downgrading what I look like going to make people think better of me?
-------------------------------------------------------
> True professionals act like professionals no
> matter what the circumstances.
>
> Dress like a bum and expect to be treated
> accordingly.
My wife and I both teach for FCPS and we agree with you on this one. When we first heard of this we thought, "Well, that's a stupid strategy". How is downgrading what I look like going to make people think better of me?
Re: County teachers campaign for higher salaries; Teachers say they feel disrespected after years of stagnating salaries
Posted by:
Rules for Radicals
()
Date: February 01, 2014 12:16PM
LOLNoVa Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Too many damn kids flooding are this area. Its the
> librals who just let all these fucking people come
> into this country. We are over populated and
> societies poor choices are impacting teachers. I
> agree with the poster. Anyways, how do you go
> about setting up such a protest in the school?
Nicely written, great grammar and punctuation. What kind of protest are you trying to set up? Too many kids? Societies poor choice? Raise for teachers? If you really want to set up a protest, talk to any good liberal; especially a union one. They are the masters at protesting.
-------------------------------------------------------
> Too many damn kids flooding are this area. Its the
> librals who just let all these fucking people come
> into this country. We are over populated and
> societies poor choices are impacting teachers. I
> agree with the poster. Anyways, how do you go
> about setting up such a protest in the school?
Nicely written, great grammar and punctuation. What kind of protest are you trying to set up? Too many kids? Societies poor choice? Raise for teachers? If you really want to set up a protest, talk to any good liberal; especially a union one. They are the masters at protesting.
Re: County teachers campaign for higher salaries; Teachers say they feel disrespected after years of stagnating salaries
Posted by:
in truth
()
Date: February 01, 2014 02:09PM
Libruls want the illegals' vote.
Cons want the cheap labor.
Translation: NUTHIN is going to change.
However, one thing would stop the illegals flooding in. -When it gets as bad here as the shithole they're from-
That day ain't a long ways off.
Cons want the cheap labor.
Translation: NUTHIN is going to change.
However, one thing would stop the illegals flooding in. -When it gets as bad here as the shithole they're from-
That day ain't a long ways off.
Re: County teachers campaign for higher salaries; Teachers say they feel disrespected after years of stagnating salaries
Posted by:
Another teacher
()
Date: February 01, 2014 09:01PM
When made aware of this, a friend of mine wrote the following response. I agree with every word and couldn't have expressed it as well as he. It references "work to the rule (WTTR)", which is a short hand description for teachers who ONLY work contracted hours (7.5/day). No after school help sessions, no club sponsors, no working at home, no answering after hours emails etc. I hope he forgives me for posting it here without his permission. Here it is:
The executive summary is, “Teachers dress more casually or symbolically to represent the impoverishing effect of the last five years of budget cuts.”
I’ve been asked about this enough to share with all of you why I don’t support this action.
It is based upon a false premise. It will not elevate the discussion to a new level because it is not an act of defiance or solidarity. Students will not rush home to talk about how their education was impacted by the casual dress of numerous teachers. We are bound by the loosest dress code possible so this will not even draw attention to a real feature of our contract. Professional dress (vaguely defined as not disrupting the educational environment) includes such a wide range of fashion choices that only extreme choices or costumes would be noticed. If students even mentioned the lack of ties or presence of denim at home the next step is not a flurry of calls & emails to the school board.
I, cynically, notice this would forestall a ‘work to the rule’ (WTTR) action during one of the periods when the school board is discussing the budget. I think WTTR is the only noticeable action we have at our disposal and delaying or limiting its use is not in our best interest. Individually each of us has this option. A county wide action for a day would make some people notice, a week would get parent/student voices raised, and month would demand a response.
Some refer to WTTR as “hurting the students” and I strongly disagree with this characterization. The school board offered a contract with specific contact hours in mind. If they are wrong about how much time is needed to prepare students for the 21st century then they need to fix the contract. For years the responsibility of filling the gap between the product we are contracted to provide and the product we are committed to provide has been assumed by the teaching staff. For years I have willing spent many hours beyond my contract to be the kind of teacher I wanted to be for my students. For years I’ve felt my compensation was generous and I did not begrudge the extra time. Today‘s reality is different. To lay the charge of hurting students upon any teacher who stops giving their time for free is an attempt to deny the reality of our history and dodge the responsibility the county has to build, staff, and resource the school system they want.
So I support anybody who cuts back the amount of their donated time. I support a county wide WTTR action. And I look forward to seeing you however you choose to dress.
The executive summary is, “Teachers dress more casually or symbolically to represent the impoverishing effect of the last five years of budget cuts.”
I’ve been asked about this enough to share with all of you why I don’t support this action.
It is based upon a false premise. It will not elevate the discussion to a new level because it is not an act of defiance or solidarity. Students will not rush home to talk about how their education was impacted by the casual dress of numerous teachers. We are bound by the loosest dress code possible so this will not even draw attention to a real feature of our contract. Professional dress (vaguely defined as not disrupting the educational environment) includes such a wide range of fashion choices that only extreme choices or costumes would be noticed. If students even mentioned the lack of ties or presence of denim at home the next step is not a flurry of calls & emails to the school board.
I, cynically, notice this would forestall a ‘work to the rule’ (WTTR) action during one of the periods when the school board is discussing the budget. I think WTTR is the only noticeable action we have at our disposal and delaying or limiting its use is not in our best interest. Individually each of us has this option. A county wide action for a day would make some people notice, a week would get parent/student voices raised, and month would demand a response.
Some refer to WTTR as “hurting the students” and I strongly disagree with this characterization. The school board offered a contract with specific contact hours in mind. If they are wrong about how much time is needed to prepare students for the 21st century then they need to fix the contract. For years the responsibility of filling the gap between the product we are contracted to provide and the product we are committed to provide has been assumed by the teaching staff. For years I have willing spent many hours beyond my contract to be the kind of teacher I wanted to be for my students. For years I’ve felt my compensation was generous and I did not begrudge the extra time. Today‘s reality is different. To lay the charge of hurting students upon any teacher who stops giving their time for free is an attempt to deny the reality of our history and dodge the responsibility the county has to build, staff, and resource the school system they want.
So I support anybody who cuts back the amount of their donated time. I support a county wide WTTR action. And I look forward to seeing you however you choose to dress.
Re: County teachers campaign for higher salaries; Teachers say they feel disrespected after years of stagnating salaries
Posted by:
Curmudgeon
()
Date: February 01, 2014 09:21PM
Quote
To lay the charge of hurting students upon any teacher who stops giving their time for free is an attempt to deny the reality of our history and dodge the responsibility the county has to build, staff, and resource the school system they want.
what a disgracefully intellectually dishonest statement you've made. thanks for intentionally punishing our kids because of your frustration with the administration.
i don't deny the county's responsibility, and i do what i can as an individual to help. yet you're punishing my kids anyway.
basically, you're a quitter without the balls to actually quit. dodging YOUR responsibility to the kids and instead just counting days till you collect the pension that you don't deserve in the eyes of any reasonable observer.
Re: County teachers campaign for higher salaries; Teachers say they feel disrespected after years of stagnating salaries
Posted by:
Green grass
()
Date: February 01, 2014 09:22PM
I thought the county was planning on laying off teachers?
Given the (usual) budget "crisis" that wouldn't seem to put these teachers in a very strong position.
I guess that they could always go get one of those private-sector jobs where people make so much more and work less as they claim.
Given the (usual) budget "crisis" that wouldn't seem to put these teachers in a very strong position.
I guess that they could always go get one of those private-sector jobs where people make so much more and work less as they claim.
Re: County teachers campaign for higher salaries; Teachers say they feel disrespected after years of stagnating salaries
Posted by:
Another teacher
()
Date: February 01, 2014 09:30PM
CRUM: Yes yes yes, your kids shall be PUNISHED by teachers who(only) fulfill their contract! What a joke...
Re: County teachers campaign for higher salaries; Teachers say they feel disrespected after years of stagnating salaries
Posted by:
Curmudgeon
()
Date: February 01, 2014 09:41PM
Punished by having teachers who don't give a shit? Yes. If your life is so hard, if the private sector is so much easier, if you're taking out your frustration on children, then quit. You're worse than cowardly. You've crossed over into psychopathy.
Re: County teachers campaign for higher salaries; Teachers say they feel disrespected after years of stagnating salaries
Posted by:
Another teacher
()
Date: February 01, 2014 09:44PM
Crum, you are hilarious!
Re: County teachers campaign for higher salaries; Teachers say they feel disrespected after years of stagnating salaries
Posted by:
xWpcJ
()
Date: February 01, 2014 10:03PM
Another teacher Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The executive summary is, “Teachers dress more
> casually or symbolically to represent the
> impoverishing effect of the last five years of
> budget cuts.”
>
> I’ve been asked about this enough to share with
> all of you why I don’t support this action.
>
> It is based upon a false premise.
It's not based on a false premise. It's based on stupidity.
-------------------------------------------------------
> The executive summary is, “Teachers dress more
> casually or symbolically to represent the
> impoverishing effect of the last five years of
> budget cuts.”
>
> I’ve been asked about this enough to share with
> all of you why I don’t support this action.
>
> It is based upon a false premise.
It's not based on a false premise. It's based on stupidity.
Re: County teachers campaign for higher salaries; Teachers say they feel disrespected after years of stagnating salaries
Posted by:
Soryama
()
Date: February 01, 2014 11:37PM
I don't think Teachers should get COLAS (cost of living adjustments) or "raises" as most of us consider it.
However, the County has a salary scale that shows that a teacher will start at roughly 40k and make an extra thousand a year. I don't think it's right that the county hires new teachers, shows them the salary scale with the expectation that the teacher will make an extra thousand a year, and then doesn't follow through. I don't understand why the teachers don't sue. Personally, I think the county should just change the Salary scale so that they get raises every other year.
I am also worried about the Lorton Prison Scandal costing us millions, the roads in this county are in disarray after this freezing weather. I also worry about our parks, and police officers, and overall quality of everything in Fairfax seems to be going down! Is anyone happy? (Other than the illegals and Lorton Arts Board?
However, the County has a salary scale that shows that a teacher will start at roughly 40k and make an extra thousand a year. I don't think it's right that the county hires new teachers, shows them the salary scale with the expectation that the teacher will make an extra thousand a year, and then doesn't follow through. I don't understand why the teachers don't sue. Personally, I think the county should just change the Salary scale so that they get raises every other year.
I am also worried about the Lorton Prison Scandal costing us millions, the roads in this county are in disarray after this freezing weather. I also worry about our parks, and police officers, and overall quality of everything in Fairfax seems to be going down! Is anyone happy? (Other than the illegals and Lorton Arts Board?
Re: County teachers campaign for higher salaries; Teachers say they feel disrespected after years of stagnating salaries
Posted by:
L6uUK
()
Date: February 02, 2014 11:09AM
Teachers work very hard dealing with those disorderly kids. I say they absolutely deserve a raise.
Re: County teachers campaign for higher salaries; Teachers say they feel disrespected after years of stagnating salaries
Posted by:
punching the clock expected
()
Date: February 02, 2014 12:25PM
Years ago I complained that I did not have access to my desk or room after school in order to plan lessons, etc. (it was being used by the "afternoon and night school" teacher). My principal's response was that I should not be working at that time anyway since my contract was only until 2:40 p.m. Night school teacher came in at 2:30 p.m. So I heard loud and clear that working only my contract hours was what was expected of me.
Re: County teachers campaign for higher salaries; Teachers say they feel disrespected after years of stagnating salaries
Posted by:
too damned bad
()
Date: February 02, 2014 01:24PM
Let FCPS free up money by abolishing football, band, and cheerleading before they come begging for additional tax money AND the ability to impose their own taxes.
These are schools, not athletic clubs, but the likes of Karen Garza and Ryan McElveen just don't get that.
These are schools, not athletic clubs, but the likes of Karen Garza and Ryan McElveen just don't get that.
Re: County teachers campaign for higher salaries; Teachers say they feel disrespected after years of stagnating salaries
Posted by:
Joe Citizen
()
Date: February 02, 2014 01:29PM
LOLNoVa Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Too many damn kids flooding are this area. Its the
> librals who just let all these fucking people come
> into this country. We are over populated and
> societies poor choices are impacting teachers. I
> agree with the poster. Anyways, how do you go
> about setting up such a protest in the school?
Local governments and school districts need to start reporting how much of their budget is going to cover situations such as this. I think that they'll never release this information though. That would be the real pulse check for education and county budgets.
-------------------------------------------------------
> Too many damn kids flooding are this area. Its the
> librals who just let all these fucking people come
> into this country. We are over populated and
> societies poor choices are impacting teachers. I
> agree with the poster. Anyways, how do you go
> about setting up such a protest in the school?
Local governments and school districts need to start reporting how much of their budget is going to cover situations such as this. I think that they'll never release this information though. That would be the real pulse check for education and county budgets.
Re: County teachers campaign for higher salaries; Teachers say they feel disrespected after years of stagnating salaries
Posted by:
since no one else said it
()
Date: February 02, 2014 02:05PM
I will!
Cancel the turf fields. What an utter waste of money they are!
Cancel the turf fields. What an utter waste of money they are!
Re: County teachers campaign for higher salaries; Teachers say they feel disrespected after years of stagnating salaries
Posted by:
Professional Responsibilities
()
Date: February 02, 2014 02:12PM
Just some thoughts on what keeps teachers busy:
I spent a couple hours this morning finishing what I hope to be are the last college recs for the year. Soon I will be asked to write scholarship recs for many seniors. I spent both teacher work days preparing and running a competition for a student organization. There are so many elements of my job as a teacher that others do not realize are part of the job. This year I am being recertified by the state and it is also my 3-yr review for the county. I am tracking the hours spent on writing SMARTR goals and other requirements for the paperwork that is to be submitted at various times during the year.
I have been teaching for 18 years and can honestly say each year we are given more "professional responsibilities" on top of classroom preparation. We are always getting emails telling us to watch and take tests on such topics such as first aid, lab management and computer usage. We even were required to participate in modules on how the review system works.
I teach an elective and am asked to attend several fairs and recruitment activities, awards programs and to meet with others accross the county to "coordinate" extracurricular activites for the students. And no there is no stipend for these responsibilities outside of school hours.
I left another career to teach taking a 1/3 reduction in salary initially and was happy with that salary because I enjoyed what I do. I still love the students but am distressed by the amount of time we are now being asked to spend on things that do not directly relate to teaching. I have met few administrators in public work that impress me and I feel much of what is frustrating teachers is created by these folks who havent managed a classroom in years.
I totally understand the others when they make the point that it is the students that will suffer when teachers refuse to write recs, spend planning time with them, follow up emails and texts after hours and not sponsor activites and field trips. I can't imagine saying no or worse not responding to the many questions I recive after "contract time"
I also agree that what teachers are wearing will not matter. I am hoping to teach several more years but am starting to think I might be better off back in my first career as I never wanted to be that type of teacher who was worn out, bitter and so busy complaining they are not effective.
A higher salary will not change my mind to whether I stay or go, but a reduction in the ridiculous work that the admins keep dreaming up would. I am amused that the state worked so hard to recruit those of us from other careers and tried to make that transition easy but the new recruits honestly have no idea what's involved. They even make the orientation process unnecessarily hard and this is discouraging for the new teachers that I mentor.
I spent a couple hours this morning finishing what I hope to be are the last college recs for the year. Soon I will be asked to write scholarship recs for many seniors. I spent both teacher work days preparing and running a competition for a student organization. There are so many elements of my job as a teacher that others do not realize are part of the job. This year I am being recertified by the state and it is also my 3-yr review for the county. I am tracking the hours spent on writing SMARTR goals and other requirements for the paperwork that is to be submitted at various times during the year.
I have been teaching for 18 years and can honestly say each year we are given more "professional responsibilities" on top of classroom preparation. We are always getting emails telling us to watch and take tests on such topics such as first aid, lab management and computer usage. We even were required to participate in modules on how the review system works.
I teach an elective and am asked to attend several fairs and recruitment activities, awards programs and to meet with others accross the county to "coordinate" extracurricular activites for the students. And no there is no stipend for these responsibilities outside of school hours.
I left another career to teach taking a 1/3 reduction in salary initially and was happy with that salary because I enjoyed what I do. I still love the students but am distressed by the amount of time we are now being asked to spend on things that do not directly relate to teaching. I have met few administrators in public work that impress me and I feel much of what is frustrating teachers is created by these folks who havent managed a classroom in years.
I totally understand the others when they make the point that it is the students that will suffer when teachers refuse to write recs, spend planning time with them, follow up emails and texts after hours and not sponsor activites and field trips. I can't imagine saying no or worse not responding to the many questions I recive after "contract time"
I also agree that what teachers are wearing will not matter. I am hoping to teach several more years but am starting to think I might be better off back in my first career as I never wanted to be that type of teacher who was worn out, bitter and so busy complaining they are not effective.
A higher salary will not change my mind to whether I stay or go, but a reduction in the ridiculous work that the admins keep dreaming up would. I am amused that the state worked so hard to recruit those of us from other careers and tried to make that transition easy but the new recruits honestly have no idea what's involved. They even make the orientation process unnecessarily hard and this is discouraging for the new teachers that I mentor.
Re: County teachers campaign for higher salaries; Teachers say they feel disrespected after years of stagnating salaries
Posted by:
Grrrrrrrrrrrr....
()
Date: February 05, 2014 03:01PM
After seeing all the grammar errors here on Fairfax Underground, a raise seems laughable at best. I've heard so many horror stories about FCPS (some on this page and in the news) that I'm sending my kids to private school.
Re: County teachers campaign for higher salaries; Teachers say they feel disrespected after years of stagnating salaries
Posted by:
aging debbie does dallas fan
()
Date: February 05, 2014 06:11PM
BOLO
for foreigners who say 3x pay is "abusive" who are abusing whites
and not just in this county is unionized gov become a threat to civility
for foreigners who say 3x pay is "abusive" who are abusing whites
and not just in this county is unionized gov become a threat to civility
Re: County teachers campaign for higher salaries; Teachers say they feel disrespected after years of stagnating salaries
Posted by:
sumguy
()
Date: February 05, 2014 06:17PM
They can have a raise when the rest of us get one. My pay hasn't gone up since 2007.