UPDATED 7/24: Will Georgia teachers get furloughed?
UPDATE: Cobb County is making other cuts to avoid furloughing teachers. Other systems — including Gwinnett, Forsyth and Henry — already announced furlough dates.
UPDATE: The State Board of Education is scheduled to meet this coming Tuesday to clear any obstacles preventing school districts from furloughing teachers and other school employees. The board is expected to vote on waivers to change the number of days Georgia requires school employees to work
Gov. Sonny Perdue announced Tuesday (July 22) a plan to fill a $900 million hole in the budget. The plans includes all public school teachers taking three furlough days by the end of the calendar year.
Technically Perdue can’t order teachers to take furloughs because they hold contracts with individual school districts, not the state. It’s up to local superintendents and school boards to decide what to do.
Basically the state will cut the amount of funding school districts get to subtract three furlough days. School systems could furlough teachers or find other ways to make the cuts.
Cherokee County schools Superintendent Frank Petruzielo said the system’s teachers will be furloughed Monday and Tuesday when they were scheduled to plan for the upcoming school year. The third furlough day will come in November.
Others are following Cherokee’s lead. Henry County announced this afternoon the furlough days for teachers: July 27, July 28 and Nov. 3.
Just got Gwinnett’s dates for teachers: Aug. 3-4 and Oct. 9
Many districts have already cut to the breaking point. Let’s not forget these furloughs come on top of a 3 percent cut in school funding and years of austerity cuts.
Should school leaders decide to furlough they will likely target days students were already scheduled to stay home. That means teachers will be saying good-bye to planning days. Some systems may eliminate parent-teacher conference days as well.
I wonder how much work teachers would still have to do while furloughed.
After all, lessons must get planned, tests and papers must get graded and parents still expect responses to their phone calls and e-mails. Many teachers who do their jobs well already put in hours beyond the regular school day.
Do you think teachers should face furlough? If not, where else can schools cut?
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576 comments Add your comment
math teacher for 15 years
July 23rd, 2009
11:39 pm
to “tired of teachers whining”
The way to calculate the pay per day for teachers is to take the yearly salary and divide it by 190 contract days. For your example, that would be about 329 dollars a day when you divide 62,565 by 190. Multily by three days and you get 987 dollars. Who is the one who cannot do simple math? You are a jerk on top of being mathematically challenged.
gottabekiddinme
July 24th, 2009
12:42 am
I have been reading through blogs as I never have before about this situation. I am a teacher of 28+ years….and glad to have a job in these economic times. I am thankful to have one when many of our school’s spouses lost their jobs early this year when a major factory closed in our area. Those women are now the only working person in their families. I really hate this for those teachers!!
However, on other blogs…especially those I read by someone named “jim d”—I am incensed by the comments by some non-educators–they really believe teachers are PAID for summer vacations, etc!!! (Makes one wonder about their level of education!!)
Teachers are contracted for 190 8 hour days in Georgia. However, when we have additional training, faculty meetings, parent conferences, etc. that fall outside of that 8 hour day—we get paid no more. NOTHING is paid for past that time allotted…no PTO meetings, no band concerts at night, no Friday night football games we are expected to go to support, no parent meetings we wait until 6 p.m. to have to accommodate working parents, no time spent at workshops/in training, NOTHING. We are salaried employees. We earn 12 sick leave days per year and 3 personal leave days/yr. (and personal leave days are discouraged to be taken in many systems as they don’t want to pay for subs) Unless you call our personal leave VACATION days, we have no paid vacations as teachers!!! If a teacher became ill and used up all of his/her sick leave, then his/her salary would be cut by 1/190th of the total with that amount deducted from his/her paycheck.
When you consider that it has taken me THREE degrees (BS plus two graduate degrees) and 28+ years experience to finally reach a salary level of a little over $65K a year….yet my brother hires new graduates from GA colleges who expect to earn $75K their first year in his field of business………..hmmmmm. Teachers are certainly NOT in it for the money!!! And new teachers just starting out certainly do not receive wages that lure into the field of education!
If you are a non-educator…and you have even ONE WEEK OF PAID VACATION—you have more “vacation time” than a teacher in Georgia! Do your homework before you embarrass yourself again by griping about teachers’ “paid” Christmas, spring break, summer, etc vacations!!! We do not get a DIME for any of those days!!! Yet..the teachers in my school seldom work less than 5-15 additional hours/week……w/ no additional pay. We have no breaks….. yet if I worked in most any other job, I would have a 20 min. break every 4 hours to at least have a restroom break. And a lunch hour!!?? Ha!!! Try eating in a noisy lunchroom with kids during a 30 lunch break that really means about 15 min. of time to sit down after getting them through the lunch line!!
I have worked a variety of other jobs during my life….full time summer jobs, part time jobs during my college days and after school…..yet ONLY in the school environment have I ever had to be on my toes the entire time.
I think every parent should have to spend a week as a substitute teacher (and those who gripe about teachers without walking in their shoes) ! As those parents who already spend quality time volunteering in their kids’ schools know…………whew! Teaching is a HARD JOB!!!!
Do those people also “gripe” about firefighters “sitting around waiting on a fire?”
Ludicrous….right??? Teachers provide a vital service too…..for far too little pay just as other public servants.
gottabekiddinme
July 24th, 2009
12:44 am
Does this mandate that all school employees be included in the furlough? Custodial staff and others paid hourly? Does this necessarily include all the administrators in the system….of which we could have a RIF of about 50% in some areas???
gottabekiddinme
July 24th, 2009
12:50 am
I have been reading through blogs as I never have before about this situation. I am a teacher of 28+ years….and glad to have a job in these economic times. I am thankful to have one when many of our school’s spouses lost their jobs early this year when a major factory closed in our area. Those women are now the only working person in their families. I really hate this for those teachers!!
However, on other blogs…especially those I read by someone named “jim d”—I am incensed by the comments by some non-educators–they really believe teachers are PAID for summer vacations, etc!!! (Makes one wonder about their level of education!!)
Teachers are contracted for 190 8 hour days in Georgia. However, when we have additional training, faculty meetings, parent conferences, etc. that fall outside of that 8 hour day—we get paid no more. NOTHING is paid for past that time allotted…no PTO meetings, no band concerts at night, no Friday night football games we are expected to go to support, no parent meetings we wait until 6 p.m. to have to accommodate working parents, no time spent at workshops/in training, NOTHING. We are salaried employees. We earn 12 sick leave days per year and 3 personal leave days/yr. (and personal leave days are discouraged to be taken in many systems as they don’t want to pay for subs) Unless you call our personal leave VACATION days, we have no paid vacations as teachers!!! If a teacher became ill and used up all of his/her sick leave, then his/her salary would be cut by 1/190th of the total with that amount deducted from his/her paycheck.
When you consider that it has taken me THREE degrees (BS plus two graduate degrees) and 28+ years experience to finally reach a salary level of a little over $65K a year….yet my brother hires new graduates from GA colleges who expect to earn $75 their first year in his field of business………..hmmmmm. Teachers are certainly NOT in it for the money!!! And new teachers just starting out certainly do not receive wages that lure into the field of education!
If you are a non-educator…and you have even ONE WEEK OF PAID VACATION—you have more “vacation time” than a teacher in Georgia! Do your homework before you embarrass yourself again by griping about teachers’ “paid” Christmas, spring break, summer, etc vacations!!! We do not get a DIME for any of those days!!! Yet..the teachers in my school seldom work less than 5-15 additional hours/week……w/ no additional pay. We have no breaks….. yet if I worked in most any other job, I would have a 20 min. break every 4 hours to at least have a restroom break. And a lunch hour!!?? Ha!!! Try eating in a noisy lunchroom with kids during a 30 lunch break that really means about 15 min. of time to sit down after getting them through the lunch line!!
I have worked a variety of other jobs during my life….full time summer jobs, part time jobs during my college days and after school…..yet ONLY in the school environment have I ever had to be on my toes the entire time.
I think every parent should have to spend a week as a substitute teacher (and those who gripe about teachers without walking in their shoes) ! As those parents who already spend quality time volunteering in their kids’ schools know…………whew! Teaching is a HARD JOB!!!!
Do those people also “gripe” about firefighters “sitting around waiting on a fire?”
Ludicrous….right??? Teachers provide a vital service too…..for far too little pay just as other public servants.
Love to Teach
July 24th, 2009
5:37 am
Bad idea, Mr. Perdue. Many of us barely make ends meet/live from paycheck to paycheck; have our personal budgets set; have bills to pay, etc. I love my job as teacher, although it is a hard job. One thing that keeps me going is being appreciated [even if not with words, always] and knowing that I am making a difference. The furlough proposal is a little bit of a slap in the face. It seems to me Mr. Perdue could look elsewhere to juggle his budget. I am concerned about teacher morale.
State Employee
July 24th, 2009
7:57 am
To Blonde Honey and the rest. So you think you are the only one who goes into their on pocket. Well, I work as a social worker and guess what HONEY, I go into my own pocket and have for years. But instead of it being for crayons and pencils its for my clients basic needs. Try money for food, diapers, baby formula, the water bill. Those are the items I have gone into my pocket for to give to my clients. Your not alone, you are not more noble. Quite honestly you people seem to think this three day furlough is the end of the world. Try this on for size been furloughed for one a month since October, no raise, hiring freeze, understaffed the list goes on.
Gina
July 24th, 2009
8:21 am
It is always disheartening to see the hostility from some teachers toward the central office. Yes, there are slackers in the central office, just as there are teachers who shouldn’t be in the classroom. Are there central office positions that could be eliminated? Surely. But don’t paint us all with that broad brush. Many in the central office work very hard to support the schools so that teachers and principals can focus on the students. As classified employees, we don’t have the job protections that teachers have and often feel like second class citizens in the system. We like to be valued, too!
not a state worker
July 24th, 2009
8:39 am
@ state employee…HONEY you knew social work is not highly paid and yet you still took the job. Be thankful you even have a job or go get a job that is more to your liking.
BTW…a little correction on one of the posts above. Teachers are employees of the county they serve not the state. Perdue can’t furlough teachers, only the county BOE can.
Marie
July 24th, 2009
8:40 am
Georgia desperately needs a strong union. Teachers are treated so unfairly here unlike up North. I fear it is only going to get worse next year.
Gina
July 24th, 2009
8:43 am
This discussion of the technicality of paid vacation days is ridiculous. The bottomline is what is the annual salary and how many days do you have to work to get that? Someone in the private sector making $65K a year is very likely to have to work many more days per year than gottabekiddinme for the same money. A teacher’s annual salary cannot be compared to a private sector salary because there is such a difference in days worked…not just summers off, but winter and spring breaks.
justanobserver
July 24th, 2009
8:46 am
My husband is a Gwinnett school system employee but he is not a certified teacher. He has also been furloughed 3 days. EVERY employee across the board is being hurt by this. Yes it sucks but we are thankful that he has a job. However, I will be willing to bet that after January, Perdue asks for more days. So, school system employees are not even getting a cost of living raise, supply budgets were cut AGAIN, insurance is going up and now they are being furloughed. When is it going to be enough????
What frustrates me is the the irresponsible spending going on in every school system, but I’ll give you some examples from Gwinnett: lights left on in several school buildings overnight (waste of $ and energy), a huge field in front of a new school that got at least 100 pallets of sod (why not seed and straw?), new carpet in several schools (entire buildings, not just a few classrooms), an office renovation that was just completed will be redone because a county stuffed shirt pitched a hissy because he didn’t like it (oh yeah, he APPROVED the original renovation!)……just to name a few.
Marie
July 24th, 2009
8:52 am
Like I said, we need a strong union so that this does not happen again. And if they only want to pay us for 185 days or whatever then they better base our salaries on that right at the get go next year! (2010-2011) I wouldn’t have cared as much then if they did this for the past contract because at least I would have had some notice that I may have to get a summer job, sell some stuff at home, etc. to make up the difference. I just moved into a new home with a high mortgage and now I find out that I have to take a paycut and probably take more of one after the new year. (I know people have lost jobs, taken paycuts already, etc. so I don’t need a reminder from anyone about that!) How would Georgia teachers go about starting a strong union like the states up north?
Kim
July 24th, 2009
9:06 am
Marie, I know something who deals with unions in Georgia and am going to contact him today. I’ve asked him before about teachers unionizing and he said that it’s come up in the past but that there was no real interest. Maybe now? I’ll reply when I speak with him.
sassy girl
July 24th, 2009
9:10 am
As the mom of a teacher I don’t like this at all. My dtr. attended a title 1 school last year and believe me those poor teachers have it very hard. Someone wrote in about why the teachers don’t stand up for themselves. I tell you one reason they are afraid of Mr. Alvin Wilbanks and his commitee. They get even with you when you try to stand up for yourself. If Cobb can find a way to pay there teachers Gwinnett should also. This county for the most part has gone down so fast it makes your head spin. This Gateway test is crap if you ask me. All the talk about CRCT puts so much pressure on teachers and schools that it is just plain crazy to me. I want my dtr. to get a good education,well asking the teachers to take 3 day off with no pay will not be the way to do it. We need change in Gwinnett I am so tired of fighting this county.
Marie
July 24th, 2009
9:11 am
I think a lot of teachers would be interested but I don’t know how many would have the courage to act!
How do you improve a school? | Get Schooled
July 24th, 2009
9:19 am
[...] Teachers are expected to return to school soon for pre-planning. (Provided they’re not furloughed.) [...]
high school teacher
July 24th, 2009
9:37 am
Sassy girl, one way that Cobb has trimmed its budget without the furloughs is to cut some bus stops. Instead of a bus driving through a neighborhood, it will stop at the top of the neighborhood and kids will have to catch the bus there. In my county, that’s no big deal, but I don’t live on Concord Road.
Had enough already
July 24th, 2009
10:03 am
PAGE and GAE are not teacher unions!
Had enough already
July 24th, 2009
10:06 am
Marie and Kim—I know for a fact that LOTS of teachers would be interested in getting a good teachers union in GA! Please post the info that you receive from your “inside” person so that we can get this ball rolling, SOON!!
Just Peacheee
July 24th, 2009
10:13 am
Gwinnett furloughs its teachers, and we have to find out about it by reading it in the paper. They couldn’t even give us the common courtesy of a blanket e-mail.
high school teacher
July 24th, 2009
10:21 am
In previous blogs, the ubiquitous jimd has provided links to GA legislation stating that unions for government employees is illegal in the state of GA. Jimd, can you help me out by posting that link again? Thanks!
Marie
July 24th, 2009
10:26 am
Yes, I agree and we need to get this ball rolling and make ALL teachers aware of it so there can be a majority fighting not a minority! I work in a small county just outside of metro Atlanta but we are Title One. I believe that we are also 85%+ free or reduced lunch. (I want to say it is higher than that but not positive) We are required to stay late for meetings EVERY week and PTO meetings every month. We have hardly any planning anymore because they stick pointless meetings with admin during this time. We have duty-free lunch sometimes but this is taken away from us often too. There are many days (more than not) where I do not have a break ALL day. I do not ever sit down at my desk with the kids in my room and give them seatwork….a lot of people don’t realize that is not how it is now! I am all for a union! I’d rather have my pay docked to pay for a union than have to furlough days! And yes, Had enough already- they are not unions. The sad thing is when I have mentioned to fellow teachers that Georgia does not have a union they always reply, “Yes, we do- PAGE!”
Just Peacheee
July 24th, 2009
10:33 am
Gwinnett decides to furlough its teachers, and we have to fiind out about it by reading the paper. We don’t even get the common courtesy of a blanket e-mail.
ScienceTeacher671
July 24th, 2009
10:41 am
LAURA DIAMOND: How much does it cost to print & administer the CRCT for grades not required by NCLB? Can you find out?
SallyMinGA
July 24th, 2009
10:53 am
Response to tired of whining teachers
July 22nd, 2009
1:11 pm
Teacher for 12 years:
“3 days off without pay for me is almost 1000 before taxes and retirement.”
According to the pay scale a degree maxed out teacher of 12 years makes $62,565.00 a year.
Divided by 12 =5213 monthly salary
5213 monthly salary divided by 30=173
173 *3=519
How in the hell did you come up with “almost 1000?” Can you do simple math or are you just another lying whining teacher?
Let me do the math- you dont work 30 days a month??? take the $62565 a year- divide it by the 190 days that we do work – that is $329 a day- times 3 days – that is $987 dollars – approx $1000 that i am losing on three furlough days!
high school teacher
July 24th, 2009
11:20 am
Oh, by the way, I guess this means we won’t be getting $100 gift cards from Sonny this year?
Marie
July 24th, 2009
11:22 am
He can take his gift card and you know what….
Para Professional
July 24th, 2009
11:27 am
Para Pro’s are lumped in with this in our county not sure why. We are 180 days. Only suppose to be there when the kids are there. But the 1st 3 leave days we take between now and December break will be without pay.Regardless of whether it is sick leave or personal leave. But we still have to get a sub to cover our students!!!!! They will pay a sub for our time but not us. It makes absolutely no sense!I don’t know what they will do if we aren’t out during that time.
Robert
July 24th, 2009
12:50 pm
To the person in Ball Ground….Say what you want about our time off. The reality is that we don’t get paid for those days off. And I coach as well as teach special ed. I get no extra money for all the extra time that it takes to gets my guys ready to play or the summer camps. The little bit I do get is really an insult. So that is done out of caring for my guys. And the sp.ed. paper work is out of sight. There is so much extra to do it nums the brain. And now I should take 3 days of free time with no pay. I don’t make nearly as much as you may think. One day this society will get its fair turnaround on this crap. The state legislators said this was not a viable option but our good ol’ boy Sonny says who cares what they say, I’ll do as I please. What a bunch of BS!!!
Veteran teacher
July 24th, 2009
1:05 pm
You do not have to be in a union to call your senator and representative. Your contact with them is effective, especially in numbers. The next election is now only a little over a year away. They have to be quaking in their boots with the intiial backlash. Let’s make them tremble!!! Talk now, and especially REMEMBER IN NOVEMBER!!
Lisa
July 24th, 2009
1:11 pm
To tired of whining teachers – You are the one that doesn’t know what you are talking about. Let me clear something up for all you folks who think teachers are paid for the time we have off. WE ARE NOT PAID for this time. We are contracted employees. Most teachers are paid for a 190 days. Therefore, our Christmas, Spring and Summer breaks are UNPAID! Yes, that’s right. We are not paid for that time. However, I do want to add that many of us work or attend training during those time periods anyway. That is called working without compensation. We do it for the kids. Now, let’s do the math:
$62,565. a year divided by 190 contracted days = $329.29 a day.
$329.29 x 3 days – $987.87 a year.
Just because we get a paycheck every month does not mean we are paid for days that we are not working that fall in those months. Our 190 contracted days is simply divided among 12 months so that we do get a paycheck each month. It’s called BUDGETING!
Hope this clears it up for all you guys who think you know what your talking about and think “we teachers” have it made.
Kathy Russo
July 24th, 2009
1:39 pm
I want to know if Sonny also took a pay cut? Is it legal for the state government to renege on the contracts we already signed? The report cards and planning will still be expected to get done. In other words, we will still have to do the work, but not get paid for it!!!
Gwinnett Teacher
July 24th, 2009
2:13 pm
@ Marie and Kim -
According to Georgia Labor Law, public employees (teachers, police officers, state employees, firemen etc) are allowed to join a union BUT THEY MAY NOT engage in collective bargaining or strike.
If a teacher strikes in Georgia YOU LOSE YOUR TEACHING CERTIFICATE and you have to wait 3 years to be employeed in ANY public job (state or local government).
Until the labor laws are changed you need to forget about union help!
NGCSU Education Grad
July 24th, 2009
2:23 pm
To: Just Peacheee
July 24th, 2009
10:13 am
Gwinnett furloughs its teachers, and we have to find out about it by reading it in the paper. They couldn’t even give us the common courtesy of a blanket e-mail.
The announcement was on the county website before it was in papers or on the news…….our principal sent out a mass email also….
Betty B
July 24th, 2009
2:33 pm
To all of you teachers who are so worried about your 3 days furlough. I have the best idea of all… Move out of Georgia if you think it is greener on the other side. It is obvious to me that with our current national standing in the education arena, your priorities are in the wrong order. If you had half a clue, you would know that although you are hearing about state employees getting 3 days furlough, the entire state is having problems. Yesterday, they announced 10.7% unemployment in Georgia. What is the percent for teachers? You need to do what everyone else is doing and suck it up and do your part. Every business is having to do their part to keep the economy from crashing. Your government school system is a business. Then again, what government entity has ever work? Yes, we need to cut back on expenses. Yes, we need parents to take responsibility for their own children. Just be glad that you have a job. Be glad that with the growing number of children that teachers are always needed. Get over yourselves. Your complaining over and over about what you have done for students that was extra, you have worked overtime, you have come out of your own pocket when parents fail to do so. This is ridiculous. Any person that has a career and wants to excel in life has to do the same type things. It is a part of life. If you don’t like it, find a different career and see how well you like those benefits. Be glad you still have a job. Be thankful that it is 3 days and not 12 as some counties have had to do. Be thankful they didn’t decrease your pay permanently. Grow up.
Marie
July 24th, 2009
2:47 pm
We got a call from sup., email from principal, and posted on website. I know our admin didn’t want to do this but they were forced. I don’t hold it against our admin at all.
Hey Betty B
July 24th, 2009
3:48 pm
What’s the ‘B’ stand for, anyway?
It’s not “complaining” – it’s EXPLAINING to everyone out there who wants to bash teachers for “only working 190 days” and “having such cushy job.” We’re trying to educate y’all about what it’s really like “behind the chalk.” Many of you have no clue, which is abundantly apparent when I read pablum from the ignorant teacher-bashers like “tired of whining teachers.”
The majority of posts on here from teachers all said pretty much the same thing – “don’t like it, but I’ll do it if it saves job.” To me, it sounds like the majority of teachers ARE willing to do their part. As for the 10.7% unemployment – trust me, honey – teachers are all too well aware – we have spouses, friends, and family who are part of that 10.7% – just because we’re employed does not mean our loved ones are immune. Our students are affected, too – more kids on free lunch – stressed parents – kids having to move mid-year.
I want to know why the state workers who “complain” (using your word, not mine) about their furloughs aren’t immediately bashed and told to “suck it up – be happy you have a job.” Oh, yeah, they’re not teachers – we like to save our vitriol for them.
Get a clue
July 24th, 2009
4:51 pm
That is because the state workers have not been whining and complaining. I bet most of Georgia’s citizens didn’t even know that state employees have been on furlough 1 day per month. EVERBODY knows the poor poor pitiful underpaid overworked teachers are going to be furloughed. It is all over the papers, news programs etc…. Guess what lots of professions gov’t and private sector are overworked and underpaid. People are being furloughed one day per WEEK, pay cuts etc…The teachers need to suck it up. As a taxpayer, whose children are grown I think you are all a bit immature. Grow up this is life folks and it isn’t always fair. I have not talked to one person so far who has a whole lot of sympathy of any of you. The comments I hear about the fact that teacher are being furloughed are usually along these line, “They need to share the pain.”, “Welcome to reality.” You folks need to go cry on each others shoulders. The taxpayers really do not want to hear it. I certainly don’t.
Missing GA
July 24th, 2009
4:56 pm
I spent most of my career teaching in GA and would love to go back. No matter where you live teachers will always get a bad wrap from those who THINK we get paid for summers. I would gladly take the furlough if I could be back in the classroom. However, I do feel that the meetings/professional development days should be the ones to go. Having teachers spend an entire day watching/listening to someone tell you about the latest/greatest textbook is a waste of time. Teachers don’t have the ultimate say in textbook adoption and to try to implement something new when school resumes the day after the meeting is also a waste of time. Spreading out the furlough days though seems logical in order not to cause too much of a hardship at once. The economy is affecting everyone. We need to pull together instead of pointing fingers. I sure hope the powers that be put their heads together in order to help ease the pain for the teachers. They do have their students’ best interest at heart. I am not so sure a union could provide much protection with this.
Gwinnett Teacher
July 24th, 2009
5:30 pm
@ Get a clue – “They need to share the pain.”, “Welcome to reality.” You folks need to go cry on each others shoulders. The taxpayers really do not want to hear it. I certainly don’t.
Then don’t read the comments on the board.
Old School
July 24th, 2009
5:38 pm
Ouch! We just got the furlough notice as well. Three days on top of our $1000 previous pay cut.
My heart goes out to the non-certified folks (custodians, cafeteria staff, parapros, clerical staff, etc). They get 6 furlough days with the possibility of more and most are grossly underpaid. Our registrar already works for free many extra hours/days with no complaint. The least I can do is follow her example. I love what I do too much to do anything less than my best. . . and sharply curb my spending.
Administrator
July 24th, 2009
5:52 pm
Newsflash–it’s not just about the furloughs. The furloughs are merely a continuation of the bigger problem that has been plaguing educators for quite some time, most noticeably since the onset of NCLB. The furloughs are simply one more instance of educators in Georgia being told to do more with less. Make AYP, but don’t expect to be paid to do it. We have been making do with less FOR YEARS–long before the employment rate skyrocketed and everyone else began to feel the sting as well. NCLB has made demands that are costly but has provided almost no funds with which to meet those demands. And it’s a moving target whose eventual goal–perfection–is absurd. Why is it front page news when educators take paycuts and lose contract days? Because it affects ALL OF OUR CHILDREN AND THEIR FUTURES. Yes, it stinks that everyone is suffering and that’s not limited to educators. But it’s shortsighted to think that cutting teacher pay and preparation time will not impact instruction and student achievement in the long run. As long as EVERYONE is willing to pay that price, sure–we teachers will stop whining.
single mom also
July 24th, 2009
6:09 pm
I understand the reason for the furlough days, the economy has gone to the rocks as we all know….but as a single mom who is a para educator and in school trying to become a teacher well the financial part of the furlough really bites the dust….to go along with that having to pay for after school in Henry county which has gone up to $50 a week for what 3 hours per day (its not like the kids do that much in afterschool for $50 a week (total rip off) but what do you do when you have no choice either kids go to afterschool or you go to jail..then the bus cuts in Henry county, yeah some kids now have to walk to school which means crossing busy streets or walking in dark, or parents having to be late for work and leave work early to drop off and pick up kids…YEAH!!!! sounds like a blast for this school year for me the only person I have to depend on is GOD, because I most definitely can not do it alone…oh yeah, and the price of food is up along with everything else….WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD…In all you still have to give GOD the praise, because this too shall pass and HE will work it out
APS
July 24th, 2009
6:13 pm
Waiting to hear from Atlanta Public Schools…
Hey Get a Clue - I think your bias is showing
July 24th, 2009
6:17 pm
Are people not reading the same things I’m reading??? Most teachers are saying, fine, it’s stinks, but I’m happy to have a job – if it saves my friends job, too, then ok!
“… the state workers have not been whining and complaining. I bet most of Georgia’s citizens didn’t even know that state employees have been on furlough 1 day per month.”
Really? Seems like there are tons of comments on this blog (and the Gold Dome) about “I’m a state worker and I’ve been furloughed and blah, blah, blah..” No one tells them to suck it up and share the pain. They only reserve their vitriol for teachers. An informal survey of my friends (many of whom are not teachers) and they ALL knew state workers had been being furloughed – maybe I just have friends more up on current events than yours? “It is all over the papers, news programs, etc.” – that’s because it’s NEWS (and how to you think I knew about the sate workers being furloughed? That was news, too). This was just a bigger story because people love to bash teachers! Just look at how many posts this blog got – Get Schooled NEVER gets this many.
“Guess what? Lots of professions gov’t and private sector are overworked and underpaid.”
Really? You don’t say. Now, I’m not a teacher who’s going to use the trite “overworked and underpaid” complaint, although I know many who do. It actually makes me cringe. I’ve merely adequately compensated for a job that is far more difficult and involved than the average layperson either knows or wants to admit. That fact, my dear friend, is why teachers tend to get a bit prickly when told to “get a clue” – you see we have one, it’s others who spout nonsense like “6 hours days” and “paid vacations” that don’t.
“The teachers need to suck it up.” And so does everyone else. As far as our sharing the pain goes – we are. What everyone fails to realize is that 180 days of the 190 are mandated by the state* for students – that leaves ten days to furlough. Most of those ten days are critical for preparation and getting the job done – some staff development could likely be cut, but rooms need to be prepared and reports cards need to be mailed at some point prior to or after instructional time. The biggest problem I see is that teachers are upset that we’ll be expected to do this work anyway – many of us have already been in our rooms working to be prepared – off the clock. The majority of state workers (I know there are exceptions – like DFACS workers) are not taking work home – their days off are really off. Sure other professions require work outside of the normal 9 to 5 – but not as many as you might think (not to mention studies that show the average American worker wastes 2 hours of productivity per day – doesn’t make me feel really sympathetic towards them either). Sure, teachers knew that some work was going to be done off the clock or at home, but since NCLB paperwork has increased dramatically (one of the top reasons people leave teaching is the paperwork and other country’s teachers are amazed at the CYA paperwork we have here).
So once again – I’ll throw these questions out there (and I have yet to get an answer, in over 400 blog postings):
If teaching is so great, why aren’t you doing it? Why aren’t people clamoring for teaching jobs? Why aren’t there so many extraordinary applicants for jobs that the teaching staff of every school is like the children of Lake Wobegone (above average)?
If your friend worked for ABC Corporation, and told you that she was getting a 2% pay cut and had to furlough 3 days, would you be sympathetic? Or would you say “Suck it up. Life’s not fiar. Be happy you have job.” I know I would feel exactly the same way if I worked in the private sector – I would be happy I still had a job, but sad about the loss of income.
Go ahead – bash away – I’m sure there’s something I wrote that will make people think I’m just one of those “immature, unappreciative, 6 hours a day, 180 days, summers-off, lazy” teachers you’ve been writing about. Have at it!
I'm a taxpayer, too
July 24th, 2009
6:22 pm
Hey, Get a Clue – in case you forgot – teachers are taxpayers, too! I pay income tax, sales tax, and, since I live in a home, in my district, I pay property taxes, too! My husband and I also own our own business, so we pay business taxes and other people’s taxes as well (and my kids are also out of school, yet we’re still paying, too). I say let them complain! It’s a free country. It’s not going to change anything.
How do you improve a school? « iThinkEducation.net!
July 24th, 2009
6:40 pm
[...] Teachers are expected to return to school soon for pre-planning. (Provided they’re not furloughed.) [...]
ScienceTeacher671
July 24th, 2009
6:56 pm
If they furloughed teachers one day per week, parents would be crying louder than the teachers.
It's just going to get worse
July 24th, 2009
6:56 pm
You get what you pay for.
Veteran teacher
July 24th, 2009
10:15 pm
Check out the state budget on the state web-site. Would anyone be interested to know that the budget for the Senate has increased approximately 30% from FY 2007 to FY 2010 with NO cut for FY 2010? Similarly, The budget for the House of Representatives and Legislature joint offices has increased approximately 20% from FY 2007 to FY 2010 with NO cut for FY 2010. The total budget for the Legislature is about $70 million. (Source-Report of the Governor for FY 2010)
Call your senator and representative and ask them why they can have their entire request for FY 2010 and they are furloughing state workers. That is a question they probably do not want to answer!
Call and ask. It DOES make a difference!!!!!!!!!