IPS B.S. had to take an impromptu leave of absence to deal with family issues. We'll have volunteers at tonight's hearing at Washington and will report back tomorrow. You can add your opinion, too.
I would like to ask a question that doesn't have to do directly with the high school hearings.
I read on CNN's website tonight the prediction that tens of thousands of teachers will be laid off around the nation in the coming year. It said that states are expecting to be laying off 110,000 workers, a large percentage of them teachers.
Milwaukee has just announced it is laying off 354 teachers and Detroit has put ALL of its teachers on notice that they may lose their jobs.
What can we expect in the next 2-3 years with IPS regarding future teacher layoffs? What can teachers be doing NOW to prepare for what may be a very dire scenario?
Retiring - which the IPS union seems to be pushing as the best alternative for many teachers - won't make it for many (most?) veteran teachers because it will only provide a small fraction of what a family needs to live on. And, no health insurance.
(Some teachers live in two-earner families, but many - such as mine - don't and are supporting families both financially and with health care coverage.)
What kinds of jobs can teachers find in Indianapolis and Central Indiana OUTSIDE of teaching? Will charter schools and private schools offer any real hope for older teachers to get jobs after they are laid off?
if anyone who has any ideas about these questions, I thank you in advance for your observations.
My family and I are doing a lot of praying these days. Public school teachers should be placed on the "Endangered Species" list.
I have to admit to being pretty scared these days.
It is really sad, but in this country more and more money is in less and less hands, and this is what is happening to teachers, there will still be kids who need teachers, but the teachers will be paid less money... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/23/10-countries-with-worst-income-inequality_n_865869.html#s282630&title=4_United_States This has been a trend for the last twenty years, the wealthy are paying less taxes, and holding more money...and now this policy is hurting you.
National politics really does come home to roost. Think about the Republican resistance to letting the Bush era tax cuts for those making over $250,000 expire, are you making more than $250,000.?
"Public school teachers should be placed on the "Endangered Species" list.I have to admit to being pretty scared these days."
Welcome to education reform in Indiana. Hope you vote the next time. Too many teachers let their husbands and or their church tell them how to vote. Hoosiers voted for job creation and less government..not handouts to corporate pals who want some education pie. Take care my friend. It can only get better for teachers because we've hit bottom.
You just keep on hoping that Indiana will turn into a liberal state, but it's not going to happen. The divide between the rich and poor is not caused by not taxing people enough. It's caused by Big Government. Politicians and corporations are in bed together. People who work for government and rich corporations get annual raises that inflate the economy while the rest of the population sees their salary worth worse every year. Jobs go overseas because our inflated prices can't compete with Indian and china. Government tries to compensate for the low income values by widening coverage for government healthcare, food stamps, and other subsidies, so that today, but that inflates prices even more. Today, a huge percentage of jobs don't pay enough to cover basic necessities. It's almost impossible for one person to support the family, when for centuries that was the norm. The problem isn't that people are working less or making less, it's that the cost of everything has been artificially inflated by the government involvement in the economy. Education is no exception. The powers that be keep taking more and more money providing less and less service. The voucher and private schools aren't the greedy corporations. The traditional school corporations are the greedy corporations -- the voucher and private schools are the mom-and-pop, service-with-a-smile, grass-roots rebellion AGAINST greedy corrupt corporations.
I said "worth worse" when I meant "worth less," didn't capitalize China, and restructured a sentence so that it now has an unnecessary "so that today." Sorry. :)
The 70 years of age don't bother me. I know lots of 70 year olds who have worthwhile ideas and plans to implement them. Mary Busch has not had an original thought since she was elected in 1976. No matter who is superintendent, she is always the lap dog. Serving on the school board is supposed to be a part time citizen position. Busch has done it now for 36 years long unproductive years. Think what that has added to her teacher pension. She is in it for Mary Busch and no one else. Many of her traditional supporters have already said that they will not support her if she chooses to run for 4 more years.
Do you think the IPS HR Department would even look twice at a teacher application from someone who's 70 years old? I don't for a minute. HR might pretend they're looking to avoid a lawsuit, but seriously no one would be hiring a 70 year old person.
where did you find the info on the elections? I am not seeing it on any media site or on the board docs site for ips... inside info on the ipsblog??? hmmm...
Millions of dollars have been and are being funneled through the University of Indianapolis. We all know Mary Busch has worked there for years. I am shocked that no one has investigated to see if this represents a conflict of interest. I am not a lawyer but it seems to be one to me.
Board Docs for July 1 aren't posted Online as of today, Saturday.
Interesting that IPS still continues to spend a huge sum of money to send people to AVID conferences. From the most recent IPS Board Meeting.
HYATT REGENCY O'HARE (ROSEMONT, IL) Hotel reservations for fifty-two AVID Summer Institute participants for five nights, (July 17, 2011 to July 21, 2011). $ 49,900.00
Half the people who go to these things never attend the meetings, and really have no direct instructional contact with students, now who could these people be?
I spent a day, a few years ago, observing the AVID program at North Central High School, and it was very impressive -- lots of tutors, a teacher whose dedicated responsibility was nothing but AVID, students who knew what was going on and what they were supposed to be doing. It was evident that we were not observing a staged dog and pony show for our viewing pleasure.
On the other hand, I was involved with AVID for two years in IPS. The program NEVER got off the ground. Over 200 IPS folks attended the huge AVID summer institute in Chicago, but a majority of those attending appeared to be there simply because it was a free vacation! All the hot shot Ed Center administrators were there -- they were never going to set foot in an AVID situation at the building level. AVID was never followed with the integrity of the program as designed. I'm unsure who submits the building level AVID reports for IPS, but they have to be making up data!
If I give you my chicken sambuca recipe and you substitute baloney for the required prosciutto don't whine when it doesn't come out the same...and don't tell anyone it is my recipe. This is IPS's problem, they buy programs but don't implement them with fidelity.
AVID has been nothing but a paid vacation for IPS administrators and they take a few teachers along to make it look good. Many of the teachers who go to the conference are not even the ones who are involved with the AVID program. A good school board would ask questions. The IPS school board will not.
I was one of those teachers who was 'directed' to attend a summer AVID conference in Chicago. I was never going to be teaching an AVID class because of my area of certification, even told the powers that be that I could not teach an AVID class, but still I was told I HAD to attend. The conference attendees from IPS included every Ed Center administrator plus their family members who drove to Chicago to join their spouses in the luxurious hotel and share the room (these were suites w/a living room and a bedroom) at IPS expense. I don't know if this is a cultural thing (getting all the free stuff you can manage to get) or if this is just a symptom of unabashed greed coupled with ignorance. Trust me, it does not go unnoticed by the rank and file classroom teachers!
Attending these national conferences is a perk that IPS administrators receive as part of keeping an urban school district dysfunctional. There's big money in a failing school district -- consultants, reading programs, math programs, behavior therapists, principal mentors, etc. If IPS suddenly became a stellar school district, a lot of parasites of failure would lose their jobs. Too many IPS administrators and outside consultants depend on maintaining the status quo, and in fact, they financially benefit from the status quo.
Making money off of poor white, black, and hispanic children is a dirty secret that all urban school districts hide. Why do you think there's such an uproar when the State or any outside agency is mentioned as taking over failing schools? Follow the money...it's about high-paying jobs for adults, many of whom couldn't get a comparable paying job anywhere except another failing district. And, now those same Ed Center administrators are practically begging for 'just one more chance'. Heck they've had their chances, their opportunities, and their lackluster attempts. Mary Busch, over 36 years at the helm, effectively has steered this ship upon the rocks, and yet the Board is blind and reelects her to the Presidency.
Preach! It kills me to watch teachers get upset with everybody (DOE, Charters, etc.), but not focus on the real problem . . . ineffective administrators. No matter how many schools close, no matter how many teachers are laid off, no matter how many kids are failed, Walnut St. will survive. As a teacher, I am just about ready to work for anyone who can 1. keep the kids safe; 2. keep me safe; 3. allow me to focus on teaching; and 4. spend money on instruction.
"Too many people make big money off of poor white, black, and Hispanic kids."
And this probably won't change no matter WHO is running the show. For-profit turn around corporations can AND will pocket money as well. As a matter of fact you could say ALL places take advantage of these people by what they pay them for the services they provide. The only reason we have illegals is that businesses pay them the lowest wages. It's almost like how the slaves were brought here to pick cotton before the Civil War- cheap labor.
The charter companies require parent, student, and teacher buy-in to succeed. IPS doesn't. It just demands more and more money and traps students in dangerous, unsafe classrooms, and then blames the parents for the outcomes. I don't think all charter schools are good and I don't think all traditional schools are bad. But I do think IPS is more corrupt than any charter school could ever be, and at least with charter schools, nobody's forced to be there and nobody gets money unless people are satisfied enough to send their kids there. So at least there's SOME element of accountability there, and certainly more accountability than IPS.
Look IPS has tried to "require" buy in too. Try and get parents to serve on the SBDM...you might as well be asking them to give you their first born...and then when you finally do get a parent to serve and they find out what is happening the superintendent will call them a liar in public, when they return with the evidence that they are not lying the board will sit blank faced and ignore them, and Dr. White will not show up.
Charter kids and parents are the schools customers, and the customer is always right... they are like any company they will do what is necessary to keep the customer happy... do you have "buy in" at Target...same type of buy in you get from parents.
I was told a couple of years ago to take the AVID training in Chicago. I asked if there was a stipend for attending as they were telling me I had to do it. "We pay the transportation (on their chartered bus), and pay the room expenses". Nope, you supply your time free. Like hell, you want me to do something job related, it's on your dime. I gave a lame excuse and didn't go. The program was administered half-assed that year and didn't amount to a hill of beans.
@The program was administered half-assed that year and didn't amount to a hill of beans.
You got that right!! Our high school's administrators all attended the conference, but when class scheduling time came, the counselors ended up scheduling kids into AVID classes without their requesting it, without their parents requesting it, and without following one AVID guideline. If the building principal will not enforce the AVID program guidelines, then AVID is one gigantic waste of huge amounts of taxpayers' money! Jackie Greenwood did not enforce AVID guidelines...just ended up using the AVID classes as electives for housing students who couldn't be fitted into another elective class. Another IPS joke program!! Also, we never saw that first AVID tutor that Jerry McLeish promised! Another big IPS joke!!
@The NEA does not endorse candidates. The political action group for NEA makes endorsements. Those are two different groups.
Do you really believe that the NEA PAC would exist if it weren't for the NEA? The PAC is under the umbrella of the NEA. Just another house of smoke and mirrors...
Yes, the NEA does endorse candidates. They just did! The NEA PAC recommended that the NEA endorse Obama, a vote was taken, and Obama is now officially endorsed by the NEA. ________________________________________________ POLITICO
NEA Backs Obama By: Alexander Burns July 4, 2011 05:45 PM EDT
Despite the Obama administration's on-and-off tough love for the teachers' unions, the National Education Association has voted to endorse the president for reelection. From the announcement:
“President Barack Obama shares our vision for a stronger America,” said Dennis Van Roekel, president of NEA. “He has never wavered from talking about the importance of education or his dedication to a vibrant middle class."
During NEA’s Annual Meeting and Representative Assembly (RA) delegates voted on a recommendation from NEA’s Political Action Committee to support President Obama. The recommendation and vote are early for the 3.2 million-member NEA ...
My God who placed into action NCLB and was an blundering fool in school. Without the pull of his father that 2.3 GPA would of never been accepted into the MBA program? I agree that Obama has let down the educational community, but not as bad as the GOP, think about what happened this year with Mitch, when you look at your paycheck.
And even those who aren't unemployed are't getting raises and many are even taking pay cuts. The U.S. median income has gone down 7 out of the last 10 years, and Indiana median income has gone down 8 out of the last 10 years. So if your household is bringing in more than $45,000 per year, you are among the wealthiest half of Indiana, and if your family is making more now than it did in 2005, then you are more fortunate than the 67% of Americans whose family is not making more than they did in 2005. Let's keep some perspective, people.
Yes this is true, but when IPS teachers see incompetent and corrupt get raises and other perks while they get nothing, and are constantly threatened and harassed it is a little hard to take. Would teachers accept a pay cut, well they were willing in Wisconsin...but the republican governor wanted their union rights to negotiate, and he got them, now Mitch has yours too...like a badge of honor to the republican machine.
You may not like Obama, you may think the union doesn't belong in politics, but before you decide this is your position read this selection http://www.nea.org/home/17760.htm
Who besides the union is going to seek redress of this grievance?
I don't see the grievance. Work until you're eligible to receive your full Social Security benefit. Once you're that age, you can earn as much money as you wish without reducing your SS monthly check. In some states, teachers do NOT pay into Social Security. For instance, in Kentucky, teachers pay approximately 10% of their pay into the KY Teachers Retirement Fund, but they are not allowed to pay into SS. A grievance or union intervention will not change this; state legislation could change it.
People do not need a union to plan ahead for their individual retirements. Retirement planning should be something each person does well in advance of 65. Social Security was designed as a bit of security in one's old age, not as one's total source of income for old age. While you're young, you'd better be socking away money each pay period into a 401K, an annuity, or an IRA. Pay yourself first each month in the form of a contribution to one of the aforementioned retirement building accounts. Don't wait around until you're in your 50's, and then freak out because you're looking at teaching until you die at age 76 in the middle of the classroom during Language Arts.
Atlanta Public schools caught cheating on standardized tests! Now who is surprised by this? When you make testing the end all be all, corruption rears it's ugly head.
INDIANAPOLIS - Is it still worthwhile for Indiana teachers to obtain master's degrees? For the teacher, it will depend on the policies of their individual district. For taxpayers and students, there may be no value at all. Across the nation, the tide has been turning against the time-honored tradition of paying teachers more for earning graduate credits and degrees. Numerous studies have determined that K-12 teachers with advanced degrees are no more effective than those with basic bachelor's degrees. Every year American schools pay out more than $8.6 billion in bonuses to teachers with master's degrees, according to a recent article in the Huffington Post. Nearly half of American K-12 teachers have a master's degree and most receive bonuses ranging between $1,423 and $10,777 per year, according to research conducted at the University of Washington. "My own state of Washington has an average salary bump of nearly $11,000 for a master's degree, and more than half of our teachers get it," entrepreneur and education reformer Bill Gates said during a recent speech. "That's more than $300 million every year that doesn't help kids. And that's one state." Many believe that kind of money could be saved right now to help schools survive budget challenges. And when the economy improves, they say the money should be reinvested in merit pay for teachers who demonstrate skill in the classroom.
This is too rich. Preachers sit down with gang leaders to broker a truce for Expo. _________________________________________________
Clergy Tries To Broker Gang Truce Ahead Of Black Expo
Truce Intended To Ensure Peace During Upcoming Cultural Event
POSTED: 4:54 pm EDT July 6, 2011 UPDATED: 9:39 pm EDT July 6, 2011 INDIANAPOLIS -- Clergy members from around the Circle City sat down with the leaders of some of Indy's street gangs ahead of the upcoming Indiana Black Expo Summer Celebration. Rev. Charles Harrison, president of the faith-based Ten Point Coalition, said that the violence that is associated with Black Expo needs to stop, 6News' Jack Rinehart reported. "We have a lot of teenage, underage groups roaming the streets of this city that we need to pay attention to," Harrison said. Harrison and other clergy members met with the gang leaders on Wednesday to convince them to sign a truce in order to avoid violence that has erupted during the event in the past two years. In 2010, 10 people were shot and wounded when the member of a street gang opened fire on a crowded street, police said.
It was no surprise last week when the Indiana State Teachers Association filed suit in an attempt to block the new statewide school voucher program. The ISTA has a vested interest in trapping students into geographic public school boundaries. This tradition provides public schools with a guaranteed clientele of students every year, which means guaranteed jobs for union teachers. But job security for union teachers cannot be the state's first priority. Making sure that all kids have access to quality instruction must be the focus. Many children will find quality instruction in private schools, including religious schools. If their academic needs are properly met, the type of school they attend should not be a concern. If public schools want to keep a lion's share of K-12 state aid, they are going to have to work harder to attract and retain students. There's nothing wrong with that. Studies have shown that a little competition produces better instruction and better results in many public schools.
ISTA and every citizen of the state of Indiana has a vested interest in preventing public funds from going to religious schools...it is in the Constitution...check it out in the first amendment to the constitution.
The idea of my tax money going to support a religious institution which I may or may not philosophically support is against the federal law. People who want a specific set of religious beliefs should pay for that out of their own funds and not the funds of taxpayers.
@check it out in the first amendment to the constitution. __________________________________________________
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. _______________________________________________
So, there you have it. I'm not reading anything about public funds going to religious schools.
Vouchers don't establish religion. They simply don't discriminate against religious schools. They set the parameters, and provide the funding and let the "client" choose, just like with other government programs. Child care vouchers can be used at religious day care centers. College funding can be used at private colleges. Medicaid/Medicare can be used at religious hospitals. Food stamps are used exclusively at for-profit grocery stores. You may philosophically oppose religion, but I philosophically oppose secularism, socialism, unions, and the other dangerous and immoral ideologies currently taught in schools. There is no constitutional reason promote secular schools over religious schools.
The Supreme Court has found private school vouchers to be constitutional. So they are decidedly NOT against federal law. There is a very small chance that they may be found to be against state law, but that is highly unlikely because the kind of narrow interpretation that would make vouchers unconstitutional would also make district boundaries unconstitutional.
and talk about an increase in cost...suddenly everyone who sends their kid to a religious school will want a voucher...each voucher is worth $4500, so the family on my street with 3 kids in Christian school can ask for $13,500. from the state...only one problem the property tax on my property (and theirs is identical) is only $600 per year...so basically the property tax from 21 tax payers is going to a Christian school....and what school is going to take a $4500 voucher for one of those kids who cost over $50,000 a year to provide with appropriate services. Remember folks Mitch and Tony don't print the money...but they are sure making sure their friends get it...I want my tax dollars supporting a high quality secular school system.
People who already have children enrolled in private schools (religious OR secular) cannot apply for vouchers. The family on your street w/three kids in a Christian school cannot receive vouchers - their children are already enrolled and the vouchers are not retroactive. Calm down.
@Who determines which particular religious group is worthy of getting its school supported by public funds?
Vouchers go to the students and their parents; vouchers do not go to private schools. Once a voucher is received by a student, the student and the parent decide where they will use it. It's kinda like Food Stamps. A person applies for Food Stamps, receives the Food Stamps, and then uses the Food Stamps at whatever store he or she chooses.
"and then uses the Food Stamps at whatever store he or she chooses." __________
So, do I understand you to say that it's okay for taxpayer-supplied vouchers to be used by the students and their parents to attend the Puppy-Hating Satanists of North America Indianapolis High School?
If a school is recognized and accredited by the State of Indiana, then I have no problem with a student using a voucher to enroll in that school. If the parents believe a specific accredited school can provide the academic core content to their child in a manner that is best-suited for increasing their child's achievement levels, then who I am to dictate where the child attends school. Again, this is no different than receiving Food Stamps. If a person is qualified to receive Food Stamps, then he/she can shop for food at the store of his/her choice. This store might be a Kosher grocery, an Hispanic grocery, an Asian market, etc. and etc.
I'm not the person you're replying to, but if there are enough Puppy-Hating Satanists to fill a school, then I'm okay with them forming their own school and receiving the same education funding that a secular or Catholic or Jewish school would get. First of all, it's not the job of the state or the school to pick what belief system is okay and what belief system is not. And since the Puppy-Hating Satanic school will likely garner more support and involvement from Puppy-Hating Satanic parents than a secular school, wouldn't you think? As long as the Puppy-Hating Satanic school meets state requirements for education funding (NCLB, AYP, ISTEP, etc. or whatever measurement they use), I don't think the particular philosophy or theology is any of my business.
"If a school is recognized and accredited by the State of Indiana, then I have no problem with a student using a voucher to enroll in that school." __________ As I understand it, most evangelical Christian schools are not accredited by any agency other than certain like-minded religious accrediting agencies.
They don't participate in sectarian accrediting because then they would be forced to comply with federal laws: such as - accepting openly gay people to teach in their classrooms.
I personally find it very unrealistic to believe that most religious schools do not make their religious doctrines and beliefs a prominent part of their daily school life.
As a taxpayer, I do not want to be paying for this. I do not believe it is Constitutional.
@...most evangelical Christian schools are not accredited by any agency other than certain like-minded religious accrediting agencies.
If that is the case with evangelical Christian schools being non-accredited by the State, then there's no chance for parents with a voucher to enroll their child in such a school, is there?
Vouchers are educational welfare. If IPS loses money through vouchers that will be one MORE reason for them to say during yearly teacher evaluations: "The teacher met all requirements of their evaluation this year.. if their WERE funds for an incremental pay raise then this teacher would qualify...however we have NO funds, consequently, NO pay raise this year." Indiana education reform, and you guys voted for this?? Where are the jobs and LESS government control?
Education reform is not intended for employee pay raises. In fact, if IPS had been performing at an adequate level for the past few years, there would be no need for Indiana education reform.
Well we all know about food stamps and the abuse. This country was founded on the differece between religion and government. Guess the country has changed. Better explain it to the peopel of this country...Mitch
Calling vouchers, but not traditional schools, welfare is like saying food stamps used at Kroger are welfare but food stamps used at Wal-Mart are not. Either government-funded education is welfare or government-funded education is not welfare. Pick a side.
Right now we all pay for students to attend all types of colleges and I am quite sure that many of those colleges teach classes that are against my beliefs or are a waste of time. Plenty of tax money is used for student loans and many of those loans are never repaid. I have to pay taxes to support public schools and also pay to educate my children at schools where I believe they are getting a quality education. Private school tuition should at least be tax deductible. I don't want to have government interference in what my school can teach regarding religion and do not want it paid for by the government. But, I don't think I should have to pay for public schools and a private school of my choice either.
You are wrong about federal loans not being repaid, they will hunt you down to the end of the earth...and even death does not get you out of those loans.
And if you really are worried about the students you teach you need to look at the scandal that is brewing regarding "for profit" colleges, that heavily recruit kids, think about those ads "I have a really fun weekend planned" sign them up for big loans and the kids either flunk out or end up with a worthless degree... One of our SPED kids who couldn't read beyond the second grade level was in one of these schools to be a pharmacist...
If you want government money for your private school, why would you not want any government regulations? This makes no sense. If you want government financial involvement then government regulations need to be in place also. You have a problem with a serious double standard.
And from what I hear, there will potentially be some major changes to our health insurance plan. I'm sure it's not going back to only costing one penny. /*Mr. Roger's theme song*/
By accepting education funding, voucher recipients DO accept government regulation. They are required to follow the same state regulations, do the same testing, and achieve the same results as traditional schools or risk being closed or losing accreditation. Like charter schools, the only thing they aren't required to adhere to is local school board regulation.
I don't want government money for my private school education; but I don't want to have to pay for public schools also without at least being given a tax credit for what I spend at the private school that means the public schools have fewer students to pay for. I am appalled at the money that is wasted in public schools in just supplies alone. Our kids' school sends home all notices on the back of used paper that is donated by a business; they also print worksheets on "used" paper and this is just one example. At the end of the year in an IPS school, I saw a dumpster filled with plastic serving trays from the cafeteria that had not even been open from the plastic bags they arrived in. (This was at School 59 - our magnet school for gifted and talented)
Schools will only accept vouchers from students who are already doing well and are motivated. It will be a cold day before we see them accept any at risk students, students with attendance problems, special needs students or students in the juvenile justice program. In a nutshell that says why vouchers are flawed.
That hasn't been the case with privately funded CHOICE vouchers, I don't know why that would be the case with publicly funded vouchers. A charter school is opening that caters to special needs. I imagine we'll see more of that in the private sector as well. Look at other industries. The most successful products, companies, ventures, etc., aren't marketed to the rich and successful. They're marketed to the everyday joes. You're just having trouble seeing beyond what you've always known. K-12 education will become as diverse as preschool and postsecondary education has been.
"Look at other industries. The most successful products, companies, ventures, etc., aren't marketed to the rich and successful. They're marketed to the everyday joes."
Sounds like the DOE or someone from that union outfit, the Chamber of Commerce, is checking this site. Businesses can't clean up their own backyard yet, (Wall Street, health care, big oil, banks),yet they want some education pie. And our "education reform" will reward them for their campaign contributions. Their PR machine is here.
I'm neither a DOE employee or a chamber of commerce employee. I'm a public school teacher. I just meant that like in retail, there's everything from Sacs Fifth Avenue to Wal-Mart to Goodwill to World Market to serve every possible niche. Same thing with real estate, automobiles, lending, restaurants, cell phone and cable plans, and, countless other examples, including, as I said, preschool and postsecondary education. There's no reason to think that school choice wouldn't also accommodate every possible niche. Instead of unsuccessfully continuing to try to fit square pegs into round holes, we're allowing square holes into the game. I think that's a good thing.
We were just informed TODAY that we could only get into school from 5-2, today, tomorrow and the next day. After that it's off limits until the collossal waste of time on Aug. 4th. Anybody else have this going on at their school?
Well Broad Ripple High School you will have guests in your building all year long from the DOE and the contractors. Yep, I heard from the DOE that you will be taken over by the DOE. My God with the "best students" and "best teachers" and you still did horrible on the ISTEP. This is after losing 300 students last year to Tech? Well the fat lady sang her last song and will be fired and she can now stay home all the time. Oh, they can fire you this year if they find you are a "bad teacher". Hope you can retire, nope not an IPS employee.
"Hope you can retire, nope not an IPS employee...."
I guess not because you were probably fired! I don't know who your attitude is directed at, but it should not be the teachers who have no control of who enters & leaves Broad Ripple. I for one say State Of Indiana, bring it on! I guarantee you won't do any better. I had a student last year who looked me in the face and say she hated to read and frankly, nothing I did could motivated her to read " all those words on a page because it was a waste of her time." I constantly conferenced with her, repeatedly talked to her mother to no avail. When I mentioned the state takeover, her response was, well my mother is going to send me to Warren next year anyway.
"I'm neither a DOE employee or a chamber of commerce employee. I'm a public school teacher. I just meant that like in retail, there's everything from Sacs Fifth Avenue to Wal-Mart to Goodwill to World Market to serve every possible niche. Same thing with real estate, automobiles, lending, restaurants, cell phone and cable plans, and, countless other examples, including, as I said, preschool and postsecondary education. There's no reason to think that school choice wouldn't also accommodate every possible niche."
The business world doesn't accommodate all niches, cable/ satellite TV is a prime example of poor customer service, lousy product, monopolies, and price gouging. The business world needs to clean up it's own mess before I trust their dirty tactics disguised as "business" in education. We already HAVE school choice anyway...college choice as well! Just don't expect a tax refund.
You need to read Fredrick M. Hess. You don't have to agree with everything he opines, but it'll make you realize how much of what we do has been proven not to work and yet we continue to do it and blame the failure on things we have no control (and therefore no responsibility) to change. The problem is NOT student IQ.
Why not just have the parents (or students) attend professional developement.
What point will the real problem surface to downtown and the state. It does not matter how long or much time staff does in professional developement it will not work. Until those in the home of these students when they walk out of the building support education there will be a high degree of failure.
Staff cannot overcome (mostly) a home/neighborhoods/community belief about education if not helped by those groups.
These students need to learn to adapt. The outside world does not/will not adapt to them once they leave our doors. There is no ESL or LD professional helping them along at work. There is no professional saying "well look at what atmosphere they live in at home". We are setting them up for failure if we are NOT preparing(forcing) them to learn to adapt to expectations.
Again that learning to adapt starts at home and should be reinforced at schools.
@ until those in the home of these students... support education, there will be a high degree of failure
That's stupid. You saying it doesn't make it true. Kids place value in all kinds of things that their parents don't value. Sure, teaching is easier when parents encourage kids. But "harder" and "impossible" are miles apart. If you can only teach the easy kids, you owe it to your students to say that from the get-go. Tell your principal, tell the parents, tell the students, "I can only teach the easy students." Because it only takes a few teachers like you to make public education a failure.
You're right, in the real world, everyone isn't falling over themselves to accommodate you. But in the real world, people can choose for themselves where they fit. They can work for themselves, in a small company, in a large company, etc. They can choose to spend their time doing what they love or do something they don't like in return for something else they value (financial security, good hours, good work environment, etc.) They can work with people, work at a desk, work outside, work nights, work with animals, etc. They have a lot of input into how they spend their days. In school we force them into an artificial environment in which they have no control. The fact that most push back to some extent is psychology 101. Kids with educated parents see some sort of value in school, even if they don't see the value in a particular lesson, class, or teacher. They see how being good at school has helped their parents. That helps those kids do well, even in poorly taught classes. But the other kids need to be "sold" on the value of school. They don't see it for themselves. The people they know who do well dropped out and got GEDs and worked their way up to middle management from cashier. They operate child care and hair salons out of their home. They do construction, automotive, cable/phone installation work and drive trucks. They don't see the value in school unless someone teaches them. This can be parents, but it can also be teachers, or other trusted adults.
And the best way for kids to learn flexibility and adaptation is to see it modeled. Teachers who try one thing and give up on those who don't respond aren't modeling adaptation skills. If you, an educated adult with experience, maturity, and at least minimal life coping skills resists adapting to change, why on earth do you think it's reasonable to try to "force" kids to adapt. Teach the kid to adapt by modeling adaptation skills and verbalizing the adaptation process and how those skills serve you in life. That's what teaching is.
Do any of you read Education Week? An interesting article about creating a classroom career ladder. http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/rick_hess_straight_up/2011/07/a_classroom_career_ladder_for_teachers.html?cmp=ENL-EU-VIEWS2
Some of the comments regarding the article were interesting too. I'll quote my favorite comment.
"Zak. A Public Agenda poll of a few years ago indicated that 65% of new teachers are interested in creating and leading their own schools. Counter to one of the comments posted to your post, this means there is "validity to your suggestion." And in other nations like Singapore - all teachers have far more opportunities to teach and lead - given that they only teach kids about 20 hours a week. The other part of their "job" is to assess each others' teaching, develop assessments and score them, prepare new recruits to the profession, and more. And this top ranking nation (on PISA results) has no problem attracting top talent to teaching -- to the point there is no need for short-cut programs to bring in new recruits for 2-year stints before they go do something else."
Of course Sidener doesn't accept all students. It's a gifted and magnet school, the only gifted and magnet school in the state. It SHOULD perform better than schools who draw from the general population.
Merle Sidener Enrollment: 246 Grade Level: 2-7 School Ratio: 21 to 1 School Snapshot School Improvement Plan Boundary Map Start Time: 8:45 a.m. End Time: 4:15 p.m.
I am an IPS teacher....as soon as I can figure out how to turn my own child into a brilliant doctor/lawyer....I can then concentrate on how to turn an IPS student into one. You cannot make a silk purse out of a sow's ear!
Don't you see how your negative opinions of IPS students would negatively impact your teaching? Why not look at the teachers (or parents) who are succeeding where you are not and do more of what they're doing and less of what you've been doing (whether that's with your students or your own kid). It's funny how the same teachers who see how much impact a good or bad principal can have fail to see the impact their own attitudes make on student achievement.
To "I am an IPS teacher." What do you think makes a good teacher? What makes a mediocre teacher? What makes a bad teacher? I'm not talking about evaluations. I'm just curious what you personally think makes a good or bad teacher.
I am not negative...I have a son who is a doctor, a son who is a I.U. Kelly School of a business and then the other one....all raised in the same home, equally loved and lots of family support. They are all 3 IPS graduates...I just can't seem to motivate the other child...like I said...you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.
I do sometimes read Education Week but I hadn't yet read the article you linked. I do agree it was interesting and I'm glad you posted it. I don't know which idea I liked more, being able to spend more time teaching and less time doing the other stuff, or the one you linked about teaching 20 hours and spending the other half on collaborative leadership, training, assessment, etc. Either one sounds like an improvement over the current system.
I can tell you that although sometimes you cannot turn a sow's ear into a silk purse, you can at least make it the best sow's ear it can be. Unfortunately often teachers and schools just give up on kids who aren't great students. It then becomes a cycle...you don't care, why should I. I try to never give up on my kids. I've had parents come in and complain that I am "harassing" them, then it turns out that their child is failing everything, and cutting class all the time, and no one else is talking to the parent or the kid.
"I can tell you that although sometimes you cannot turn a sow's ear into a silk purse, you can at least make it the best sow's ear it can be. Unfortunately often teachers and schools just give up on kids who aren't great students. It then becomes a cycle...you don't care, why should I. I try to never give up on my kids."
Because YOU do more for kids than an ISTEP score however that's not what keeps schools running...in our state. Most IPS teachers do care. You knew what you were getting into once you took the job. You could have gone to a township school and get labeled "a great teacher" but this is like a ministry. However the media and the state continue to beat on us for their own selfish reasons disguised as being "for kids" when it's "for profit."
Dr. White needs to think about William Penn who said “Right is right, even if everyone is against it; and wrong is wrong, even if everyone is for it” and start doing the right things for every kid, the rest should fall into place...
"Most IPS teachers do care." That's my experience as well. But you can walk into any IPS school (or spend 2 minutes on this blog) and see that many IPS teachers should not be teaching in IPS. It's a minority of teachers, but it's a significant minority, and it negatively impacts a majority of IPS students. There are a variety of reasons (job dissatisfaction, culture clash, generation gap, inadequate professional development), but it's a serious problem. Every bit as significant as the out-of-school factors that contribute to failure.
@There are a variety of reasons (job dissatisfaction, culture clash, generation gap, inadequate professional development), but it's a serious problem. Every bit as significant as the out-of-school factors that contribute to failure.
I hear what you're saying, and I can also think of several IPS administrators who match the variety of reasons you posted.
Job dissatisfaction - Principals who get moved around to schools they hate and moved with less than 2 weeks notice.
Culture clash - White principal assigned to all Black school (more than 90% Black).
Generation gap - Jackie Greenwood, Willie Giles, Jane Kendrick, and about 20 others
"But you can walk into any IPS school (or spend 2 minutes on this blog) and see that many IPS teachers should not be teaching in IPS"
I don't believe 90% that's written on this blog anyway. I think it's run by people who have a bone to pick with downtown, the weak union or some teachers. They are hands off or non-committal when it comes to other VERY controversial subjects like parents, charter schools, the state DOE or education "reform" that will further weaken urban schools in the state. The agenda is obvious..it's is BS!
Would someone please explain why people at Marshall & Washington have so much PD between now & Aug. 4. Will they be paid? Hourly wages or workshop pay?
Culture clash - White principal assigned to all Black school (more than 90% Black).
This is BS...any colored individual can reach kids if they care. I have a friend who's parents were a doctor and a teacher, her husband was a pro athlete, and because she was black other teachers would drag black kids to her...she told me "I have less in common with these kids then the teachers who are bringing them to me...it is purely based on skin color."
And one of the big problems we face is the "wink and nod" attitude...perpetrated on children by those who think they understand the kids or feel so sorry for them. They don't want to really teach discipline...you know self discipline is taught, not imposed. This applies not only to behavior discipline but academic discipline as well. Kids need to understand that real effort results in real learning...and it is fun to master a skill you had to work to learn. Think about when you were a child and read your first chapter book, the pride and feeling of accomplishment. We've lost that pride in academics and accomplishment...take a look at this little clip and see real pride and accomplishment...not one of these kids did this for a wink and nod.. http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/video/google-science-fair-demonstrates-girl-power-14076388
@Calif. Gov. Signs Bill Requiring Schools To Teach Gay History
By the CNN Wire Staff POSTED: 9:51 pm EDT July 14, 2011 UPDATED: 10:07 pm EDT July 14, 2011 LOS ANGELES (CNN) -- Democratic California Gov. Jerry Brown said Thursday he had signed a bill that will require public schools in the state to teach students about the contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americas. The bill, believed to be the first of its kind in the nation, will also require teachers to provide instruction on the role of people with disabilities. "History should be honest," Brown said in a statement. "This bill revises existing laws that prohibit discrimination in education and ensures that the important contributions of Americans from all backgrounds and walks of life are included in our history books. It represents an important step forward for our state, and I thank Senator Leno for his hard work on this historic legislation." The governor was referring to the bill's author, Sen. Mark Leno, a San Francisco Democrat. ________________________________________________
The people who will be most pleased with this new California ruling will be the textbook publishers. Just imagine, the publishers can now write an entirely new series of Social Studies textbooks at a cost of millions of dollars to be paid by California taxpayers.
Well, won't that be nice for LBGT kids to see that those "like them" are finally being recognized for their considerable contributions to our culture and society? How empowering for our youth. Bravo, Jerry Brown!
The new California law should be interesting for the classroom teachers when a few students ask pointed questions about LBGT lifestyles, behaviors, and bedroom etiquette. Sooner or later, some classroom teacher will end up having to field questions about 'why' are people lesbians, bisexual, gay, or transgender. Then the next questions will concern 'what' lesbians, bisexuals, gay, or transgender people do that makes them different. Right now, I'm over whelmed with stuff to do at school, so if this law ever arrives in Indiana, I'm of the sort who just might tell a student, "Honey, don't ask me, so that I don't have to tell you." Lord have mercy, when will the directives for public school teachers ever stop??
I agree that culture and color aren't the same thing, but I still think the culture clash is a major problem, and it most often occurs between white teachers and non-white students. IPS gets a double whammy because it not only has a high ratio of white teachers and nonwhite students, but it also has one of the highest rates of older teachers in the state, so you get the generational problems as well. Don't get me wrong. There are many older white teachers who have no problems with non-white students. But their not the teachers who still pretend that sincere, caring teacher-student relationships don't matter. Obviously, they do matter, and spending even a few minutes poking through the libraries of research on this subject would prove that. But some people cling to wrong no matter how much prove their shown and how many people they hurt.
I like this one because it demonstrates the middle ground viewpoint that I think most teachers fall in, between strict traditionalists and radical reformers. An excerpt:
"There is consensus among educators that teachers are key to student success, and that meaningful reform will require changes in how we hire, evaluate, support, and compensate our most critical partners. Mr. Klein understands this. But his combative approach while in office to such changes ignores the reality that reform cannot be something we do to teachers. We must work with teachers to develop and implement collaborative strategies to achieve common goals."
I don't understand. Whose fault is it you didn't put more back for retirement. And if you can't afford to retire yet, then keep working. Some of the comments on here sound like they come from 12-year-olds.
did anyone see yesterdays headline, Indiana has a surplus...yippee Mitch...of course the surplus equals what was cut from education. Mitch is doing his best to make Indiana competitive...with Bangladesh and Sri-Lanka...large pools of uneducated people willing to work for any amount of money, in any conditions...and no need to worry about those pesky unions...Thanks Mitch...signed your political patrons.
Who are your silly posts directed at? Do you think Mitch Daniels reads this blog? Do you think his supporters will read your posts and go, "Oh, forget logic, reason, facts, or research. The anonymous lady on the Internet said Mitch hates education, so I'm going to vote for anyone but him in the next election." If you're a teacher, do you think your posts cast teachers in a favorable light or do you think such silliness contributes to the idea that we are uninformed self-serving morons who vote however the union tells us to vote and can't defend our positions, so we simply hurl insults at the people the union tells us not to vote for?
Don’t think Mitchies friends read this blog, they must or you wouldn’t have posted that inane response, you want research well here it its…Bushies “man Mitch” was the director of the Office of Management and Budget under Bushie from Jan 2001 to June 2003, when he took office there was federal budget the projected budget surplus of $236 billion turned into a $400 billion Deficit…due to a down turn in the economy, the Bush tax cuts, and the fabulous Bush wars. National Debt Increased by 75% under Bush:
2001 - $5.871 trillion 2008 - $10.640 trillion
National Debt Increased 25% Under Obama:
Jan 31st 2009 = $10.569-tr¬¬illion Jan 31st 2011 = $14.131-tr¬¬illion
But of the $3.56-tril¬¬lion increase, 98% was carry over from Bush programs:
Bush: $910-billi¬¬on = Interest on Debt 2009/2011 Bush: $360-billi¬¬on = Iraq War Spending 2009/2011 Bush: $319-billi¬¬on = TARP/Bailo¬¬ut Balance from 2008 (as of May 2010) Bush: $419-billi¬¬on = Bush Recession Caused Drop in taxes Bush: $190-billi¬¬on = Bush Medicare Drug Program 2009/2011 Bush: $211-billi¬¬on = Bush Meicare Part-D 2009/2011 Bush: $771-billi¬¬on = Bush Tax Cuts 2009/2011
Bush's contributi¬¬on:
2001 to 2008: $4.769-tri¬¬llion 2009 to 2010: $3.181-tri¬¬llion
Total: $7.950-tri¬¬llion
Increase Since 2001 = $14.131 - $5.871 = $8.26-tril¬¬lion
Increase caused By Bush's Programs: 96% Increase caused by Obama's Programs: 4% Now we are letting this clown affect the future of Indiana’s children…please
I saw your post where you pasted the "Deficit" figures from HuffPo. I wanted to send you some info to clarify the issue.
First I want to preface with my statement that Bush's spending was abhorrent, in both defense and silly domestic programs. Everyone in the Liberty movement was appalled by it. Good riddance that man is gone. But I have to point out that Obama is on pace to outspend him by a far far margin.
First take a look here: From the Congressional Budget Office http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/108xx/doc...icaltables.pdf
Take a look at table F-1 "Revenues, Outlays, Deficits, Surpluses, and Debt Held by the Public, 1970 to 2009, in Billions of Dollars." You can see, in the 2009 line at the bottom, that Obama's Federal Yearly Budget Deficit (Not the Debt) was 1.413 Trillion dollars. For his first year. This was more than the last 5 years of Bush's spending combined. Remember, I didn't like Bush's spending either, just making comparisons.
Look at table S-3 "Baseline Projection of Current Policy by Category." Look at the "Deficit" line at the bottom. The Obama White House expects, and is planning into spending plans, at least a $1 Trillion dollar deficit in the yearly budget each year.
Now look at Table S-14 "Federal Government Financing and Debt" and look under the "Debt Outstanding End of Year" category at line "Total Gross Federal Debt." The Obama Administration is predicting an increase in Total Federal Debt from $14 Trillion in 2010 to $25 Trillion in 2020 (2 years past the end of his administration).
From these above, and from Obama's continued participation in Bush's wars overseas (something else the Liberty movement is pissed about), you can see that Obama is no different from Mr. Bush, no matter how much or what he says on TV. He has no plans in reducing spending or wars.
Your frustrations should not be directed at one party or one person, but at the overall entirety of the Federal Institution. It's time to send people to DC that will bring us real hope and change. And it's time to look past rhetoric, think for ourselves, not base our thought on slogans or catchphrases, and start caring about the direction of our country again.
I am retiring the middle of October, and using the rest of my sick days to have some surgery completed (FML). I called TRF and I will get a $2,200 check each month and I will place my annuity savings account into a IRA account. Young teachers need to save their sick days and money, it helps when you retire after three years of a horrible principle.
So, you're setting up a classroom of kids to fail. With all the other obstacles in our students' lives, you are proving to be another adult who gives up on them by walking out after wasting one fourth of their school year.
Well, good for you. Hopefully some vibrant, energetic, young teacher who still cares about our children's futures will be replace you after your old pathetic ass has cleared your desk of ungraded papers for the last time. Be professional enough to leave one week's lesson plans, an up-to-date gradebook, student information, and a schedule before turning in your name badge and keys.
Please leave enough time before PIT so your replacement can provide honest assessments to the parents of your abandoned pupils. It's truly difficult for a substitute to hold a conference without data.
Thank you for your years of service. IPS will be a better place without you. Please take Red Shoes (not the Pope) with you.
@I am retiring the middle of October, and using the rest of my sick days to have some surgery completed (FML). I called TRF and I will get a $2,200 check each month and I will place my annuity savings account into a IRA account. Young teachers need to save their sick days and money, it helps when you retire after three years of a horrible principle. ________________________________________________
If reading the above post made you cringe or wish to vomit, then please realize that the poster is recounting a story that occurs with great regularity in IPS. This type story would not exist without the perks and benefits of the ISTA, the teachers' union. Truly, there are IPS teachers who've saved enough Sick Leave days to stop going to work and use Sick Leave days for an entire school year before they formally retire. These teachers' classes are covered by a parade of substitutes and/or their fellow teachers when subs can't be located. I've watched this situation occur at Arlington. Makes you wanna puke, doesn't it?
The Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)is a FEDERAL program that protects employees from loss of a job due to health issues of either the employee or caregiver of a loved one. Yes, I agree that it's misused (asthma to go to Cancun? Yeah, right!)
Teachers' Retirement Fund (TRF) is a STATE mandate that provides financial support of all public educators based on their years of service (Rule of 85 = the sum of years of service + age). Will you refuse your TRF check when you're entitled? Somehow, I doubt it. Will you give back the retirement funds that IPS banks for you? Again, probably not.
Building up sick days results from personal choice/sacrifice, such as teaching while sick or injured, leaving ill children with relatives or neighbors, scheduling medical appointments around school hours, and/or missing family activities. (For example, I was NEVER able to attend any of my daughter's or son's PIT conferences in the 14 years they attended IPS schools, but my principal used her "floating vacation days" to attend her daughter's dance recital)
Neither of these decisions were the product of union negotiation, and the hoarding/compiling of sick days is an individual's right, unfettered by IEA.
Get your facts straight before you make unfounded accusations. Your blatant ignorance made me wanna hurl.
Another thing: IEA has absolutely nothing to do with the hiring or assignment of substitutes. Direct your complaints to HR.
Things to ponder: 1. What kind of logic does it take to find fault with a person who has accumulated a lot of sick time? (Not talking about how they use them at the end of their career-just the fact that they came to work and did not use their days.) 2. Why would it be difficult to find subs for IPS classrooms? (This one may take some time.) 3. How can a person work in education and not know the difference between principal (my pal) and prinicple?
How can a person work in education and not know the difference between principal (my pal) and prinicple?
Why how can a person work in education and not know how to spell PRINCIPAL, or principal...especially when they are correcting someone else. It is just so easy to make a spelling error, and this forum does not allow for ease in editing... I've been embarrassed when I used the wrong their, there, and they're...it is really hard to see your own errors.
#2. I have no problem subbing for IPS, but their application process is prohibitive. They want managerial references to fill out paperwork and mail it to IPS. That's inconvenient for prior employers, and not all of them are cooperative. The ones that are submit the paperwork and IPS denies it was ever sent.
Maybe the improper use of sick days is our business. I worked with a lady a couple of years ago who told the principal her daughter was having surgery. The lady used 8 sick leave days; however, she actually went to South America on a church mission trip and lied. She wasn't sick at all. No, she didn't get fired or demoted either.
Your principal didn't do his/her job by requiring documentation for the absence OR recommending that an FMLA was submitted, since those days counted against every single staff member on your school's INSAI plan.
I once worked with a custodian whose mother died two or three times a year, and got away with that, too.
You people are sooo hard to please!! One complained that an old teacher saved up sick days, one complained that FMLA leave was used, one complained that a lady used them for a mission trip, while another complained that they weren't used as FMLA. Do you realize how petty you sound? Unused personal days convert to sick days. What is your ultimate suggestion? Take off three days each year and use all sick days or not? You tell us!!!!
But if I use all my sick days each year how will I take a year off fully paid at the end of my career?
Teaching is the only career I know of that provides sick days and personal days that accumulate. Yes I AM aware that personal turns into sick days.
Most people get vacation days and they expire if not used. Some people get nothing. Be glad you have sick days, personal days and 13 weeks of vacation. Teaching is a pretty good gig. WE should be greatful for what we have and enjoy it while we can.
« Back to Common Errors About greatful vs grateful It is great to acknowledge a favor done. You are being grateful to person who did the favor. Greatful is not a word.
Grateful Meaning(s) (a) feeling or showing gratitude (s) affording comfort or pleasure
It is truly GRATE I mean GREAT that we have people like you to keep us on the straight and narrow.
It is truly amazing to me that you had to go and copy and paste from the internet just to prove how GREAT you are and so much better than the rest of us. Wow. What a burden it must be to have such a giant brain.
Nope, not better. I just remember losing a fourth grade spelling bee with that word. Stuff like that sticks forever, and jumps out whenever supposedly educated folks trip over it.
You can't legislate responsibility or morality, but aside from an extreme emergency, I would never work a partial year. It's devastating for student education, and that's who the school is supposed to serve first. The students. Being allowed to accumulate sick days so that you can abandon your job for 3/4 of the year at the expense of students is immoral. If someone has extra sick days at the end of the year, they should be paid for them. If a teacher is scheduling a surgery in advance, he/she should try to schedule it for early June, or else take the entire school year off.
"If someone has extra sick days at the end of the year, they should be paid for them."
I think when a person retires they are given a sum for the number of sick days they accumulated. Most retired people I talked said it was a joke. Their advice was to use them because it wasn't worth accumulating them.They pay a sub $70 a day to take your place but, to the district, each day is worth $30 or so when you are compensated. I may be wrong and if someone knows more then please enlighten us.
New topic please. All of this talk about sick days is making me sick ! As always on this site about ten comments into the topic the discussion goes on a tangent !
So you are suggesting that a person who has worked 20+ years without using very many of his earned sick days should allow the district to pay them $35 for each rather than to use them for the $200 each they are worth? Are you serious? Who would do that? Get a grip on reality!!!!!!
Dumbass teachers get on my nerves!! Why are people in this profession so arrogant and judgmental? Ugh!!!!!Go see "Bad Teacher" and see how many wince because it hits close to home.
Who would do that? Anyone with an ounce of integrity and self respect. You can't have it both ways. You can't pretend that teachers are more qualified and care more about students than nonteachers and then shrug your shoulders when you cash in on leaving your students to substitutes all year. Either you're not more effective than a sub (in which virtually anyone could do your job), or you're screwing over your students. Which is it?
This is no different than people in my office who take time using up vacation and other benefits. Then instead of returning they resign. It happens all the time. In my insurance office have had it happen four times in the last two months alone.
Teachers are human and like humans will take the benefit that most protects them.
Yes, we want them to walk on water, live in poverty, and carry extreme student loans (making them work second jobs) to make us feel better. It just does not work that way. I work with a lady who's husband (got me on this site) is MS teachers, coaches, and delivers pizza's & newspapers) with their four kids. He carring over $60,000 in student loans.
Personally, I don't know why he does not quite and find a job that pays more and the public is not on his professions $s$. He says its all about the kids. He said that one day he will focus on the family but have a decade and half he is not to that point.
From what I have seen of him. I think that if all teachers work like him they are saints. They deserve the $ amount that would be payed a sub. If not they deserve the days themselves. They earned them.
Don’t Be Lazy About Grammar It’s a slippery slope: First, you stop capitalizing the first letter of sentences. Then you stop forming complete sentences. Next thing you know, even backspacing to fix a blatant spelling error feels way too strenuous—never mind double-checking your grammar usage. When even your boss’s emails lack grammatical correctness, it’s easy to relax your standards. However, keeping your grammar bar high makes you stand out—in a good way. “In this economy, you need to be as polished and professional as possible,” Smith says. “Especially in business, your competence is judged by observable behaviors. Poor grammar, punctuation and spelling can signal incompetence.”
It was the thought that counted. I am so sorry that I posted quickly while on break (maybe I should have used work time). I can tell that those who posted after me have no time what so ever. It was teachers like them why I left school and worked on a GED. I know have an associates degree and live well.
I am commending teachers for their hard work and saying they are worth what is theirs and you have no other comment but to be critical. It was high and mighty ego teachers that caused me to drop out. You just reminded me of that!
For the record yes I use grammar and spell check. There is nothing wrong with that.
Was it not about the kids for the years that a teacher did not take any sick/personal days? Excuse me, but is that not the reason that substitute teachers exist? To stand in for teachers when they are absent? Shut up!! No real person is going to let 135 days at $200 each go to waste at the end of a career. Teacher or not. That's unreasonable. It is just human nature. It is not about a lack of integrity. IPSBS forreal!!!!!
135x35 = 4725 versus 135x200=27000 Now which would a veteran teacher entering retirement want? Especially when currently, everyone is saying old teachers are bad and suck and need to be pushed out anyway? You tell me..........
Lots of teachers retire every year and take the pay for sick days whatever it happens to be that year. Yes, older teachers are being bashed and harassed, but in many cases it is not deserved and those people still have ethics. It is not necessary to lower your standards because others are pieces of shit.
Who out there thinks a retiring educator would walk away with an extra twenty-seven grand by using all their sick days?
FAIL!
All that educator would get would be 135 days of extra planning, 135 days of putting out fires or apologizing to team members, then 135 days of grading or discarding something that someone else "taught". Get over your idea that a teacher could spend those 135 days touring America, or on a sunny beach. Wrong, wrong, wrong.
Many, many peers save medical procedures for their last years (think hysterectomy or knee replacement), which isn't a bad thing if necessary and prudent, especially with health insurance being what it is. Hell, I might just do both!
A peer didn't take the $20K buyout two years ago, choosing to teach just one more year. Her rationale? She was able to sock away nearly her entire year's salary. Not too bad for an old teacher, right?
With Indiana's new evaluation instrument, undocumented absences would be a cause for dismissal. I'd rather hold onto my days for emergencies, then get $35 each, than get fired for just cause and be ineligible for unemployment.
I would take the 27,000 dollars more and another year for retirement. I would never try to judge another person, you don't know what is happening in their school?
You bunch of greedy entitlement mentality slobs!!! Sick days are NOT EARNED!!!! There may be a formula for calculating the number of sick days accumulated, but that doesn't mean you did anything to earn them. They are a benefit provided by an employer to be used only for their intended purpose. There is no law requiring any employer to pay you for being sick. Even if the number of allotted sick days is determined by a union contract (I don't know if it is), using a sick day for anything other than an illness or medical appointment of some kind is nothing more than outright theft.
Duh, $200 (or more) is how much a teacher makes a day for working, or if they have to be out, when they call a sub. The rationale is that it is smarter to USE your sick days and net $200 rather than hoard them and get a check for $35 each. It's a balance between a largish chunk of cash or less money lost while still working.
Personally I'm for using them. Instead of cashing them in.
They shouldn't give you a choice. At the end of each year, they should pay you the $35 for any leftover days, and let that be the end of it. That way there wouldn't be the temptation for someone to sell out students for personal gain. Most companies don't carry forward sick days. You either lose them or they pay you at the end of the year. Saving them until retirement is asinine.
@All that educator would get would be 135 days of extra planning, 135 days of putting out fires or apologizing to team members, then 135 days of grading or discarding something that someone else "taught".....AGREE!
Many times, it's harder to be out than it is to go into the classroom.
You wish to stay late or go in early, run copies that you'd never use and you have no plans to grade (yup, the kids know this!), take off what's left of the day, pray you don't run into any other staff member who's also taking off, come in the following day early to put your classroom back together, read the notes that your sub left OR hear the muttering of all the staff members who had to take your students since there was no sub, make phone calls to the parents of the kids who told the sub to f*** off, try to make up the pacing guide skills that your kids missed but will need to know on next week's diagnostic, then get your plans done on time for the next week?
Hell, I'd rather come to school. Any veteran teacher can tell you that it's harder to take off a day than it is to come in. I'll be happy to take the $35/day when I retire.
@Hell, I'd rather come to school. Any veteran teacher can tell you that it's harder to take off a day than it is to come in. I'll be happy to take the $35/day when I retire.
That is right they don't make $200 a day, the make more like $350. When I retired I took the $35.00 a day, it was the honest and right thing to do. Sure I could have had some Dr. give me a medical excuse, and I have had to use FMLA in the past, but I never lied about my self or a family member being sick, I never lied about a family funeral...it just didn't seem like the time to start is when you retire. Just because someone else had no morals doesn't excuse your lack of morals.
Long ago, when I first started you could sell back five days each year, and I did this about five times. I never worked if I was sick, you aren't your best and you don't want to make anyone else sick...but after a few years you just don't get sick that often, I think I had ten years of perfect attendance.
And they no longer pay you for these sick days they pop that money into your 401K, so don't look in the mail for a check.
Anyone else see the changes in start times for Arlington and Manual? I'm curious to see how both of these plans work. I know research shows that older students benefit from starting school later in the day. I wonder if splitting the sexes and having them start at different times will help Arlington....
"I need those sick days during the year for mental health. They are my days and I have earned them."
If you are mentally incapable of handling your job, get a another one. They are NOT your days. You did NOT earn them. They are basically a gift that should only be accepted if you legitimately need it. Your attitude is pathetic.
You've "earned" your health insurance, too, but do you really want a heart attack or ruptured appendix? According to your rationale, you've earned catastrophic illness, too.
I guess I "earned" my chronic illnesses too, the treatments require at minimum 1 day off per month. I sure hope we don't lose sick days with all the changes coming up in our health insurance that are upcoming.
I would like to ask a question that doesn't have to do directly with the high school hearings.
ReplyDeleteI read on CNN's website tonight the prediction that tens of thousands of teachers will be laid off around the nation in the coming year. It said that states are expecting to be laying off 110,000 workers, a large percentage of them teachers.
Milwaukee has just announced it is laying off 354 teachers and Detroit has put ALL of its teachers on notice that they may lose their jobs.
What can we expect in the next 2-3 years with IPS regarding future teacher layoffs? What can teachers be doing NOW to prepare for what may be a very dire scenario?
Retiring - which the IPS union seems to be pushing as the best alternative for many teachers - won't make it for many (most?) veteran teachers because it will only provide a small fraction of what a family needs to live on. And, no health insurance.
(Some teachers live in two-earner families, but many - such as mine - don't and are supporting families both financially and with health care coverage.)
What kinds of jobs can teachers find in Indianapolis and Central Indiana OUTSIDE of teaching? Will charter schools and private schools offer any real hope for older teachers to get jobs after they are laid off?
if anyone who has any ideas about these questions, I thank you in advance for your observations.
My family and I are doing a lot of praying these days. Public school teachers should be placed on the "Endangered Species" list.
I have to admit to being pretty scared these days.
It is really sad, but in this country more and more money is in less and less hands, and this is what is happening to teachers, there will still be kids who need teachers, but the teachers will be paid less money...
ReplyDeletehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/23/10-countries-with-worst-income-inequality_n_865869.html#s282630&title=4_United_States
This has been a trend for the last twenty years, the wealthy are paying less taxes, and holding more money...and now this policy is hurting you.
National politics really does come home to roost. Think about the Republican resistance to letting the Bush era tax cuts for those making over $250,000 expire, are you making more than $250,000.?
"Public school teachers should be placed on the "Endangered Species" list.I have to admit to being pretty scared these days."
ReplyDeleteWelcome to education reform in Indiana. Hope you vote the next time. Too many teachers let their husbands and or their church tell them how to vote. Hoosiers voted for job creation and less government..not handouts to corporate pals who want some education pie. Take care my friend. It can only get better for teachers because we've hit bottom.
You just keep on hoping that Indiana will turn into a liberal state, but it's not going to happen. The divide between the rich and poor is not caused by not taxing people enough. It's caused by Big Government. Politicians and corporations are in bed together. People who work for government and rich corporations get annual raises that inflate the economy while the rest of the population sees their salary worth worse every year. Jobs go overseas because our inflated prices can't compete with Indian and china. Government tries to compensate for the low income values by widening coverage for government healthcare, food stamps, and other subsidies, so that today, but that inflates prices even more. Today, a huge percentage of jobs don't pay enough to cover basic necessities. It's almost impossible for one person to support the family, when for centuries that was the norm. The problem isn't that people are working less or making less, it's that the cost of everything has been artificially inflated by the government involvement in the economy. Education is no exception. The powers that be keep taking more and more money providing less and less service. The voucher and private schools aren't the greedy corporations. The traditional school corporations are the greedy corporations -- the voucher and private schools are the mom-and-pop, service-with-a-smile, grass-roots rebellion AGAINST greedy corrupt corporations.
ReplyDeleteI said "worth worse" when I meant "worth less," didn't capitalize China, and restructured a sentence so that it now has an unnecessary "so that today." Sorry. :)
ReplyDeleteThe IPS School Board elected Mary Busch as its President today.
ReplyDeleteMary Busch is a member of Crispus Attucks High School's graduation class of 1959.
How many of us were even born before 1959?
What does this say about the IPS School Board?
70 years old...so much for fresh new ideas...
ReplyDeleteYet again! How many times has Ms. Busch been president? Ring a round the rosie,
ReplyDeleteSeriously? That woman was president of the school board when I started working in 1993. It's time for some new leadership. Vote 'em all out!
ReplyDeleteWay to go ISTA!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThe 70 years of age don't bother me. I know lots of 70 year olds who have worthwhile ideas and plans to implement them. Mary Busch has not had an original thought since she was elected in 1976. No matter who is superintendent, she is always the lap dog. Serving on the school board is supposed to be a part time citizen position. Busch has done it now for 36 years long unproductive years. Think what that has added to her teacher pension. She is in it for Mary Busch and no one else. Many of her traditional supporters have already said that they will not support her if she chooses to run for 4 more years.
ReplyDeleteDo you think the IPS HR Department would even look twice at a teacher application from someone who's 70 years old? I don't for a minute. HR might pretend they're looking to avoid a lawsuit, but seriously no one would be hiring a 70 year old person.
ReplyDeletewhere did you find the info on the elections? I am not seeing it on any media site or on the board docs site for ips... inside info on the ipsblog??? hmmm...
ReplyDeleteOne of the real beneficiaries of the "Gates small schools" was University of Indianapolis, who do we know that works there?
ReplyDeleteMillions of dollars have been and are being funneled through the University of Indianapolis. We all know Mary Busch has worked there for years. I am shocked that no one has investigated to see if this represents a conflict of interest. I am not a lawyer but it seems to be one to me.
ReplyDelete@where did you find the info on the elections?
ReplyDeleteInfo was posted on Facebook.
It was posted on the board docs for Friday July 1. Don't know if the that board meeting was posted.
ReplyDeleteBoard Docs for July 1 aren't posted Online as of today, Saturday.
ReplyDeleteInteresting that IPS still continues to spend a huge sum of money to send people to AVID conferences. From the most recent IPS Board Meeting.
HYATT REGENCY O'HARE (ROSEMONT, IL)
Hotel reservations for fifty-two AVID Summer Institute participants for five
nights, (July 17, 2011 to July 21, 2011).
$ 49,900.00
But alas they are posted. Meeting was at 5:30 pm on Friday July 1. Only business conducted was the election/appointments of board officers.
ReplyDeleteHalf the people who go to these things never attend the meetings, and really have no direct instructional contact with students, now who could these people be?
ReplyDeleteAny pros/cons about the AVID program?
ReplyDeleteI spent a day, a few years ago, observing the AVID program at North Central High School, and it was very impressive -- lots of tutors, a teacher whose dedicated responsibility was nothing but AVID, students who knew what was going on and what they were supposed to be doing. It was evident that we were not observing a staged dog and pony show for our viewing pleasure.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, I was involved with AVID for two years in IPS. The program NEVER got off the ground. Over 200 IPS folks attended the huge AVID summer institute in Chicago, but a majority of those attending appeared to be there simply because it was a free vacation! All the hot shot Ed Center administrators were there -- they were never going to set foot in an AVID situation at the building level. AVID was never followed with the integrity of the program as designed. I'm unsure who submits the building level AVID reports for IPS, but they have to be making up data!
So typical...
ReplyDeleteIf I give you my chicken sambuca recipe and you substitute baloney for the required prosciutto don't whine when it doesn't come out the same...and don't tell anyone it is my recipe. This is IPS's problem, they buy programs but don't implement them with fidelity.
AVID has been nothing but a paid vacation for IPS administrators and they take a few teachers along to make it look good. Many of the teachers who go to the conference are not even the ones who are involved with the AVID program. A good school board would ask questions. The IPS school board will not.
ReplyDeleteI was one of those teachers who was 'directed' to attend a summer AVID conference in Chicago. I was never going to be teaching an AVID class because of my area of certification, even told the powers that be that I could not teach an AVID class, but still I was told I HAD to attend. The conference attendees from IPS included every Ed Center administrator plus their family members who drove to Chicago to join their spouses in the luxurious hotel and share the room (these were suites w/a living room and a bedroom) at IPS expense. I don't know if this is a cultural thing (getting all the free stuff you can manage to get) or if this is just a symptom of unabashed greed coupled with ignorance. Trust me, it does not go unnoticed by the rank and file classroom teachers!
ReplyDeleteThe same happened at my school. People who weren't involvd in AVID attended. They were buddie teachers, in and out of school. What a big ripoff.
ReplyDeleteAttending these national conferences is a perk that IPS administrators receive as part of keeping an urban school district dysfunctional. There's big money in a failing school district -- consultants, reading programs, math programs, behavior therapists, principal mentors, etc. If IPS suddenly became a stellar school district, a lot of parasites of failure would lose their jobs. Too many IPS administrators and outside consultants depend on maintaining the status quo, and in fact, they financially benefit from the status quo.
ReplyDeleteThat was incredibly well said. Too many people make big money off of poor white, black, and hispanic kids.
ReplyDeleteMaking money off of poor white, black, and hispanic children is a dirty secret that all urban school districts hide. Why do you think there's such an uproar when the State or any outside agency is mentioned as taking over failing schools? Follow the money...it's about high-paying jobs for adults, many of whom couldn't get a comparable paying job anywhere except another failing district. And, now those same Ed Center administrators are practically begging for 'just one more chance'. Heck they've had their chances, their opportunities, and their lackluster attempts. Mary Busch, over 36 years at the helm, effectively has steered this ship upon the rocks, and yet the Board is blind and reelects her to the Presidency.
ReplyDeletePreach! It kills me to watch teachers get upset with everybody (DOE, Charters, etc.), but not focus on the real problem . . . ineffective administrators. No matter how many schools close, no matter how many teachers are laid off, no matter how many kids are failed, Walnut St. will survive. As a teacher, I am just about ready to work for anyone who can 1. keep the kids safe; 2. keep me safe; 3. allow me to focus on teaching; and 4. spend money on instruction.
ReplyDeleteTo speak to the actual topic:
ReplyDeleteThe meeting was wonderful. Everyone who spoke had positive comments. The community was very vocal with support for GW.
"Too many people make big money off of poor white, black, and Hispanic kids."
ReplyDeleteAnd this probably won't change no matter WHO is running the show. For-profit turn around corporations can AND will pocket money as well. As a matter of fact you could say ALL places take advantage of these people by what they pay them for the services they provide. The only reason we have illegals is that businesses pay them the lowest wages. It's almost like how the slaves were brought here to pick cotton before the Civil War- cheap labor.
The charter companies require parent, student, and teacher buy-in to succeed. IPS doesn't. It just demands more and more money and traps students in dangerous, unsafe classrooms, and then blames the parents for the outcomes. I don't think all charter schools are good and I don't think all traditional schools are bad. But I do think IPS is more corrupt than any charter school could ever be, and at least with charter schools, nobody's forced to be there and nobody gets money unless people are satisfied enough to send their kids there. So at least there's SOME element of accountability there, and certainly more accountability than IPS.
ReplyDeleteLook IPS has tried to "require" buy in too. Try and get parents to serve on the SBDM...you might as well be asking them to give you their first born...and then when you finally do get a parent to serve and they find out what is happening the superintendent will call them a liar in public, when they return with the evidence that they are not lying the board will sit blank faced and ignore them, and Dr. White will not show up.
ReplyDeleteCharter kids and parents are the schools customers, and the customer is always right... they are like any company they will do what is necessary to keep the customer happy... do you have "buy in" at Target...same type of buy in you get from parents.
Regarding AVID;
ReplyDeleteI was told a couple of years ago to take the AVID training in Chicago. I asked if there was a stipend for attending as they were telling me I had to do it. "We pay the transportation (on their chartered bus), and pay the room expenses". Nope, you supply your time free. Like hell, you want me to do something job related, it's on your dime. I gave a lame excuse and didn't go. The program was administered half-assed that year and didn't amount to a hill of beans.
@The program was administered half-assed that year and didn't amount to a hill of beans.
ReplyDeleteYou got that right!! Our high school's administrators all attended the conference, but when class scheduling time came, the counselors ended up scheduling kids into AVID classes without their requesting it, without their parents requesting it, and without following one AVID guideline. If the building principal will not enforce the AVID program guidelines, then AVID is one gigantic waste of huge amounts of taxpayers' money! Jackie Greenwood did not enforce AVID guidelines...just ended up using the AVID classes as electives for housing students who couldn't be fitted into another elective class. Another IPS joke program!! Also, we never saw that first AVID tutor that Jerry McLeish promised! Another big IPS joke!!
Joke programs and a joke union:
ReplyDeleteMembers of the National Education Association voted to support Obama on Monday at their annual convention in Chicago.
The NEA does not endorse candidates. The political action group for NEA makes endorsements. Those are two different groups.
ReplyDelete@The NEA does not endorse candidates. The political action group for NEA makes endorsements. Those are two different groups.
ReplyDeleteDo you really believe that the NEA PAC would exist if it weren't for the NEA? The PAC is under the umbrella of the NEA. Just another house of smoke and mirrors...
Yes, the NEA does endorse candidates. They just did! The NEA PAC recommended that the NEA endorse Obama, a vote was taken, and Obama is now officially endorsed by the NEA.
ReplyDelete________________________________________________
POLITICO
NEA Backs Obama
By: Alexander Burns
July 4, 2011 05:45 PM EDT
Despite the Obama administration's on-and-off tough love for the teachers' unions, the National Education Association has voted to endorse the president for reelection. From the announcement:
“President Barack Obama shares our vision for a stronger America,” said Dennis Van Roekel, president of NEA. “He has never wavered from talking about the importance of education or his dedication to a vibrant middle class."
During NEA’s Annual Meeting and Representative Assembly (RA) delegates voted on a recommendation from NEA’s Political Action Committee to support President Obama. The recommendation and vote are early for the 3.2 million-member NEA ...
He might be endorsed by NEA but he isn't by me. He has hurt education.
ReplyDeleteMy God who placed into action NCLB and was an blundering fool in school. Without the pull of his father that 2.3 GPA would of never been accepted into the MBA program? I agree that Obama has let down the educational community, but not as bad as the GOP, think about what happened this year with Mitch, when you look at your paycheck.
ReplyDelete@ when you look at your paycheck.
ReplyDeleteWell, thank you Jesus! You have a paycheck. Approximately 10% of U.S. workers are unemployed.
And even those who aren't unemployed are't getting raises and many are even taking pay cuts. The U.S. median income has gone down 7 out of the last 10 years, and Indiana median income has gone down 8 out of the last 10 years. So if your household is bringing in more than $45,000 per year, you are among the wealthiest half of Indiana, and if your family is making more now than it did in 2005, then you are more fortunate than the 67% of Americans whose family is not making more than they did in 2005. Let's keep some perspective, people.
ReplyDeleteYes this is true, but when IPS teachers see incompetent and corrupt get raises and other perks while they get nothing, and are constantly threatened and harassed it is a little hard to take. Would teachers accept a pay cut, well they were willing in Wisconsin...but the republican governor wanted their union rights to negotiate, and he got them, now Mitch has yours too...like a badge of honor to the republican machine.
ReplyDeleteYou may not like Obama, you may think the union doesn't belong in politics, but before you decide this is your position read this selection
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nea.org/home/17760.htm
Who besides the union is going to seek redress of this grievance?
I don't see the grievance. Work until you're eligible to receive your full Social Security benefit. Once you're that age, you can earn as much money as you wish without reducing your SS monthly check. In some states, teachers do NOT pay into Social Security. For instance, in Kentucky, teachers pay approximately 10% of their pay into the KY Teachers Retirement Fund, but they are not allowed to pay into SS. A grievance or union intervention will not change this; state legislation could change it.
ReplyDeleteYes. Who? The same group who allows us to work without a contract? You bet! Let us keep paying for nothing and HOPING for the best.
ReplyDeleteAnd what was the union's position to Mitch taking away our rights as professionals? SILENCE!
People do not need a union to plan ahead for their individual retirements. Retirement planning should be something each person does well in advance of 65. Social Security was designed as a bit of security in one's old age, not as one's total source of income for old age. While you're young, you'd better be socking away money each pay period into a 401K, an annuity, or an IRA. Pay yourself first each month in the form of a contribution to one of the aforementioned retirement building accounts. Don't wait around until you're in your 50's, and then freak out because you're looking at teaching until you die at age 76 in the middle of the classroom during Language Arts.
ReplyDeleteAtlanta Public schools caught cheating on standardized tests!
ReplyDeleteNow who is surprised by this? When you make testing the end all be all, corruption rears it's ugly head.
INDIANAPOLIS - Is it still worthwhile for Indiana teachers to obtain master's degrees?
ReplyDeleteFor the teacher, it will depend on the policies of their individual district. For taxpayers and students, there may be no value at all.
Across the nation, the tide has been turning against the time-honored tradition of paying teachers more for earning graduate credits and degrees.
Numerous studies have determined that K-12 teachers with advanced degrees are no more effective than those with basic bachelor's degrees.
Every year American schools pay out more than $8.6 billion in bonuses to teachers with master's degrees, according to a recent article in the Huffington Post.
Nearly half of American K-12 teachers have a master's degree and most receive bonuses ranging between $1,423 and $10,777 per year, according to research conducted at the University of Washington.
"My own state of Washington has an average salary bump of nearly $11,000 for a master's degree, and more than half of our teachers get it," entrepreneur and education reformer Bill Gates said during a recent speech. "That's more than $300 million every year that doesn't help kids. And
that's one state."
Many believe that kind of money could be saved right now to help schools survive budget challenges. And when the economy improves, they say the money should be reinvested in merit pay for teachers who demonstrate skill in the classroom.
This is too rich. Preachers sit down with gang leaders to broker a truce for Expo.
ReplyDelete_________________________________________________
Clergy Tries To Broker Gang Truce Ahead Of Black Expo
Truce Intended To Ensure Peace During Upcoming Cultural Event
POSTED: 4:54 pm EDT July 6, 2011
UPDATED: 9:39 pm EDT July 6, 2011
INDIANAPOLIS -- Clergy members from around the Circle City sat down with the leaders of some of Indy's street gangs ahead of the upcoming Indiana Black Expo Summer Celebration.
Rev. Charles Harrison, president of the faith-based Ten Point Coalition, said that the violence that is associated with Black Expo needs to stop, 6News' Jack Rinehart reported.
"We have a lot of teenage, underage groups roaming the streets of this city that we need to pay attention to," Harrison said.
Harrison and other clergy members met with the gang leaders on Wednesday to convince them to sign a truce in order to avoid violence that has erupted during the event in the past two years. In 2010, 10 people were shot and wounded when the member of a street gang opened fire on a crowded street, police said.
Awesome! Clergy attempting to negotiate with the Devil.
ReplyDeleteIt was no surprise last week when the Indiana State Teachers Association filed suit in an attempt to block the new statewide school voucher program.
ReplyDeleteThe ISTA has a vested interest in trapping students into geographic public school boundaries. This tradition provides public schools with a guaranteed clientele of students every year, which means guaranteed jobs for union teachers.
But job security for union teachers cannot be the state's first priority. Making sure that all kids have access to quality instruction must be the focus.
Many children will find quality instruction in private schools, including religious schools. If their academic needs are properly met, the type of school they attend should not be a concern.
If public schools want to keep a lion's share of K-12 state aid, they are going to have to work harder to attract and retain students. There's nothing wrong with that. Studies have shown that a little competition produces better instruction and better results in many public schools.
ISTA and every citizen of the state of Indiana has a vested interest in preventing public funds from going to religious schools...it is in the Constitution...check it out in the first amendment to the constitution.
ReplyDeleteThe idea of my tax money going to support a religious institution which I may or may not philosophically support is against the federal law. People who want a specific set of religious beliefs should pay for that out of their own funds and not the funds of taxpayers.
ReplyDelete@check it out in the first amendment to the constitution.
ReplyDelete__________________________________________________
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
_______________________________________________
So, there you have it. I'm not reading anything about public funds going to religious schools.
Vouchers don't establish religion. They simply don't discriminate against religious schools. They set the parameters, and provide the funding and let the "client" choose, just like with other government programs. Child care vouchers can be used at religious day care centers. College funding can be used at private colleges. Medicaid/Medicare can be used at religious hospitals. Food stamps are used exclusively at for-profit grocery stores. You may philosophically oppose religion, but I philosophically oppose secularism, socialism, unions, and the other dangerous and immoral ideologies currently taught in schools. There is no constitutional reason promote secular schools over religious schools.
ReplyDeleteThe Supreme Court has found private school vouchers to be constitutional. So they are decidedly NOT against federal law. There is a very small chance that they may be found to be against state law, but that is highly unlikely because the kind of narrow interpretation that would make vouchers unconstitutional would also make district boundaries unconstitutional.
ReplyDeleteWait until a group like The United Puppy-Hating Satanists of North America starts up a religious school.
ReplyDeleteThen, we'll see what the pro-vouchers-to-religious-schools people have to say about people using public-funded vouchers for private schools.
Who determines which particular religious group is worthy of getting its school supported by public funds?
and talk about an increase in cost...suddenly everyone who sends their kid to a religious school will want a voucher...each voucher is worth $4500, so the family on my street with 3 kids in Christian school can ask for $13,500. from the state...only one problem the property tax on my property (and theirs is identical) is only $600 per year...so basically the property tax from 21 tax payers is going to a Christian school....and what school is going to take a $4500 voucher for one of those kids who cost over $50,000 a year to provide with appropriate services. Remember folks Mitch and Tony don't print the money...but they are sure making sure their friends get it...I want my tax dollars supporting a high quality secular school system.
ReplyDeletePeople who already have children enrolled in private schools (religious OR secular) cannot apply for vouchers. The family on your street w/three kids in a Christian school cannot receive vouchers - their children are already enrolled and the vouchers are not retroactive. Calm down.
ReplyDelete@Who determines which particular religious group is worthy of getting its school supported by public funds?
ReplyDeleteVouchers go to the students and their parents; vouchers do not go to private schools. Once a voucher is received by a student, the student and the parent decide where they will use it. It's kinda like Food Stamps. A person applies for Food Stamps, receives the Food Stamps, and then uses the Food Stamps at whatever store he or she chooses.
"and then uses the Food Stamps at whatever store he or she chooses."
ReplyDelete__________
So, do I understand you to say that it's okay for taxpayer-supplied vouchers to be used by the students and their parents to attend the Puppy-Hating Satanists of North America Indianapolis High School?
You're okay with that?
If a school is recognized and accredited by the State of Indiana, then I have no problem with a student using a voucher to enroll in that school. If the parents believe a specific accredited school can provide the academic core content to their child in a manner that is best-suited for increasing their child's achievement levels, then who I am to dictate where the child attends school. Again, this is no different than receiving Food Stamps. If a person is qualified to receive Food Stamps, then he/she can shop for food at the store of his/her choice. This store might be a Kosher grocery, an Hispanic grocery, an Asian market, etc. and etc.
ReplyDeleteI'm not the person you're replying to, but if there are enough Puppy-Hating Satanists to fill a school, then I'm okay with them forming their own school and receiving the same education funding that a secular or Catholic or Jewish school would get. First of all, it's not the job of the state or the school to pick what belief system is okay and what belief system is not. And since the Puppy-Hating Satanic school will likely garner more support and involvement from Puppy-Hating Satanic parents than a secular school, wouldn't you think? As long as the Puppy-Hating Satanic school meets state requirements for education funding (NCLB, AYP, ISTEP, etc. or whatever measurement they use), I don't think the particular philosophy or theology is any of my business.
ReplyDelete"If a school is recognized and accredited by the State of Indiana, then I have no problem with a student using a voucher to enroll in that school."
ReplyDelete__________
As I understand it, most evangelical Christian schools are not accredited by any agency other than certain like-minded religious accrediting agencies.
They don't participate in sectarian accrediting because then they would be forced to comply with federal laws: such as - accepting openly gay people to teach in their classrooms.
I personally find it very unrealistic to believe that most religious schools do not make their religious doctrines and beliefs a prominent part of their daily school life.
As a taxpayer, I do not want to be paying for this. I do not believe it is Constitutional.
We'll see what the courts have to say.....
@...most evangelical Christian schools are not accredited by any agency other than certain like-minded religious accrediting agencies.
ReplyDeleteIf that is the case with evangelical Christian schools being non-accredited by the State, then there's no chance for parents with a voucher to enroll their child in such a school, is there?
Vouchers are educational welfare. If IPS loses money through vouchers that will be one MORE reason for them to say during yearly teacher evaluations: "The teacher met all requirements of their evaluation this year.. if their WERE funds for an incremental pay raise then this teacher would qualify...however we have NO funds, consequently, NO pay raise this year." Indiana education reform, and you guys voted for this?? Where are the jobs and LESS government control?
ReplyDeleteEducation reform is not intended for employee pay raises. In fact, if IPS had been performing at an adequate level for the past few years, there would be no need for Indiana education reform.
ReplyDeleteWell we all know about food stamps and the abuse. This country was founded on the differece between religion and government. Guess the country has changed. Better explain it to the peopel of this country...Mitch
ReplyDeleteCalling vouchers, but not traditional schools, welfare is like saying food stamps used at Kroger are welfare but food stamps used at Wal-Mart are not. Either government-funded education is welfare or government-funded education is not welfare. Pick a side.
ReplyDeleteRight now we all pay for students to attend all types of colleges and I am quite sure that many of those colleges teach classes that are against my beliefs or are a waste of time. Plenty of tax money is used for student loans and many of those loans are never repaid. I have to pay taxes to support public schools and also pay to educate my children at schools where I believe they are getting a quality education. Private school tuition should at least be tax deductible. I don't want to have government interference in what my school can teach regarding religion and do not want it paid for by the government. But, I don't think I should have to pay for public schools and a private school of my choice either.
ReplyDeleteYou are wrong about federal loans not being repaid, they will hunt you down to the end of the earth...and even death does not get you out of those loans.
ReplyDeleteAnd if you really are worried about the students you teach you need to look at the scandal that is brewing regarding "for profit" colleges, that heavily recruit kids, think about those ads "I have a really fun weekend planned" sign them up for big loans and the kids either flunk out or end up with a worthless degree... One of our SPED kids who couldn't read beyond the second grade level was in one of these schools to be a pharmacist...
If you want government money for your private school, why would you not want any government regulations? This makes no sense. If you want government financial involvement then government regulations need to be in place also. You have a problem with a serious double standard.
ReplyDeleteAnd from what I hear, there will potentially be some major changes to our health insurance plan. I'm sure it's not going back to only costing one penny. /*Mr. Roger's theme song*/
ReplyDelete"and the band plays on" same old games from IPS.
ReplyDeleteBy accepting education funding, voucher recipients DO accept government regulation. They are required to follow the same state regulations, do the same testing, and achieve the same results as traditional schools or risk being closed or losing accreditation. Like charter schools, the only thing they aren't required to adhere to is local school board regulation.
ReplyDeleteI don't want government money for my private school education; but I don't want to have to pay for public schools also without at least being given a tax credit for what I spend at the private school that means the public schools have fewer students to pay for. I am appalled at the money that is wasted in public schools in just supplies alone. Our kids' school sends home all notices on the back of used paper that is donated by a business; they also print worksheets on "used" paper and this is just one example. At the end of the year in an IPS school, I saw a dumpster
ReplyDeletefilled with plastic serving trays from the cafeteria that had not even been open from the plastic bags they arrived in. (This was at School 59 - our magnet school for gifted and talented)
Well I certainly don't get the supplies I need to teach my classroom.
ReplyDeleteSchools will only accept vouchers from students who are already doing well and are motivated. It will be a cold day before we see them accept any at risk students, students with attendance problems, special needs students or students in the juvenile justice program. In a nutshell that says why vouchers are flawed.
ReplyDeleteThat hasn't been the case with privately funded CHOICE vouchers, I don't know why that would be the case with publicly funded vouchers. A charter school is opening that caters to special needs. I imagine we'll see more of that in the private sector as well. Look at other industries. The most successful products, companies, ventures, etc., aren't marketed to the rich and successful. They're marketed to the everyday joes. You're just having trouble seeing beyond what you've always known. K-12 education will become as diverse as preschool and postsecondary education has been.
ReplyDelete"Look at other industries. The most successful products, companies, ventures, etc., aren't marketed to the rich and successful. They're marketed to the everyday joes."
ReplyDeleteSounds like the DOE or someone from that union outfit, the Chamber of Commerce, is checking this site. Businesses can't clean up their own backyard yet, (Wall Street, health care, big oil, banks),yet they want some education pie. And our "education reform" will reward them for their campaign contributions. Their PR machine is here.
I'm neither a DOE employee or a chamber of commerce employee. I'm a public school teacher. I just meant that like in retail, there's everything from Sacs Fifth Avenue to Wal-Mart to Goodwill to World Market to serve every possible niche. Same thing with real estate, automobiles, lending, restaurants, cell phone and cable plans, and, countless other examples, including, as I said, preschool and postsecondary education. There's no reason to think that school choice wouldn't also accommodate every possible niche. Instead of unsuccessfully continuing to try to fit square pegs into round holes, we're allowing square holes into the game. I think that's a good thing.
ReplyDeleteWe were just informed TODAY that we could only get into school from 5-2, today, tomorrow and the next day. After that it's off limits until the collossal waste of time on Aug. 4th.
ReplyDeleteAnybody else have this going on at their school?
I hadn't hear about that. I was just told today about the ridiculous new report cards we're going to be doing. Any feedback on that?
ReplyDeleteWell Broad Ripple High School you will have guests in your building all year long from the DOE and the contractors. Yep, I heard from the DOE that you will be taken over by the DOE. My God with the "best students" and "best teachers" and you still did horrible on the ISTEP. This is after losing 300 students last year to Tech? Well the fat lady sang her last song and will be fired and she can now stay home all the time. Oh, they can fire you this year if they find you are a "bad teacher". Hope you can retire, nope not an IPS employee.
ReplyDeleteThe ISTEP scores have been reported to the media. The IPS results were not good. Takeover, here we come.
ReplyDeleteThe sooner the better.How long will all let the Emperor without clothes shovel his way out of the well?!
ReplyDelete"Hope you can retire, nope not an IPS employee...."
ReplyDeleteI guess not because you were probably fired! I don't know who your attitude is directed at, but it should not be the teachers who have no control of who enters & leaves Broad Ripple. I for one say State Of Indiana, bring it on! I guarantee you won't do any better. I had a student last year who looked me in the face and say she hated to read and frankly, nothing I did could motivated her to read " all those words on a page because it was a waste of her time." I constantly conferenced with her, repeatedly talked to her mother to no avail. When I mentioned the state takeover, her response was, well my mother is going to send me to Warren next year anyway.
"I'm neither a DOE employee or a chamber of commerce employee. I'm a public school teacher. I just meant that like in retail, there's everything from Sacs Fifth Avenue to Wal-Mart to Goodwill to World Market to serve every possible niche. Same thing with real estate, automobiles, lending, restaurants, cell phone and cable plans, and, countless other examples, including, as I said, preschool and postsecondary education. There's no reason to think that school choice wouldn't also accommodate every possible niche."
ReplyDeleteThe business world doesn't accommodate all niches, cable/ satellite TV is a prime example of poor customer service, lousy product, monopolies, and price gouging. The business world needs to clean up it's own mess before I trust their dirty tactics disguised as "business" in education. We already HAVE school choice anyway...college choice as well! Just don't expect a tax refund.
Who has heard about the changes coming up this year?
ReplyDeleteWho works in a school that is requiring the faculty to attend professional development from July 18-Aug. 4 ?
ReplyDeleteThat's a LOT of developing.
ReplyDeleteRe: Who works in a school that is requiring the faculty to attend professional development from July 18-Aug. 4 ?
ReplyDeleteIf you work at Marshall or Washington it is required.
All this professional development for teachers year after year after year, like teachers aren't professional and can't teach, etc.
ReplyDeleteHas anyone ever entertained that some children are just not as smart as others?
Of all the things that cause IPS to fail, I'd put IQ of students pretty far down on the list.
ReplyDeleteWell that is your opinion. I personally know I can't make brains. But I keep trying.
ReplyDeleteYou need to read Fredrick M. Hess. You don't have to agree with everything he opines, but it'll make you realize how much of what we do has been proven not to work and yet we continue to do it and blame the failure on things we have no control (and therefore no responsibility) to change. The problem is NOT student IQ.
ReplyDeleteWhy not just have the parents (or students) attend professional developement.
ReplyDeleteWhat point will the real problem surface to downtown and the state. It does not matter how long or much time staff does in professional developement it will not work. Until those in the home of these students when they walk out of the building support education there will be a high degree of failure.
Staff cannot overcome (mostly) a home/neighborhoods/community belief about education if not helped by those groups.
These students need to learn to adapt. The outside world does not/will not adapt to them once they leave our doors. There is no ESL or LD professional helping them along at work. There is no professional saying "well look at what atmosphere they live in at home". We are setting them up for failure if we are NOT preparing(forcing) them to learn to adapt to expectations.
Again that learning to adapt starts at home and should be reinforced at schools.
@ until those in the home of these students... support education, there will be a high degree of failure
ReplyDeleteThat's stupid. You saying it doesn't make it true. Kids place value in all kinds of things that their parents don't value. Sure, teaching is easier when parents encourage kids. But "harder" and "impossible" are miles apart. If you can only teach the easy kids, you owe it to your students to say that from the get-go. Tell your principal, tell the parents, tell the students, "I can only teach the easy students." Because it only takes a few teachers like you to make public education a failure.
You're right, in the real world, everyone isn't falling over themselves to accommodate you. But in the real world, people can choose for themselves where they fit. They can work for themselves, in a small company, in a large company, etc. They can choose to spend their time doing what they love or do something they don't like in return for something else they value (financial security, good hours, good work environment, etc.) They can work with people, work at a desk, work outside, work nights, work with animals, etc. They have a lot of input into how they spend their days. In school we force them into an artificial environment in which they have no control. The fact that most push back to some extent is psychology 101. Kids with educated parents see some sort of value in school, even if they don't see the value in a particular lesson, class, or teacher. They see how being good at school has helped their parents. That helps those kids do well, even in poorly taught classes. But the other kids need to be "sold" on the value of school. They don't see it for themselves. The people they know who do well dropped out and got GEDs and worked their way up to middle management from cashier. They operate child care and hair salons out of their home. They do construction, automotive, cable/phone installation work and drive trucks. They don't see the value in school unless someone teaches them. This can be parents, but it can also be teachers, or other trusted adults.
And the best way for kids to learn flexibility and adaptation is to see it modeled. Teachers who try one thing and give up on those who don't respond aren't modeling adaptation skills. If you, an educated adult with experience, maturity, and at least minimal life coping skills resists adapting to change, why on earth do you think it's reasonable to try to "force" kids to adapt. Teach the kid to adapt by modeling adaptation skills and verbalizing the adaptation process and how those skills serve you in life. That's what teaching is.
Why is all that PD required for folks at Marshall & Washington?
ReplyDeleteDo any of you read Education Week? An interesting article about creating a classroom career ladder. http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/rick_hess_straight_up/2011/07/a_classroom_career_ladder_for_teachers.html?cmp=ENL-EU-VIEWS2
ReplyDeleteSome of the comments regarding the article were interesting too. I'll quote my favorite comment.
"Zak. A Public Agenda poll of a few years ago indicated that 65% of new teachers are interested in creating and leading their own schools. Counter to one of the comments posted to your post, this means there is "validity to your suggestion." And in other nations like Singapore - all teachers have far more opportunities to teach and lead - given that they only teach kids about 20 hours a week. The other part of their "job" is to assess each others' teaching, develop assessments and score them, prepare new recruits to the profession, and more. And this top ranking nation (on PISA results) has no problem attracting top talent to teaching -- to the point there is no need for short-cut programs to bring in new recruits for 2-year stints before they go do something else."
What do you think?
THIS IS AN IPS SCHOOL: Merle Sidener Gifted Academy
ReplyDeleteIndianapolis Public Schools:ISTEP measure Results
Percent passing English / Language Arts 99.10%
Percent passing Math 98.10%
Percent passing both ELA and Math 97.20%
Percent passing Science 100.00%
Percent passing Social Studies 100.00%
Is Sidener accepting anyone? Are these numbers skewed? Congrats if these are straightforward results?
ReplyDeleteOf course Sidener doesn't accept all students. It's a gifted and magnet school, the only gifted and magnet school in the state. It SHOULD perform better than schools who draw from the general population.
ReplyDeleteMerle Sidener
ReplyDeleteEnrollment: 246
Grade Level: 2-7
School Ratio: 21 to 1
School Snapshot
School Improvement Plan
Boundary Map
Start Time: 8:45 a.m.
End Time: 4:15 p.m.
I am an IPS teacher....as soon as I can figure out how to turn my own child into a brilliant doctor/lawyer....I can then concentrate on how to turn an IPS student into one. You cannot make a silk purse out of a sow's ear!
ReplyDeleteDon't you see how your negative opinions of IPS students would negatively impact your teaching? Why not look at the teachers (or parents) who are succeeding where you are not and do more of what they're doing and less of what you've been doing (whether that's with your students or your own kid). It's funny how the same teachers who see how much impact a good or bad principal can have fail to see the impact their own attitudes make on student achievement.
ReplyDeleteTo "I am an IPS teacher." What do you think makes a good teacher? What makes a mediocre teacher? What makes a bad teacher? I'm not talking about evaluations. I'm just curious what you personally think makes a good or bad teacher.
ReplyDeleteCome on downtown gives us your answer.
ReplyDeleteI am not negative...I have a son who is a doctor, a son who is a I.U. Kelly School of a business and then the other one....all raised in the same home, equally loved and lots of family support. They are all 3 IPS graduates...I just can't seem to motivate the other child...like I said...you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.
ReplyDeleteI do sometimes read Education Week but I hadn't yet read the article you linked. I do agree it was interesting and I'm glad you posted it. I don't know which idea I liked more, being able to spend more time teaching and less time doing the other stuff, or the one you linked about teaching 20 hours and spending the other half on collaborative leadership, training, assessment, etc. Either one sounds like an improvement over the current system.
ReplyDeleteI can tell you that although sometimes you cannot turn a sow's ear into a silk purse, you can at least make it the best sow's ear it can be. Unfortunately often teachers and schools just give up on kids who aren't great students. It then becomes a cycle...you don't care, why should I. I try to never give up on my kids. I've had parents come in and complain that I am "harassing" them, then it turns out that their child is failing everything, and cutting class all the time, and no one else is talking to the parent or the kid.
ReplyDelete"I can tell you that although sometimes you cannot turn a sow's ear into a silk purse, you can at least make it the best sow's ear it can be. Unfortunately often teachers and schools just give up on kids who aren't great students. It then becomes a cycle...you don't care, why should I. I try to never give up on my kids."
ReplyDeleteBecause YOU do more for kids than an ISTEP score however that's not what keeps schools running...in our state. Most IPS teachers do care. You knew what you were getting into once you took the job. You could have gone to a township school and get labeled "a great teacher" but this is like a ministry. However the media and the state continue to beat on us for their own selfish reasons disguised as being "for kids" when it's "for profit."
Dr. White needs to think about William Penn who said “Right is right, even if everyone is against it; and wrong is wrong, even if everyone is for it” and start doing the right things for every kid, the rest should fall into place...
ReplyDelete"Most IPS teachers do care." That's my experience as well. But you can walk into any IPS school (or spend 2 minutes on this blog) and see that many IPS teachers should not be teaching in IPS. It's a minority of teachers, but it's a significant minority, and it negatively impacts a majority of IPS students. There are a variety of reasons (job dissatisfaction, culture clash, generation gap, inadequate professional development), but it's a serious problem. Every bit as significant as the out-of-school factors that contribute to failure.
ReplyDelete@There are a variety of reasons (job dissatisfaction, culture clash, generation gap, inadequate professional development), but it's a serious problem. Every bit as significant as the out-of-school factors that contribute to failure.
ReplyDeleteI hear what you're saying, and I can also think of several IPS administrators who match the variety of reasons you posted.
Job dissatisfaction - Principals who get moved around to schools they hate and moved with less than 2 weeks notice.
Culture clash - White principal assigned to all Black school (more than 90% Black).
Generation gap - Jackie Greenwood, Willie Giles, Jane Kendrick, and about 20 others
Absolutely. No argument from me on administrators.
ReplyDelete"But you can walk into any IPS school (or spend 2 minutes on this blog) and see that many IPS teachers should not be teaching in IPS"
ReplyDeleteI don't believe 90% that's written on this blog anyway. I think it's run by people who have a bone to pick with downtown, the weak union or some teachers. They are hands off or non-committal when it comes to other VERY controversial subjects like parents, charter schools, the state DOE or education "reform" that will further weaken urban schools in the state. The agenda is obvious..it's is BS!
Would someone please explain why people at Marshall & Washington have so much PD between now & Aug. 4. Will they be paid? Hourly wages or workshop pay?
ReplyDeleteCulture clash - White principal assigned to all Black school (more than 90% Black).
ReplyDeleteThis is BS...any colored individual can reach kids if they care. I have a friend who's parents were a doctor and a teacher, her husband was a pro athlete, and because she was black other teachers would drag black kids to her...she told me "I have less in common with these kids then the teachers who are bringing them to me...it is purely based on skin color."
And one of the big problems we face is the "wink and nod" attitude...perpetrated on children by those who think they understand the kids or feel so sorry for them. They don't want to really teach discipline...you know self discipline is taught, not imposed. This applies not only to behavior discipline but academic discipline as well. Kids need to understand that real effort results in real learning...and it is fun to master a skill you had to work to learn. Think about when you were a child and read your first chapter book, the pride and feeling of accomplishment. We've lost that pride in academics and accomplishment...take a look at this little clip and see real pride and accomplishment...not one of these kids did this for a wink and nod.. http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/video/google-science-fair-demonstrates-girl-power-14076388
@Calif. Gov. Signs Bill Requiring Schools To Teach Gay History
ReplyDeleteBy the CNN Wire Staff
POSTED: 9:51 pm EDT July 14, 2011
UPDATED: 10:07 pm EDT July 14, 2011
LOS ANGELES (CNN) -- Democratic California Gov. Jerry Brown said Thursday he had signed a bill that will require public schools in the state to teach students about the contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americas.
The bill, believed to be the first of its kind in the nation, will also require teachers to provide instruction on the role of people with disabilities.
"History should be honest," Brown said in a statement.
"This bill revises existing laws that prohibit discrimination in education and ensures that the important contributions of Americans from all backgrounds and walks of life are included in our history books. It represents an important step forward for our state, and I thank Senator Leno for his hard work on this historic legislation."
The governor was referring to the bill's author, Sen. Mark Leno, a San Francisco Democrat.
________________________________________________
The people who will be most pleased with this new California ruling will be the textbook publishers. Just imagine, the publishers can now write an entirely new series of Social Studies textbooks at a cost of millions of dollars to be paid by California taxpayers.
Well, won't that be nice for LBGT kids to see that those "like them" are finally being recognized for their considerable contributions to our culture and society? How empowering for our youth. Bravo, Jerry Brown!
ReplyDeleteThe new California law should be interesting for the classroom teachers when a few students ask pointed questions about LBGT lifestyles, behaviors, and bedroom etiquette. Sooner or later, some classroom teacher will end up having to field questions about 'why' are people lesbians, bisexual, gay, or transgender. Then the next questions will concern 'what' lesbians, bisexuals, gay, or transgender people do that makes them different. Right now, I'm over whelmed with stuff to do at school, so if this law ever arrives in Indiana, I'm of the sort who just might tell a student, "Honey, don't ask me, so that I don't have to tell you." Lord have mercy, when will the directives for public school teachers ever stop??
ReplyDeleteI agree that culture and color aren't the same thing, but I still think the culture clash is a major problem, and it most often occurs between white teachers and non-white students. IPS gets a double whammy because it not only has a high ratio of white teachers and nonwhite students, but it also has one of the highest rates of older teachers in the state, so you get the generational problems as well. Don't get me wrong. There are many older white teachers who have no problems with non-white students. But their not the teachers who still pretend that sincere, caring teacher-student relationships don't matter. Obviously, they do matter, and spending even a few minutes poking through the libraries of research on this subject would prove that. But some people cling to wrong no matter how much prove their shown and how many people they hurt.
ReplyDeleteHere's another link to another Education Week article.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2011/07/15/37hamer.h30.html?tkn=WQYFZo4oG0HCVA9esevM%2BUmqo%2BH22zeun5LF&cmp=ENL-EU-VIEWS1
I like this one because it demonstrates the middle ground viewpoint that I think most teachers fall in, between strict traditionalists and radical reformers. An excerpt:
"There is consensus among educators that teachers are key to student success, and that meaningful reform will require changes in how we hire, evaluate, support, and compensate our most critical partners. Mr. Klein understands this. But his combative approach while in office to such changes ignores the reality that reform cannot be something we do to teachers. We must work with teachers to develop and implement collaborative strategies to achieve common goals."
Broad Ripple is fine. The ECA scores are what counts and they went up quite a bit.
ReplyDeleteExcellent article! Thanks for posting.
ReplyDeleteECA scores up? Is that posted somewhere or just a guess?
ReplyDeleteWhat about the other schools? Does the DOE, STAR, or someplace else have the information?
I AM RETIRING. THE DAY I SUBMIT MY OFFICIAL NOTIFICATION WILL BE THE HAPPIEST DAY OF MY LIFE.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you're not alone. It will probably be the happiest day for other people too.
ReplyDeleteIt won't be the happiest day...my full retirement is 1200.00 a month.
ReplyDeleteBut it will still be the happiest day for other people when you retire.
ReplyDeleteI don't understand. Whose fault is it you didn't put more back for retirement. And if you can't afford to retire yet, then keep working. Some of the comments on here sound like they come from 12-year-olds.
ReplyDelete@my full retirement is 1200.00 a month.
ReplyDeleteI'm curious, but does that figure include Social Security?
New topic please..getting kinda "lazy??" Like those "old," stale teachers in the district?
ReplyDeletedid anyone see yesterdays headline, Indiana has a surplus...yippee Mitch...of course the surplus equals what was cut from education. Mitch is doing his best to make Indiana competitive...with Bangladesh and Sri-Lanka...large pools of uneducated people willing to work for any amount of money, in any conditions...and no need to worry about those pesky unions...Thanks Mitch...signed your political patrons.
ReplyDeleteWho are your silly posts directed at? Do you think Mitch Daniels reads this blog? Do you think his supporters will read your posts and go, "Oh, forget logic, reason, facts, or research. The anonymous lady on the Internet said Mitch hates education, so I'm going to vote for anyone but him in the next election." If you're a teacher, do you think your posts cast teachers in a favorable light or do you think such silliness contributes to the idea that we are uninformed self-serving morons who vote however the union tells us to vote and can't defend our positions, so we simply hurl insults at the people the union tells us not to vote for?
ReplyDeleteI know Doc White reads this blog!
ReplyDeleteDon’t think Mitchies friends read this blog, they must or you wouldn’t have posted that inane response, you want research well here it its…Bushies “man Mitch” was the director of the Office of Management and Budget under Bushie from Jan 2001 to June 2003, when he took office there was federal budget the projected budget surplus of $236 billion turned into a $400 billion Deficit…due to a down turn in the economy, the Bush tax cuts, and the fabulous Bush wars.
ReplyDeleteNational Debt Increased by 75% under Bush:
2001 - $5.871 trillion
2008 - $10.640 trillion
National Debt Increased 25% Under Obama:
Jan 31st 2009 = $10.569-tr¬¬illion
Jan 31st 2011 = $14.131-tr¬¬illion
But of the $3.56-tril¬¬lion increase, 98% was carry over from Bush programs:
Bush: $910-billi¬¬on = Interest on Debt 2009/2011
Bush: $360-billi¬¬on = Iraq War Spending 2009/2011
Bush: $319-billi¬¬on = TARP/Bailo¬¬ut Balance from 2008 (as of May 2010)
Bush: $419-billi¬¬on = Bush Recession Caused Drop in taxes
Bush: $190-billi¬¬on = Bush Medicare Drug Program 2009/2011
Bush: $211-billi¬¬on = Bush Meicare Part-D 2009/2011
Bush: $771-billi¬¬on = Bush Tax Cuts 2009/2011
Bush's contributi¬¬on:
2001 to 2008: $4.769-tri¬¬llion
2009 to 2010: $3.181-tri¬¬llion
Total: $7.950-tri¬¬llion
Increase Since 2001 = $14.131 - $5.871 = $8.26-tril¬¬lion
Bush's contributi¬¬on: $7.950-tri¬¬llion / $8.26-tril¬¬lion = 96%
Increase caused By Bush's Programs: 96%
Increase caused by Obama's Programs: 4%
Now we are letting this clown affect the future of Indiana’s children…please
To my progressive friend:
ReplyDeleteI saw your post where you pasted the "Deficit" figures from HuffPo. I wanted to send you some info to clarify the issue.
First I want to preface with my statement that Bush's spending was abhorrent, in both defense and silly domestic programs. Everyone in the Liberty movement was appalled by it. Good riddance that man is gone. But I have to point out that Obama is on pace to outspend him by a far far margin.
First take a look here: From the Congressional Budget Office
http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/108xx/doc...icaltables.pdf
Take a look at table F-1 "Revenues, Outlays, Deficits, Surpluses, and Debt Held by the Public, 1970 to 2009, in Billions of Dollars." You can see, in the 2009 line at the bottom, that Obama's Federal Yearly Budget Deficit (Not the Debt) was 1.413 Trillion dollars. For his first year. This was more than the last 5 years of Bush's spending combined. Remember, I didn't like Bush's spending either, just making comparisons.
Second, look at:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/defa...ets/tables.pdf
Look at table S-3 "Baseline Projection of Current Policy by Category." Look at the "Deficit" line at the bottom. The Obama White House expects, and is planning into spending plans, at least a $1 Trillion dollar deficit in the yearly budget each year.
Now look at Table S-14 "Federal Government Financing and Debt" and look under the "Debt Outstanding End of Year" category at line "Total Gross Federal Debt." The Obama Administration is predicting an increase in Total Federal Debt from $14 Trillion in 2010 to $25 Trillion in 2020 (2 years past the end of his administration).
From these above, and from Obama's continued participation in Bush's wars overseas (something else the Liberty movement is pissed about), you can see that Obama is no different from Mr. Bush, no matter how much or what he says on TV. He has no plans in reducing spending or wars.
Your frustrations should not be directed at one party or one person, but at the overall entirety of the Federal Institution. It's time to send people to DC that will bring us real hope and change. And it's time to look past rhetoric, think for ourselves, not base our thought on slogans or catchphrases, and start caring about the direction of our country again.
I am retiring the middle of October, and using the rest of my sick days to have some surgery completed (FML). I called TRF and I will get a $2,200 check each month and I will place my annuity savings account into a IRA account. Young teachers need to save their sick days and money, it helps when you retire after three years of a horrible principle.
ReplyDelete@after three years of a horrible principle
ReplyDeleteDo you possess this horrible principle merely the last three years of your career, or develop it due to a horrible PRINCIPAL????????
Oh good, maybe it will work out for both of us. I'm hoping to pick up a long-term sub position this fall and IPS pays the most for substitutes by far!
ReplyDeleteSo, you're setting up a classroom of kids to fail. With all the other obstacles in our students' lives, you are proving to be another adult who gives up on them by walking out after wasting one fourth of their school year.
ReplyDeleteWell, good for you. Hopefully some vibrant, energetic, young teacher who still cares about our children's futures will be replace you after your old pathetic ass has cleared your desk of ungraded papers for the last time. Be professional enough to leave one week's lesson plans, an up-to-date gradebook, student information, and a schedule before turning in your name badge and keys.
Please leave enough time before PIT so your replacement can provide honest assessments to the parents of your abandoned pupils. It's truly difficult for a substitute to hold a conference without data.
Thank you for your years of service. IPS will be a better place without you. Please take Red Shoes (not the Pope) with you.
Should be "will replace".
ReplyDeleteSorry, grammar police.
OMG!!! Some of you people need a life!! This is like geriatric twitter!!!!!!!
ReplyDelete@I am retiring the middle of October, and using the rest of my sick days to have some surgery completed (FML). I called TRF and I will get a $2,200 check each month and I will place my annuity savings account into a IRA account. Young teachers need to save their sick days and money, it helps when you retire after three years of a horrible principle.
ReplyDelete________________________________________________
If reading the above post made you cringe or wish to vomit, then please realize that the poster is recounting a story that occurs with great regularity in IPS. This type story would not exist without the perks and benefits of the ISTA, the teachers' union. Truly, there are IPS teachers who've saved enough Sick Leave days to stop going to work and use Sick Leave days for an entire school year before they formally retire. These teachers' classes are covered by a parade of substitutes and/or their fellow teachers when subs can't be located. I've watched this situation occur at Arlington. Makes you wanna puke, doesn't it?
The Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)is a FEDERAL program that protects employees from loss of a job due to health issues of either the employee or caregiver of a loved one. Yes, I agree that it's misused (asthma to go to Cancun? Yeah, right!)
ReplyDeleteTeachers' Retirement Fund (TRF) is a STATE mandate that provides financial support of all public educators based on their years of service (Rule of 85 = the sum of years of service + age). Will you refuse your TRF check when you're entitled? Somehow, I doubt it. Will you give back the retirement funds that IPS banks for you? Again, probably not.
Building up sick days results from personal choice/sacrifice, such as teaching while sick or injured, leaving ill children with relatives or neighbors, scheduling medical appointments around school hours, and/or missing family activities. (For example, I was NEVER able to attend any of my daughter's or son's PIT conferences in the 14 years they attended IPS schools, but my principal used her "floating vacation days" to attend her daughter's dance recital)
Neither of these decisions were the product of union negotiation, and the hoarding/compiling of sick days is an individual's right, unfettered by IEA.
Get your facts straight before you make unfounded accusations. Your blatant ignorance made me wanna hurl.
Another thing: IEA has absolutely nothing to do with the hiring or assignment of substitutes. Direct your complaints to HR.
Things to ponder:
ReplyDelete1. What kind of logic does it take to find fault with a person who has accumulated a lot of sick time? (Not talking about how they use them at the end of their career-just the fact that they came to work and did not use their days.)
2. Why would it be difficult to find subs for IPS classrooms? (This one may take some time.)
3. How can a person work in education and not know the difference between principal (my pal) and prinicple?
How can a person work in education and not know the difference between principal (my pal) and prinicple?
ReplyDeleteWhy how can a person work in education and not know how to spell PRINCIPAL, or principal...especially when they are correcting someone else. It is just so easy to make a spelling error, and this forum does not allow for ease in editing...
I've been embarrassed when I used the wrong their, there, and they're...it is really hard to see your own errors.
#2. I have no problem subbing for IPS, but their application process is prohibitive. They want managerial references to fill out paperwork and mail it to IPS. That's inconvenient for prior employers, and not all of them are cooperative. The ones that are submit the paperwork and IPS denies it was ever sent.
ReplyDeleteWhy is PIT day being held 6 weeks into the school year? Are we not giving report cards on PIT day anymore?
ReplyDeleteOK, I failed to proofread, but you can tell the difference between a typo and using the wrong word. I'll write it correctly 500 times. Mea Culpa.
ReplyDeletere: I'll write it correctly 500 times.
ReplyDeleteYour punishment may be in manuscript form, should you so choose. Cursive is no longer required.
How about digital? Can I copy and paste?
ReplyDeleteShe said write, not type, so, nope.
ReplyDeleteAgain, OMG!!!!!!!What people do with their sick days is their business!!!! Not yours, mine or his!!!!!!!!Get a life. Get some business.
ReplyDeleteMaybe the improper use of sick days is our business. I worked with a lady a couple of years ago who told the principal her daughter was having surgery. The lady used 8 sick leave days; however, she actually went to South America on a church mission trip and lied. She wasn't sick at all. No, she didn't get fired or demoted either.
ReplyDeleteYour principal didn't do his/her job by requiring documentation for the absence OR recommending that an FMLA was submitted, since those days counted against every single staff member on your school's INSAI plan.
ReplyDeleteI once worked with a custodian whose mother died two or three times a year, and got away with that, too.
You people are sooo hard to please!! One complained that an old teacher saved up sick days, one complained that FMLA leave was used, one complained that a lady used them for a mission trip, while another complained that they weren't used as FMLA. Do you realize how petty you sound? Unused personal days convert to sick days. What is your ultimate suggestion? Take off three days each year and use all sick days or not? You tell us!!!!
ReplyDeleteBut if I use all my sick days each year how will I take a year off fully paid at the end of my career?
ReplyDeleteTeaching is the only career I know of that provides sick days and personal days that accumulate. Yes I AM aware that personal turns into sick days.
Most people get vacation days and they expire if not used. Some people get nothing. Be glad you have sick days, personal days and 13 weeks of vacation. Teaching is a pretty good gig. WE should be greatful for what we have and enjoy it while we can.
greatful vs grateful : Common Errors in English
ReplyDelete« Back to Common Errors
About greatful vs grateful
It is great to acknowledge a favor done. You are being grateful to person who did the favor. Greatful is not a word.
Grateful Meaning(s)
(a) feeling or showing gratitude
(s) affording comfort or pleasure
Sincerely,
SP
It is truly GRATE I mean GREAT that we have people like you to keep us on the straight and narrow.
ReplyDeleteIt is truly amazing to me that you had to go and copy and paste from the internet just to prove how GREAT you are and so much better than the rest of us. Wow. What a burden it must be to have such a giant brain.
Nope, not better. I just remember losing a fourth grade spelling bee with that word. Stuff like that sticks forever, and jumps out whenever supposedly educated folks trip over it.
ReplyDeleteYou can't legislate responsibility or morality, but aside from an extreme emergency, I would never work a partial year. It's devastating for student education, and that's who the school is supposed to serve first. The students. Being allowed to accumulate sick days so that you can abandon your job for 3/4 of the year at the expense of students is immoral. If someone has extra sick days at the end of the year, they should be paid for them. If a teacher is scheduling a surgery in advance, he/she should try to schedule it for early June, or else take the entire school year off.
ReplyDelete@It is truly GRATE I mean GREAT that we have people like you to keep us on the straight and narrow.
ReplyDeleteIf I had an error on my board, I'd appreciate a professionally-offered correction.
"If someone has extra sick days at the end of the year, they should be paid for them."
ReplyDeleteI think when a person retires they are given a sum for the number of sick days they accumulated. Most retired people I talked said it was a joke. Their advice was to use them because it wasn't worth accumulating them.They pay a sub $70 a day to take your place but, to the district, each day is worth $30 or so when you are compensated. I may be wrong and if someone knows more then please enlighten us.
New topic please. All of this talk about sick days is making me sick ! As always on this site
ReplyDeleteabout ten comments into the topic the discussion
goes on a tangent !
This year the pay for sick days for retirees was $35.
ReplyDeleteSo you are suggesting that a person who has worked 20+ years without using very many of his earned sick days should allow the district to pay them $35 for each rather than to use them for the $200 each they are worth? Are you serious? Who would do that? Get a grip on reality!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteDumbass teachers get on my nerves!! Why are people in this profession so arrogant and judgmental? Ugh!!!!!Go see "Bad Teacher" and see how many wince because it hits close to home.
ReplyDeleteWho would do that? Anyone with an ounce of integrity and self respect. You can't have it both ways. You can't pretend that teachers are more qualified and care more about students than nonteachers and then shrug your shoulders when you cash in on leaving your students to substitutes all year. Either you're not more effective than a sub (in which virtually anyone could do your job), or you're screwing over your students. Which is it?
ReplyDelete135 x 35 = 4725. Even after taxes, that's not too bad. That amount would make a great dent into the cost of an elegant cruise.
ReplyDeleteI'd rather leave knowing I did my job well and to my the best of my ability my last year.
This is no different than people in my office who take time using up vacation and other benefits. Then instead of returning they resign. It happens all the time. In my insurance office have had it happen four times in the last two months alone.
ReplyDeleteTeachers are human and like humans will take the benefit that most protects them.
Yes, we want them to walk on water, live in poverty, and carry extreme student loans (making them work second jobs) to make us feel better. It just does not work that way. I work with a lady who's husband (got me on this site) is MS teachers, coaches, and delivers pizza's & newspapers) with their four kids. He carring over $60,000 in student loans.
Personally, I don't know why he does not quite and find a job that pays more and the public is not on his professions $s$. He says its all about the kids. He said that one day he will focus on the family but have a decade and half he is not to that point.
From what I have seen of him. I think that if all teachers work like him they are saints. They deserve the $ amount that would be payed a sub. If not they deserve the days themselves. They earned them.
JMO
Which insurance company? I hope not mine.
ReplyDeleteI'll bet you are a frequent user of both spell- and grammar-check. You REALLY need those red and green squiggly lines.
LMFAO
Don’t Be Lazy About Grammar
ReplyDeleteIt’s a slippery slope: First, you stop capitalizing the first letter of sentences. Then you stop forming complete sentences. Next thing you know, even backspacing to fix a blatant spelling error feels way too strenuous—never mind double-checking your grammar usage. When even your boss’s emails lack grammatical correctness, it’s easy to relax your standards. However, keeping your grammar bar high makes you stand out—in a good way. “In this economy, you need to be as polished and professional as possible,” Smith says. “Especially in business, your competence is judged by observable behaviors. Poor grammar, punctuation and spelling can signal incompetence.”
Above item is an excerpt from http://shine.yahoo.com/event/poweryourfuture/8-rules-of-email-etiquette-2512968/
ReplyDeleteBe sure to read item about BCC
It was the thought that counted. I am so sorry that I posted quickly while on break (maybe I should have used work time). I can tell that those who posted after me have no time what so ever. It was teachers like them why I left school and worked on a GED. I know have an associates degree and live well.
ReplyDeleteI am commending teachers for their hard work and saying they are worth what is theirs and you have no other comment but to be critical. It was high and mighty ego teachers that caused me to drop out. You just reminded me of that!
For the record yes I use grammar and spell check. There is nothing wrong with that.
Was it not about the kids for the years that a teacher did not take any sick/personal days? Excuse me, but is that not the reason that substitute teachers exist? To stand in for teachers when they are absent? Shut up!! No real person is going to let 135 days at $200 each go to waste at the end of a career. Teacher or not. That's unreasonable. It is just human nature. It is not about a lack of integrity. IPSBS forreal!!!!!
ReplyDelete135x35 = 4725 versus 135x200=27000 Now which would a veteran teacher entering retirement want? Especially when currently, everyone is saying old teachers are bad and suck and need to be pushed out anyway? You tell me..........
ReplyDeleteLots of teachers retire every year and take the pay for sick days whatever it happens to be that year. Yes, older teachers are being bashed and harassed, but in many cases it is not deserved and those people still have ethics. It is not necessary to lower your standards because others are pieces of shit.
ReplyDelete@135x35 = 4725 versus 135x200=27000
ReplyDeleteWTF?????????
Who out there thinks a retiring educator would walk away with an extra twenty-seven grand by using all their sick days?
FAIL!
All that educator would get would be 135 days of extra planning, 135 days of putting out fires or apologizing to team members, then 135 days of grading or discarding something that someone else "taught". Get over your idea that a teacher could spend those 135 days touring America, or on a sunny beach. Wrong, wrong, wrong.
Many, many peers save medical procedures for their last years (think hysterectomy or knee replacement), which isn't a bad thing if necessary and prudent, especially with health insurance being what it is. Hell, I might just do both!
A peer didn't take the $20K buyout two years ago, choosing to teach just one more year. Her rationale? She was able to sock away nearly her entire year's salary. Not too bad for an old teacher, right?
With Indiana's new evaluation instrument, undocumented absences would be a cause for dismissal. I'd rather hold onto my days for emergencies, then get $35 each, than get fired for just cause and be ineligible for unemployment.
I would take the 27,000 dollars more and another year for retirement. I would never try to judge another person, you don't know what is happening in their school?
ReplyDeleteYou bunch of greedy entitlement mentality slobs!!! Sick days are NOT EARNED!!!! There may be a formula for calculating the number of sick days accumulated, but that doesn't mean you did anything to earn them. They are a benefit provided by an employer to be used only for their intended purpose. There is no law requiring any employer to pay you for being sick. Even if the number of allotted sick days is determined by a union contract (I don't know if it is), using a sick day for anything other than an illness or medical appointment of some kind is nothing more than outright theft.
ReplyDeleteDuh, $200 (or more) is how much a teacher makes a day for working, or if they have to be out, when they call a sub. The rationale is that it is smarter to USE your sick days and net $200 rather than hoard them and get a check for $35 each. It's a balance between a largish chunk of cash or less money lost while still working.
ReplyDeletePersonally I'm for using them. Instead of cashing them in.
They shouldn't give you a choice. At the end of each year, they should pay you the $35 for any leftover days, and let that be the end of it. That way there wouldn't be the temptation for someone to sell out students for personal gain. Most companies don't carry forward sick days. You either lose them or they pay you at the end of the year. Saving them until retirement is asinine.
ReplyDelete@sell out students for personal gain
ReplyDeleteWell said!
@All that educator would get would be 135 days of extra planning, 135 days of putting out fires or apologizing to team members, then 135 days of grading or discarding something that someone else "taught".....AGREE!
Many times, it's harder to be out than it is to go into the classroom.
re: USE your sick days and net $200
ReplyDeleteYou wouldn't NET $200. You'd simply be paid your contracted salary.
"Personally I'm for using them. Instead of cashing them in."
ReplyDeleteThen you are a thief.
Who would I be stealing from? Myself?
ReplyDeleteLet me get this straight.
ReplyDeleteYou wish to stay late or go in early, run copies that you'd never use and you have no plans to grade (yup, the kids know this!), take off what's left of the day, pray you don't run into any other staff member who's also taking off, come in the following day early to put your classroom back together, read the notes that your sub left OR hear the muttering of all the staff members who had to take your students since there was no sub, make phone calls to the parents of the kids who told the sub to f*** off, try to make up the pacing guide skills that your kids missed but will need to know on next week's diagnostic, then get your plans done on time for the next week?
Hell, I'd rather come to school. Any veteran teacher can tell you that it's harder to take off a day than it is to come in. I'll be happy to take the $35/day when I retire.
@Hell, I'd rather come to school. Any veteran teacher can tell you that it's harder to take off a day than it is to come in. I'll be happy to take the $35/day when I retire.
ReplyDeletePreach. I love it! You're correct!!!
That is right they don't make $200 a day, the make more like $350. When I retired I took the $35.00 a day, it was the honest and right thing to do. Sure I could have had some Dr. give me a medical excuse, and I have had to use FMLA in the past, but I never lied about my self or a family member being sick, I never lied about a family funeral...it just didn't seem like the time to start is when you retire. Just because someone else had no morals doesn't excuse your lack of morals.
ReplyDeleteLong ago, when I first started you could sell back five days each year, and I did this about five times. I never worked if I was sick, you aren't your best and you don't want to make anyone else sick...but after a few years you just don't get sick that often, I think I had ten years of perfect attendance.
And they no longer pay you for these sick days they pop that money into your 401K, so don't look in the mail for a check.
Anyone else see the changes in start times for Arlington and Manual? I'm curious to see how both of these plans work. I know research shows that older students benefit from starting school later in the day. I wonder if splitting the sexes and having them start at different times will help Arlington....
ReplyDeleteI need those sick days during the year for mental health. They are my days and I have earned them.
ReplyDelete"I need those sick days during the year for mental health. They are my days and I have earned them."
ReplyDeleteIf you are mentally incapable of handling your job, get a another one. They are NOT your days. You did NOT earn them. They are basically a gift that should only be accepted if you legitimately need it. Your attitude is pathetic.
@They are my days and I have earned them.
ReplyDeleteYou've "earned" your health insurance, too, but do you really want a heart attack or ruptured appendix? According to your rationale, you've earned catastrophic illness, too.
I guess I "earned" my chronic illnesses too, the treatments require at minimum 1 day off per month. I sure hope we don't lose sick days with all the changes coming up in our health insurance that are upcoming.
ReplyDelete