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Kim Reynolds unveils a $45 million dollar program to alleviate Iowa's teacher shortage.

Give them PTO consistent with other industries.

Note I am not advocating for students to be in the classroom for 12 months. I am advocating for a significant increase in professional development.
Yup, that will alleviate the shortage for sure. Parents should educate their own children. It you are gonna have 3-4 minutes of sexual bliss and knock someone up then you should be responsible for educating the kid. Get rid of schools place the education burden where it should be squarely on the parents and let the chips fall where they fall. In fact, make it unlawful for someone other than a biological or adoptive parent to provide education for a child. Square it right on the parents to get that done themselves. everyone should be required to be home-schooled by their own parents. Also remove the requirement for education. If folks choose not to educate their own kids, then that's their problem.
 
As several have noted, the primary reason I have seen many of my teaching colleagues leave the profession (before being eligible for retirement) is the lack of discipline + lack of support from Administration (both building + district). A friend of mine who subs throughout my district (Cedar Rapids) made a comment this year: "Schools are not schools anymore. They are community centers. Actual learning is about 5th or 6th on the list of priorities."

I truly believe my job has been minimized to a high priced day care provider. Teaching Math is somewhere down the line on what I do everyday. I am glad I'm at the tail end of my career. If I were in my 20's or 30's, I would leave the profession too.

District + Building Administration is too afraid of parents, and making tough decisions to create true change. It is really sad.

As for summers off, people who aren't teachers will never understand why it is necessary. Now more than ever. Kids are in charge, and they know it. The stress on teachers is overwhelming at times.
The thing these clowns aren't getting is I'm not criticizing Teachers or why they have summers off. Duh, school is not in session. But when you talk pay that has to be part of the conversation when you're not actually at work. Not hard.

I never wanted to be a Teacher and sure as hell wouldn't now. Who would have ever thought that kids that don't get disciplined at Home would be problems at school? Duh. Thank a Liberal, everything they touch turns to shit, and this is one of the many great examples.

So if you vote Democrat, you voted for this. It is that simple. Now the zoo is out of control and SOME wonder why? LOL! It's the exact same concept as DEFUND Police. Gee, I wonder if we might get more crime? Hhhmmmm - dumbasses.
 
The thing these clowns aren't getting is I'm not criticizing Teachers or why they have summers off. Duh, school is not in session. But when you talk pay that has to be part of the conversation when you're not actually at work. Not hard.

I never wanted to be a Teacher and sure as hell wouldn't now. Who would have ever thought that kids that don't get disciplined at Home would be problems at school? Duh. Thank a Liberal, everything they touch turns to shit, and this is one of the many great examples.

So if you vote Democrat, you voted for this. It is that simple. Now the zoo is out of control and SOME wonder why? LOL! It's the exact same concept as DEFUND Police. Gee, I wonder if we might get more crime? Hhhmmmm - dumbasses.
You think it is only liberals that are not disciplining their children? The majority of discipline problems come from students who have parents that don't value education or educators.
 
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For the people arguing over getting paid in the summer or not. The easy way to do this is math.
Someone claimed that the average teacher pay in Iowa was $52k while the average pay for all jobs was $58k.
Ignoring PTO/Vacation/Sick days, the average worker is contracted out for about 250 days per year. The teacher is contracted out for 184-186 days per year.

The average teacher makes $279-282 / day.
The average worker makes $232 / day.

Considering the contracted number of days, an average teacher is paid about 21% higher than an average worker in Iowa. Now, the average worker in Iowa probably doesn't have a BA and may not have a decade or more of experience working for the same organization like the average teacher does. So the 21% is easily justifiable. The question is how much more is justifiable? I'm sure as heck not going to try to answer that political grenade.

As someone else alluded to, the law of supply and demand may kick in soon with teachers leaving the profession and graduates not entering it. As the supply of teachers dries up, the price to hire a teacher is going to increase. With ~35,000 teachers currently in Iowa, $45MM won't go far to increase their pay. Less than $1300 per teacher as a one time bonus, not a raise and no additional hires. What this math shows is that $45MM isn't really enough to make a dent in the situation.
 
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Kids in the United States go to school year around now? Either it's true or it isn't. Do Teachers teach year around or don't they? I know several, and most of them work in the summertime, just not at school. Are they the exception?

So if that's not true get your facts out and show us Albert.
Here in Urbandale there is an elementary school that goes 12 months. I don’t think the HS or JrHi does, though.
 
Where do teachers get “summers off”? When all is said and done maybe 8 weeks off. But summers is when teachers go back to school for certification programs abs advanced degrees. It’s really not having the summer off from teaching/school obligations. It’s a common argument but a false one.
I hear what you saying about summers being used for certification programs and advanced degrees, but other professionals in other industries have to do this on their own time (evenings, weekends, PTO).

I am a former teacher. Summers off is not a false perception.
 
How else you gonna do it? He/she is not getting sane pay and “accrued benefits” will increase with “time on job”…
Where this is gonna get messy is with individual school districts mandating to school teacher associations (unions) what is being offered and to whom. I have seen where some local school boards, in an sttemppt to be fair to all” havevroyally screwed experienced teachers and had them go elsewhere.
Young professionals get paid less with less PTO than more experienced professionals in nearly every industry. I am not sure why it would not be the same for educators. If you have zero experience, you get paid less and less PTO.

They don't need to be fair to all. The unions are holding back teaching professionals, not helping them.
 
Yup, that will alleviate the shortage for sure. Parents should educate their own children. It you are gonna have 3-4 minutes of sexual bliss and knock someone up then you should be responsible for educating the kid. Get rid of schools place the education burden where it should be squarely on the parents and let the chips fall where they fall. In fact, make it unlawful for someone other than a biological or adoptive parent to provide education for a child. Square it right on the parents to get that done themselves. everyone should be required to be home-schooled by their own parents. Also remove the requirement for education. If folks choose not to educate their own kids, then that's their problem.
I agree Kim's plan is a waste of money. It solves nothing in the short-term or the long term.

My point is that if an investment is going to come in the form of increasing teaching salaries, then it should come with significant reform.

Her plan does nothing for no one. It is a waste of financial resources.
 
It’s amazing how many people think teachers apparently do nothing between 6/1 and

I hear what you saying about summers being used for certification programs and advanced degrees, but other professionals in other industries have to do this on their own time (evenings, weekends, PTO).

I am a former teacher. Summers off is not a false perception.
And I have many teacher friends that would gladly argue that point with you......Plus "other professionals" in "other industries" seldom have to put up with the politics and bullshit a teacher does.......LEOs being an exception.
My real gripe about "summers off" is that it isn't more than about 10 weeks off.....teachers here are off in the first week of June and back at it by the middle of August...if not sooner. Most teachers I know would LOVE a year 'round school situation but the biggest opponent to it is parents of students......Parents love Thanksgiving, Christmas and Spring Break.......these holidays are so convenient with their "work/vacation" schedules....and it makes baby-sitting issues a moot point. AreWE....we have to be honest about this discussion......why did you "used to be" a teacher? Obviously, it didn't satisfy your needs as a person....
 
Young professionals get paid less with less PTO than more experienced professionals in nearly every industry. I am not sure why it would not be the same for educators. If you have zero experience, you get paid less and less PTO.

They don't need to be fair to all. The unions are holding back teaching professionals, not helping them.
Again it is "the unions" who in Iowa don't even have negotiating status any more.......Which particular Iowa teacher union do you dispise? Remember...it is not even "a union" in Iowa.....but I will listen.
 
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And I have many teacher friends that would gladly argue that point with you......Plus "other professionals" in "other industries" seldom have to put up with the politics and bullshit a teacher does.......LEOs being an exception.
My real gripe about "summers off" is that it isn't more than about 10 weeks off.....teachers here are off in the first week of June and back at it by the middle of August...if not sooner. Most teachers I know would LOVE a year 'round school situation but the biggest opponent to it is parents of students......Parents love Thanksgiving, Christmas and Spring Break.......these holidays are so convenient with their "work/vacation" schedules....and it makes baby-sitting issues a moot point. AreWE....we have to be honest about this discussion......why did you "used to be" a teacher? Obviously, it didn't satisfy your needs as a person....
They would argue with me because they are still teachers. Teachers get 10 weeks off in the summer, two weeks off at Christmas, and one week off in the spring. 13 weeks off.

If they are working during the summer anyways, then why would they object to formalizing it with a PTO approach and more money?

Every profession has to deal with BS. I am not sure why you would think it is unique to teaching professionals. Do you really think there are not politics in Corporate America? Other professionals have dynamics causing stress that teachers do not.

I do believe year round school would be better for students, especially those who need the most help. That has nothing to do with teachers working a full year with PTO based on their experience in their district.

I left teaching because I believed in myself enough to know I could make a lot more money by owning my own business. I took risk, worked an excessive amount of hours every week. I worked significantly more than when I was a teacher and made less than when I was a teacher. It paid off. I know make a lot of money, but still work way more than I did as a teacher. I encourage teachers who think they have it so awful to do the same.

To bring this back to my original post, I believe if money is being invested to boost teacher salaries, then it should come with reform.
 
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Again it is "the unions" who in Iowa don't even have negotiating status any more.......Which particular Iowa teacher union do you dispise? Remember...it is not even "a union" in Iowa.....but I will listen.
Then why do teachers belong to their unions if they have no power? I didn't say I despise unions. I love effective unions. I believe teacher unions are ineffective and hurt their members.

The model is broken for teachers and students.
 
Would that increase in professional development include weapons training? Maybe we could pay them for 2 weeks of militia boot camp training in the summer so they can learn to protect their students from active shooters?

Hasn't Ted Cruz already proposed this? Maybe I have him confused with Governor Abbott, or some other fool?
I want to believe each school district could decide for themselves what professional development is needed. They are in the profession of education, so they should have great ideas on how to conduct professional development. They just have to use their own techniques.

On a different note, I absolutely believe with 100% conviction that administrators should be able to expel any students who are disciplinary issues. Mr. Clark knew what he was doing!
 
The thing these clowns aren't getting is I'm not criticizing Teachers or why they have summers off. Duh, school is not in session. But when you talk pay that has to be part of the conversation when you're not actually at work. Not hard.

I never wanted to be a Teacher and sure as hell wouldn't now. Who would have ever thought that kids that don't get disciplined at Home would be problems at school? Duh. Thank a Liberal, everything they touch turns to shit, and this is one of the many great examples.

So if you vote Democrat, you voted for this. It is that simple. Now the zoo is out of control and SOME wonder why? LOL! It's the exact same concept as DEFUND Police. Gee, I wonder if we might get more crime? Hhhmmmm - dumbasses.
Wrong.
 
You think it is only liberals that are not disciplining their children? The majority of discipline problems come from students who have parents that don't value education or educators.
In my building the 2 biggest pains in the asses were 2 boys. Both sets of parents are MAGAs. They would wear Trump clothes to school. Their behaviors were never the kids’ fault, but the typical BS excuse that they were bored.
 
Then why do teachers belong to their unions if they have no power? I didn't say I despise unions. I love effective unions. I believe teacher unions are ineffective and hurt their members.

The model is broken for teachers and students.
Republicans blew up Iowa’s union. I got out immediately because it has no power.
 
And why might this be happening win1? Have you attended a school board meeting where "the public" show up en masse and specifically attacks a reacher or a situation....which more oft than not, they have incorrect information? As kids often disrespect and "shun" teachers because "it's cool".......Teachers are constantly lambasted because of school schedules / calendars which more oft than not (especially in Iowa) they have practically ZERO input....;;and then for the past 40 yers, the state government has concentrated on UNDERFUNDING state schools at ALL levels while exercising themselves to cut taxes for Iowans who should be paying their most taxes.....
This "crisis" is nothing more than a self-fulling prophecy by Reynolds and the political right as they have dedicated themselves to defunding and destroying public education in Iowa for years.



Where do teachers get “summers off”? When all is said and done maybe 8 weeks off. But summers is when teachers go back to school for certification programs abs advanced degrees. It’s really not having the summer off from teaching/school obligations. It’s a common argument but a false one.
The answer to that is yes. I’ve been a school administrator for 17 years. I have been the person that prompts people to bitch at school board meetings. In Illinois, they were passing ‘mandates without funding’ like Oprah passed out gifts to her audiences. So, as a school admin, I appreciate the fact that money is going into staffing, even if it is way too little way too late.
 
Then why do teachers belong to their unions if they have no power? I didn't say I despise unions. I love effective unions. I believe teacher unions are ineffective and hurt their members.

The model is broken for teachers and students.
Access to "education information" and legislation discussions that directly affect them. Coffee and cookies after school .....Agin.....Iowa does not have "teacher unions".....education associations, yes...but damn few districts have "unions".
They would argue with me because they are still teachers. Teachers get 10 weeks off in the summer, two weeks off at Christmas, and one week off in the spring. 13 weeks off.

If they are working during the summer anyways, then why would they object to formalizing it with a PTO approach and more money?

Every profession has to deal with BS. I am not sure why you would think it is unique to teaching professionals. Do you really think there are not politics in Corporate America? Other professionals have dynamics causing stress that teachers do not.

I do believe year round school would be better for students, especially those who need the most help. That has nothing to do with teachers working a full year with PTO based on their experience in their district.

I left teaching because I believed in myself enough to know I could make a lot more money by owning my own business. I took risk, worked an excessive amount of hours every week. I worked significantly more than when I was a teacher and made less than when I was a teacher. It paid off. I know make a lot of money, but still work way more than I did as a teacher. I encourage teachers who think they have it so awful to do the same.

To bring this back to my original post, I believe if money is being invested to boost teacher salaries, then it should come with reform.
Me too,,,,parents need to kick their kids ass more often. Reform starts at home. Respect is taught at the home.
Did my parents "teach me wrong" when my dad told me that if I got sideways at school, I'd be sideways with him at home? Parents need to DEMAND more from their kids........Parents need to understand that often their kids perception of "the truth" is not exactly "the truth.". Parents need to "back the institution" and not their kids (unconditionally). Kids see right through their parents and often misconstrue reality. Parents need to parent........why in God's name does a parent think it is important to be their kids "best friend" when he needs to be hawking their kids activities?
 
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Now that virtual learning is a real + viable option, it should be used more for the students who are constant behavior issues. If "school sucks" so much, you can stay home and do everything online. What I found this year was that kids who went this route didn't last long in Virtual School. Why? Parents got sick of them being at home, and they didn't do any work there either. So back to school it is! We spend so much time, energy, and money on kids who could give a shit about learning. "Good kids" who come to school for the right reasons, and treat peers + adults with respect are ignored. Pisses me off. This reinforces my "daycare" argument I made in an earlier post. What drives us (teachers) nuts was that kids were allowed to back and forth from "in-person" to "virtual". Again, Admin won't stand up to parents. Kids are in charge. Until that changes, school will continue to be glorified daycare.
 
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Now that virtual learning is a real + viable option, it should be used more for the students who are constant behavior issues. If "school sucks" so much, you can stay home and do everything online. What I found this year was that kids who went this route didn't last long in Virtual School. Why? Parents got sick of them being at home, and they didn't do any work there either. So back to school it is! We spend so much time, energy, and money on kids who could give a shit about learning. "Good kids" who come to school for the right reasons, and treat peers + adults with respect are ignored. Pisses me off. This reinforces my "daycare" argument I made in an earlier post. What drives us (teachers) nuts was that kids were allowed to back and forth from "in-person" to "virtual". Again, Admin won't stand up to parents. Kids are in charge. Until that changes, school will continue to be glorified daycare.

Not that there’s a great answer here but idk if I agree that isolating kids is the best solution either.
 
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