No spring break for Alexandria students in 2012

Kevin E.
03/26/2010 12:48 AM

I'd just like to point out the fact that no teachers have come on this string to argue, attack, or fight back with immature words or comments. I guess I will just assume they are plenty busy doing what they do on a daily basis at their schools -- working with all of the awesome kids in town..... teaching our young people lessons of keeping a positive attitude, taking the high road, and always showing character and class. Something to think about..... :)

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Jessica S.
03/24/2010 7:08 PM

I couldnt have said it better myself Sid. You hit the nail right on the head. Im also sick and tired of people feeling pity on teachers because they claim that they dont get paid much. That is a bunch of BS totally. Teachers make a decent living and are able to live comfortably. I know people who make minimum wage and still live comfortable. It is called living within your means. How would the disgruntled teacher feel if she was fired and had to go bed for a REAL job where you dont get 2 month breaks and work for minimum wage? They would act like thier world is over. The truth is - DONT OVERSPEND. if you got to stay at home and live in a smaller home and buy a used car then DO IT. But I am sick and tired of teachers whining about the breaks they get and the pay they get. It makes me sick. How would they feel if they were out on their BUTT in the unemployment line begging to get a Burger King job???? They should shut up and be greatfull to have a job.

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Sarcastic Sid .
Alexandria, MN     03/24/2010 2:56 PM

I thought that teachers had the option to have their contracts paid to them over a 12 month period. They know what they will be making for the year and can either be paid only during the school year OR over the entire calendar year. Granted, teachers are not highly paid (higher than MY pay) but they earn enough to make a respectable living, especially when they get tenure. Never hurts to get a master's degree and get that automatic raise, no matter how good or bad a teacher they are. No matter what kind of breaks you give them (or don't give them) there will still be some who complain, as demonstrated here. IMO Spring break is not a necessity. If it were, all businesses in the US would shut down for a week in the spring because all employees "need a break."

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Ms S.
03/24/2010 1:48 PM

"Either do your job OR quit. 2 months in the summer is more than enough of a break. Let alone other school breaks that they get off also." That is the reason I had said that.. you're saying that ALL teachers don't deserve a week off? When you get 2-3 months off, you don't get paid for it. You were awhile back that you don't show any sympathy for a teacher, although you don't know them? lol Do you think that every teacher wants to have that many months off? I would think during that time, they are looking for ways of getting a part time job? I don't think you read all my posts and see other people coming on here defending teachers and themselves. I'm not a teacher and wouldn't want to be from the disadvantages of being one. I don't live in a fantasy world where everyone should be content in their job and not deal with life outside of their job either. Everyone has to work and need a break once in awhile. Its good to be honest and frank with others when you're working at a job. People get stressed out with their job? God, I get stressed with my job, but it doesn't mean I don't like it. lol

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Jessica S.
03/24/2010 1:31 PM

Seems to me like Ms. S spends all his/her time defending that anonymous poster. Could they be the same person? I still stick with my opinion - teachers do not deserve any more of a break than the rest of us do. Most people work 40-60 hrs a week at more strenuous jobs than being a teacher and you dont hear then on here whining in a forum that they need more time off. LOL For gods sake - I dont know any other jobs that give you a 2-3 month summer break. No matter what job you have in life it is stressfull and there is no reason to whine to the world. Either do your job OR quit. 2 months in the summer is more than enough of a break. Let alone other school breaks that they get off also.

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Ms S.
03/24/2010 1:20 PM

So, this is why you guys don't think they 'deserve a break?' Because they aren't you and not working you're 40 hour job? Thats ridiculous. You know I think you need to step in other peoples shoes before you can say that. lol I know some aren't very nice teachers out there, but there are some that I know of that works they're butt off to put food on their table. What is wrong with someone taking a 1 week break, so what? Its none of your business what the Anonymous user's reason for saying that. Man, I worked my butt off, but I wouldn't want someone to say that I don't deserve a week off break like everyone else. Its not like you guys get a week vacation now and again. LOL these comments are so funny! I'm sorry but why the heck would you get offended over this for???? lol

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Kay P.
03/24/2010 12:36 PM

Oh, and teachers, don't think that I don't recognize that you may have disruptive students...as pretty much every class I have ever helped with, has and as a volunteer, they soon disregard my parental status and act towards me as they would with their teacher or other aids. Some seem to have more disciplinary problems than others. I have always taken it seriously if my any of my kids actions in the classroom are a problem. I don't become indignent like some parents, or claim "My kids are angels", and disregard an educator's word as a baseless complaint. In fact, my kids know this too, any disruptive negative behavior that is reported back to me will result in disciplinary action that will be justly administered at home, and they will have to do their "time" at school too. I am not willing to disregard a complaint on it's face...I will ask them, and under "extreme" penalty for purjury, they usually fess up to the deed. If the explanation is acceptible, and matches what I have been told, I have no reason to think that either party is pulling my leg. -- Here is a thought...if parents just can't believe THEIR child is troublesome, perhaps set up cameras for a typical day, and have few views from different angles. Not only would this clear up confusion, but it may also clear the bad labels that some kids get as a result of their neighbors in the classroom. If the discipline/disruptive issue has merit, it wouldn't take that long for ANYONE to see it from behind the scenes. This could be a useful way for school administrators to address student discipline issues as well. They would be able to view the classroom and either back up the teacher or point out with more clarity, who actually shot the spit-wad stuck on the back of Little Johny's head. Maybe some parents don't want to recognize that their kid might be troublesome in the classroom. I find the "head in the sand" attitude to be self-defeating to the adult and personally destructive to the character of the child. There can be no real progress if one is stuck in neutral with their eyes closed and their fingers in their ears...chanting "blah blah blah I can't hear you". Ignoring a problem won't make it go away.

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Kay P.
03/24/2010 10:21 AM

I don't think that it's wrong for an employer to expect a minimum of performance for the exchange of pay. I would imagine that if schools did go to a longer year, as some areas of the country have already, that contracts will be re-negotiated. Just as in situations where they are leaning towards a shorter week, to cut costs. I don't see teachers giving up what they have for that day less per week, and the district maybe looking to cut expenses elsewhere for the savings. I found an interesting survey http://www.bls.gov/ncs/ocs/sp/ncbl1365.pdf it computes salaried jobs into hourly pay rates by collecting actual hours worked for that pay. Due to the "seasonal" nature of teaching, which, currently is not a year long job, per se, it means that those hours worked "in house" are well paid for. I am not so sure that folks would agree to paying that kind of hourly rate all summer long too. The job is expected to provide a certain level of accomplishments, regardless of how long it takes one to get it done, but that it also has a deadline, called the end of the year. The staff clears out of the school enmass at 4pm, every school day. The only teachers left there are coaches, or the few teachers that have offered tutoring services. I don't see how the job could be paid strictly by hours worked, as I can see a few staff members hanging around until 6 pm, doodling. I guess, if one doesn't mind putting more time in than is "paid" for by contract, that is of their choice, and parents like me and many others are extremely thankful that they are invested in the success of our school, and that they truly LOVE to be doing what they are doing. It evidently pays off, as those teachers tend to become long term student favorites and rarely spend time complaining about discipline issues. It would be interesting to study just how they can engage otherwise unruly students, and get performance scores out of kids that other teachers struggle with. They offset the few teachers that haven't figured out how to grab the kids attention and help them launch into new learning. It will be interesting in years to come, how the President intends to bring some accountability and performance goals to the teaching profession. I was moderately surprised when that school in RI fired the entire staff and the principal for their terrible performance. I was really shocked when Obama supported the "clean out", saying it's time to make education performance count. Not too long ago, one of the fired staff at that school hung an effigy of the president in the classroom. "Gallo said that the foot-tall Obama doll was hung from its feet from a white board and was holding a sign that said, “Fire Central Falls teachers.’’ I thought teachers had more class than that. "Jane Sessums, president of the Central Falls Teachers Union, said that the teacher, whose name was not disclosed, hung the doll “as part of what he described as a lesson plan.’’ LESSON PLAN? Displaying HATE in a classoom? If that was not a class on Humanities and the discussion about hate crimes, he is FAR from making me believe that it was ANY lesson plan. BS.

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Kerry H.
Prior Lake, MN     03/24/2010 6:18 AM

Just as an hourly employee punches a clock, a teacher does so too, in a a sense. Teachers are contracted a certain number of days per year and a certain number of hours per day and their pay is tied to that namount. For instance, a contract may indicated 183 days, 8 hours per day. This means that the teacher is paid for that many days and hours. If the teacher misses a day for something other than illness or a pre-approved 'personal business' (usually allotted 2 or so days per year for this), then they are docked the contracted daily amount (or a percent of the day if they miss a portion). This does happen. For example, a math teacher at my school had a friend earn a Hawaii vacation from his work and invited him to go. The teacher forfeited the days' pay he was contracted to work but did not. There is no paid vacation for teachers. If people want to increase the school year, they would need, according to contract, increase the pay accordingly. I doubt some people would agree to that due to the added cost.

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Kay P.
03/24/2010 12:51 AM

In the end, the total paid equals the same amount, right? It's a matter of choice...spread the payments for the school year, or thru the whole year. Essentially, she is paid the same total amount, and the definition of a year is 52 weeks, though the start of the fiscal year varies, but it does include those weeks off in the summer somewhere in there. I guess, I would take the 26 checks that are smaller, rather than try to budget out less numerous, but larger, salary checks to stretch thru the summer. When a salary is negotiated, one has to envision that it should be equally distributed thru-out the entire year, bills are generally a monthly thing. Unless, during the summer, one has another income source on the side. -- An hourly worker has to actually put the hours in to be paid...punching that ol' time clock and picking up a bi-weekly paycheck.

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