Reader comments
School board OKs doubling of its pay

Tab L. Uno, LCSW | 2:08 a.m. Jan. 10, 2008

As a former Salt Lake City Board of Education member back in the 1980s and 1990s, when compensation was called stipends and amounted to $50 a month and than doubled to $100 a month, I can attest to the fact that being a board member is ALOT work, including outside of board members. There is working with parents, handling complaints, visiting schools, spending hours reading regarding educational issues, research. It's very hard work in addition to having to deal with the rest of one's life whether it's going to school, working, having to tend kids. This is any vacation or hobby that board members are participating in. It's doing the public's work, representing them and it takes time and effort. And in terms of time and actual compensation in the real world, it's a lot more than $500 a month. The public is actually getting a really good deal and value for their money, if they believe their school board member is representing them the way they would like. If not elect somebody else who will and then get a great value for the dollar.

Not surprised in the least | 6:35 a.m. Jan. 10, 2008

Get yer pitchforks and torches!!! We are going to have an angry mob.

JRS | 8:28 a.m. Jan. 10, 2008

The sole job of the Alpine School Board is to promote its every two year sales pitch to ask for another $230 million dollar bond. I gladly pay these people to sit down and shut up and use the vast amount of dollars already pouring into their wallets more wisely.

Comments continue below

Rick | 8:42 a.m. Jan. 10, 2008

Do any of you realize just what is put in by these people? If you don't like it, or what they do, then run and change it, if not then shut-up.

Publius | 9:03 a.m. Jan. 10, 2008

They all make fair arguments for why they have voted to increase thier own pay, but I don't support it. They knew what the pay was when they ran for the job. If they don't have the time they shouldn't have run for the position. The process for increased pay should come through the voters. It would happen naturally if the quality of those who were able to run for office began to deteriorate then voters would realize that the pay needed to be increased and do it. I can't believe there is not more public outcry over this type of "public service".

RE:Tab L. Uno | 9:04 a.m. Jan. 10, 2008

Your right about how hard "the board" works. Now take that and multiply it by say ten and you have what teachers do on a daily basis. How do you think Utah teachers feel? Again take the boards hard work and multiply it by ten for the teachers! The problem is the same old story; the money comes in and is dished out from the top down. Once it gets to teachers they get nothing (year after year). I strongly advise anyone going into education to simply not do it. Lack of pay is just the tip of the iceberg. No support and bullying by overpaid administrators, lack of discipline in the schools, threats by students both male and female, massive class size, parents etc.. and all the while just be happy you're a teacher. Its' a broken system and if you think the board cares about its' troops on the frontlines think again. All smoke and mirrors!

teacher | 9:27 a.m. Jan. 10, 2008

How do I do that. Get hired for a job and then vote myself to double my pay. Their is to much money being put into the wrong places in public education. Put the money in the front line workers pockets and you will have better a better education system.

Rick | 9:35 a.m. Jan. 10, 2008

Puplius and Tab L. Uno, Do you know what you can do to ease your heartburn and pain on this whole thing? Start your own Chater School and then get others to do the same. This will go a long ways to help the problems that you complain of.

Rick | 9:54 a.m. Jan. 10, 2008

Dear Teacher, You got a $2500 raise last year and I do believe that you will get even more this next year. Where are the better schools and educational opportunities? Would $100,000 per year make it the best? Would $250,000 make it even better? If I remember correctly fot the past decade you have all gotten raises but the Board did not. Did your raises create better schools? To be honest, the problem is not in the raise but it is in our values and workings within our communities and if we value teachers then our communities must show it as well as our administrators of which BOTH SIDES have failed.

John | 9:57 a.m. Jan. 10, 2008

Rick,you a member of this board? or are you in administration? The system is top heavy, they get all the credit for the work teachers do. It is tedious work, but not hard.

teacher supporter | 10:24 a.m. Jan. 10, 2008

Rick, Yes $100,000 or $250.00 would make a difference. Teachers do an amazing job trying to teach kids many who are disruptive and receive no support from these kids parents. I agree with John are you on a school board looking to get more money?

Rick | 10:55 a.m. Jan. 10, 2008

John, No, I am not on the board, but I am very aware of the work they do and who they are. Top heavy? I am not trying to be on either side of the issue but rather in the middle, but to hear the derision against the Boards and Admins and to see no other action on your parts really is nauseating. Are there problems? Yes, but to constantly harp but not be a part of the solution is a bit disengenuous. Do you go to the meetings? What do you do besides complain?

Now about the $250,000 for the teachers, do you know what that would really mean? Are you really ready for that? I think what has to happen is that we, the community, have to step up to the plate and realize that if we give them more money then we have to accept higher taxes, or to find out what doesn't work and be willing to cause the change. Do you know what you really want? If so, then stop complaining and start acting.

Rick | 11:52 a.m. Jan. 10, 2008

One more thought. If I remember correctly this group, or other groups, lamented the fact that the Jordan Board raised itself to $1000/mo and then gave itself $17,000/yr if they didn't take the insurance package. It seemed that everyone noted that it would have been better to only go to $500/mo and give up the insurance buy-out package. The Jordan Board gave up the cash buy-out but kept the $1000/mo. Where's the consistancy here?

I would think that Davis, SL, and Granite Districts are next. Do us all a favor and go to their meeting and start you griping there and keep them from doing the same raising of their pay. Then go to your lstate legislators and get them to change to law to make it where the pople must vote on the raise.

Good luck.

DC | 12:06 p.m. Jan. 10, 2008

Forget vouchers for better education, just give it to the board members! Why spend education funds on education anyway!?

Just Me | 12:58 p.m. Jan. 10, 2008

This is just me, but I don't think ANY public official should be in charge of their own pay.

Rick | 1:30 p.m. Jan. 10, 2008

Just Me, Then get the laws changed.

RE: RICK | 2:21 p.m. Jan. 10, 2008

Wow!! sitting at the computer all day with your uneducated views and tough talk. Looks like your complaining more than anyone. The board and other administrators have always had a me first attitude; especially when it comes to money. You state teachers get raises every year...that money goes to insurance and cost of living; which far exceeds any pay raise educators have had in recent times. Few teachers can afford to retire even after thirty years of service (because after twenty years of teaching they red line on the salary schedule). I doubt you have done much to improve education here in Utah. Weak views...hero!!

Rick | 3:39 p.m. Jan. 10, 2008

Everyone here seems to think that to just raise teachers salaries would solve all the problems. i am just rying to point out that the problem is much more complecated that. A few years ago DNews did a simple poll to outgoing teachers and it seemed that the main reason that they were leaving was because of lack of respect pay. Couple the lack of respect from the Administrators and the Lack of Respect from the populace then you have major problems. Now add the totaly absurdity of the teachings in our Unitersitys Teacher Education Departments and you a great deal of well meaning teachers who are confused as to what the real problems are.

Do us all a favor, and find out the differences between Instructivism and Constructivism, the resarch done and what is really being taught and how the teachers get hoodwinked into that thenyou find out what is really happening. It is sad but it seems that our admins are buying into this stuff because they are told to by others. It is a real problem and very comples. Simply put, start at the teaching colleges and go from there.

Rick | 4:01 p.m. Jan. 10, 2008

Having been married to a teacher for the past 15 years, and having parents as teachers I see many thing s you all don't. You all see things I don't. Both my parents and my better half all agree that pay is only part of the problem and not the biggest. It is the respect part. Now, they all unanimously agree that the Boards and the Admins all do a fairly good job of management given their scant resources and they deserve their pay. That is not to say that some are paid too well, but the subject of the Board Members getting a raise is really no big deal to them, if fact they all say it is long over due.

Now, about our universities, we need to do something there and fast. They have hijacked our educational system and are very one-sided in their approach. They have adopted an extreme liberal position and are not balanced at all. Solve these issues, then you fix the admin's and the teachers problems. Fix the parental problems, such as helicopter parents and no discipline in the classroom then you help the teachers immensely.

Grumpy | 5:14 p.m. Jan. 11, 2008

Let us talk about the largest school district in the State, Jordan.
1. The district was short $14,000,000 in their PENSION fund. If you qualified for retirement by a certain date, you could retire, otherwise you would lose it. How would that bite you?

2. The school board voted for a raise that was almost equal to starting teachers salaries.

(For your information, I have no relatives in this state and I have never taught in Utah. I am concerned about the educational problem that the public seems to ignor.)

I have asked parents that have children in school about the scores on the Iowa test. Their comment is what does Utah have to do with Iowa.

So, fellow bloggers, what are you doing about the education problem????

RE:Grumpy | 6:53 p.m. Jan. 12, 2008

Ask students anything and a large percentage of them know little or nothing about trivia of even current events let alone the Iowa test. Ask those same students parents and they know nothing about Iowa testing...go figure. Now ask them who they would like to sue or blame their childrens failures on and they will say teachers/education. Parents are raising a generation of kids who want everything handed to them. Ask stuents what they want to be when they grow up...the answers will blow you away (teacher is not one of them) I somewhat agree with Rick that salary is just one of the problems teachers in Utah face. However, it goes way beyond that in terms of threats, no support from administrators whose salaries are outrages, poor parenting and the list goes on and on. Teachers can retire at thirty years and few make it that long or can afford to. In fact the average teacher now stays for three years. Reward your veteran teachers instead of throwing money at new teachers. They take their bonuses and bail. They simply are not going to put up with the MEGA misery that goes with the job...that's right job!!

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