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Teachers struggle with district cuts

Every ear we hear the same old stories about teachers being underpaid.

Teacher salaries are public record and anyone entering the field should know that they are not going to get rich teaching.

Lots of families depend on both parents working in order to live at the standard which they desire.

Many other workers are taking pay freezes and pay cuts during these hard times, and teachers should not be exempt. However, school district should make serious cuts in other overhead expenses before cutting teacher pay. (Can the district big wigs get along with one or two fewer assistants or secretaries? Would that make a difference for kids in class?)

Before people whine about the hourly pay for teachers, let's point out that compared to many entry level jobs for college grads (or those who can find work) teachers do pretty well.

There are a lot of college grads in the military, both as officers and enlisted. Their jobs are at least as important and a lot more difficult and far more dangerous than teaching. If you think military pay is a lot better, there are recruiters waiting to talk to you.

The point is that it is the young teachers who are bearing the brunt of district budget cuts. These are the teachers least financially able to afford cuts. It is young people that need to be recruited into the teaching workforce in order to improve education. The teachers at the top of the payscale should suffer the same reduction in pay. They are part of the system also.

Just another example of teachers using the media to tell the public how "little they are being paid". They knew the salary when they started pursuing the career. Everybody is facing financial shortfalls. Somewhere in all that education some teachers failed to learn economics apply to them too. Maybe they should learn to quit complaining at least they have a job!

When teachers, etc. complain about their salaries, they forget to divide by 9 and not 12 months. The salary is spread out so a pay check is received every month. My daughter just graduated from a University and she can't even get a job and she's qualified in several areas.

I too get sick of the griping and whining. I get sick of the griping and whining of those that think all teachers do is gripe and whine. Every year, teachers have to do battle with the state legislature, the district administration, and others who would have them work for nothing. This year is no different. Unfortunately, many of you that are commenting think that teachers should just be quiet, count their blessings, and go about business as usual. If they were to do this, then they would be taken advantage of over and over again. You are correct that this is like every other profession and industry out there. The times are tough, and everyone has to fight for what they need and want. Teachers are no different. What is drastically unfortunate is that the Jordan School District and others are choosing to have those that make the least, shoulder the burden for ALL. As new and talented teachers look at education as a career, these decisions will persuade many to think twice, and likely to go another way. Sad...because my kids are just entering the educational system, and I want them to have the very best.

Steps and lanes is garbage. The teachers union screws over the younger teachers. There are so many old fossils that need to be dismissed from the system. Why would they leave, however, when they get rewarded for time served. How education ever got away with a salary system that doesn't reward performance is beyond me. Oh wait, the powerful unions are to blame. If teachers were paid for performance, you can bet many young teachers would be making more than the older ones. There's enough money to be more equitable. Start paying based on performance. I don't understand why those who pay the salaries, the taxpayers, don't demand it.

To Ed Secretary - You may think that teachers only work nine months; however, if you were to add in all of the extra unpaid hours that they work, and then add in 2 or 3 weeks of PAID vacation time (which teachers do NOT have, but SHOULD have if they were treated like other professionals), you would find your totals coming in fairly close to 12 months of work.

$34,500 isn't so bad when you compare it with some who do not have a job. Teaching seems to be a way to dodge the economic bullet. When I started my school district put me on the 4th step as a reward for my time in the military and my salary that years was $6300. My good friend started at $15,000 as an accountant. My family had to scrape but we made it. I shed no tears for this teacher's situation. At least he has a job and his wife can help--that is the way life is today.

Thank you to Amy K. Stewart for writing an article that actually gives the teachers' side of what is going on in Jordan School District. Jordan District has been very careful how they have phrased the terms of their offer to the teachers for the 2009-10 school year...I should say they have been careful to the point of misleading to any teachers who may be uninformed about what is going on.

The Jordan board could fund the shortfall by increasing class sizes, but that means more layoffs - i.e. young teachers.

The legislature could have funded the shortfall by choosing to do fewer road projects and put more funding in education. That would have served the young teachers.

The Jordan board didn't make this problem, but they have to figure it out.

Chances are that a young MBA can find more lucrative work than teaching high school. It just looks like this guy wanted to make a difference but won't afford to. That's too bad.

Utah will get what it's willing to pay for.

The United States does not put a high priority on teachers. It pays medeocre salaries and attracts mediocre candidates to the profession. The United States ranks 24th in the world in achievement in math, reading and writing. Finland, however, who ranks number one in achievement goes after its best and brightest students as teachers. They put a high emphasis on education. Many of these countries who rank significantly higher than the United States are able to educate their students at about one fourth the cost of the United States. There needs to be a major overhaul with teachers beginning with their university training. Teachers are not preparing students for the 21st century by teaching problem solving, critical thinking, and collaboration and leadership skills. Many high school graduates are not ready for the university or the world of work when they leave high school. Administrators are often unprepared to mentor beginning teachers to help them grow professionally. I taught in the Provo School District in the seventies. There were no music, art, or physical education teachers for elementary students. The classroom teacher was required to teach everything, even though most were not equipped to do so. I was never evaluated.

I wish I had a job that paid $35k. I appreciate what teachers do but quit whining. At least your jobs aren't being eliminated.

Leaving the teaching profession was one of the best decisions I've ever made. Three years after leaving the profession, and I'll be making 2.5 to 3 times as much money--at an easier job.
A lot of amazing people remain teachers even though they could succeed elsewhere. Putting penalties on young teachers, like Jordan School District is currently doing, will drive some quality teachers to reconsider their career path.
The LDS prophets have told us that employers will pay us what they believe we're worth. Doesn't say much about society's respect for teachers, does it. Tough job (you try disciplining 35 14-year-olds all day long, day after day). Crappy pay (especially starting out). No respect from students, parents, administrators, or society.
If you're thinking about getting out, it may be the best career choice you ever make.

The United States does not put its emphasis on education, thus they do not attract the best and brightest to become educators. Some countries value teachers and only those with top credentials are given the opportunity to be educators. Our country is now about 24th in achievement compared with other industrialized countries around the globe. Often high school seniors are unprepared to enter the university or the world of work. It has been proven that the delivery system of educating a student an education is about four times more expensive per pupil in the United States than other countries. Tjere needs to be a major overhaul of education from the ground up. It is no longer enough for teachers to teach facts and figures. Students can get that from the internet. They need to learn critical thinking, problem solving, values, leadership, how to be team players, etc. Administrators need to be mentors and provide opportunities for teachers to be observed and be given opportunities for continued growth. Our students can't even compete for some of the scientific, mathematical, and medical opportunities in the top tier universities. Asian, and other foreign students fill those ranks.

It is pretty ridiculous that the average starting teacher in Utah still qualifies for food stamps. Paying some taxes IS patriotic! You get what you pay for -- pay less and the best will leave.

The problem is teachers have to get their raises from the legislature. That wouldn't happen if they weren't vocal about it. Sad but true.

I predicted this would happen in our district. The old teachers run the negotiations in each district because they are in charge of the "association". They negotiated a pathetic settlement this year. Freezing steps and lanes is the worst thing you could do to a young teacher. The story gets that point right on the money. A young teacher that completes a degree at his own cost will now receive no compensation for that degree. Young teachers stick out those first few years because they know if they can make it to about year 7 then they will be making decent money.

I would guess that every young, male teacher trying to support a family is seriously reconsidering the idea of staying in education right now.

The uninformed posters say they are sick of the whining. Well, keep saying that if you wish but be prepared for no men in education and no professional teachers.

It will soon be an hourly job.

I just saw a job posting for an hourly elementary teacher.

I am a teacher. I get every holiday off, summers with my kids, not a great salary, but more than most with a bachelors degree. I am grateful.

I know some teachers are very dedicated and spend many hours before and after school improving their classrooms or giving extra help to struggling students, but they earn in nine months what I earn in twelve months, so I find it hard to sympathize too much. However, I do think it is unfair that teachers are always the ones called on to sacrifice whenever education has to make financial cuts. I have always thought the administrators of education, both on the school and district levels, are way overpaid for what they do. Let them sacrifice a bit too, which would show their support for their teachers (after all, weren't they all teachers before their current higher status positions?!).

FYI - I left the military after four enlisted years and returned to college to be a teacher. After three years of paying to go to school, rather than being paid to work, I was offered less to teach than I made three years before in the military. In the military I got 30 days of paid leave a year, as a teacher I got June and July to continue my education.

I left Utah to teach in another state that paid better, but returned two years later because Utah is my home. After just one year of teaching in Utah I left the classroom because I could not support my family as a teacher in Utah.

Education faces economic pressures just like every other industry. The sad part is that many teachers have options, maybe not this year, but soon. The point of the article is that a young teacher with an MBA can leave teaching and receive a much higher salary in the business world. Unfortunately many fine teachers do leave the classroom or leave the state, just so they can support their family. I wish we could afford to keep the best teachers in the classroom.

The bottom line is Utah public education is under-funded. You can say what you want about teachers and teachers Unions in Utah but the bottom line is that a Teacher cannot make a living wage in Utah anymore. It is crazy that we expect these people to help us educate our future Doctors, Lawyers and Stake Presidents but fail to pay them even close to a living wage. Nearby states are doing cool things with their children like Apple Laptop initiatives (WYO) and paying nearly twice as much to the teachers. We will soon be creating our own self fulfilling prophesy about public education. Only in the USA do we educate every child. This is a great tradition that needs to continue. It is the only social program we should be funding. I am not a teacher. I can't afford to be.