Wow! In this world of timid political correctness New Jersey Gov. Christie tells it like it is... :xyxthumbs: [ame=""]YouTube - NJ Gov. Christie Puting Media in Their Place
I guess he put the teachers of NJ in there place too .... :aetsch022: ... They are about to lose thier jobs...
Telling it like it...? I notice in this, Zackman, that he doesn't say where he stands on anything, he just says, if he's asked, he will. (I guess that's somebody's idea of putting the media in its place??) Can you give us another tape, in which he actually did say where he stands on an issue? Perhaps you're from N.J., and know he's a man of action, not just words, but this tape doesn't show that, so far as I can see. ___________________
Well ice I have a hard time feeling too badly for the teachers of NJ. NJ teachers have a similar deal to those of NY. Let me tell you about one particular teacher who was in my office earlier this tax season. She was in her early 50's and she spent most of her appointment moaning about how poorly she was paid and how she couldn't survive on what a pittance she was making. Her W-2? Oh just a measly $92,000. Her benefit package is worth another $50,000 per year. Her pittance of $142,000 per year was just so sad for her. Now our school year is 180 days by the teacher's union contract. Also by contract they only have to teach a class for 5 hours per day. That means that she only "works" for 900 hours per year. Her hourly wage is just over $157 per hour. Add to these "slave wages" is the fact that her job is guaranteed. That means that no matter how bad she gets or how bad the economy gets or how poorly she is in the classroom, she will have a job. Her pension? Why it is also guaranteed. Is your job and pension guaranteed? Mine sure as hell isn't. When the head of the NY teachers union was approached about making concessions so that there would not be layoffs. His attitude was no way will they make any concessions under any circumstances. The NJ governor didn't cost the teachers their jobs. The teachers cost the teachers their jobs.
Sorry..was not aware of this..No kids so i never got involved with what teachers make...My bad..:aktion061::aktion061:
I suspect, from this comment, twini, that you've never worked as a teacher, especially in public schools! In addition to everything else, it takes physical stamina to teach five hours a day. I can't do it. Whether it's necessary to pay teachers in N.J. as well as you've described is rapidly becoming a moot question, with jobs for teachers vanishing, across the country. As far as Gov Christie is concerned, he's not laying off any teachers: he's proposed cutting state subsidies to school districts and state universities and colleges, leaving it to those who run those to decide what cuts will need to be made, in response, and shifting more of the cost of running those institutions to the local governments (already broke) and to the students (getting that way) of New Jersey's state colleges and universities. The real story- in laying off teachers, doubling class sizes, closing schools, forcing university students to borrow even more if they want to attend, and all the other measures school districts, state governments, and local governments are taking in the face of not having enough money to pay for required services- is the relative impoverishment of the nation, now being felt everywhere, much of it the result of events of the last decade. Cuts will be made, and they will be big when they do come, but I feel this is just the beginning of what we're going to see all across America in a process that could take a generation to complete. ____________________
Actually V I do teach. I teach continuing education classes to other CPA's. When I teach I'm on my feet for 9 straight hours for three days in a week plus running through airports and staying in hotels. Is it easy? No it isn't and I'm paid substantially less than $157 per hour but it is my choice and I do enjoy it. V, if I'm reading your reply correctly you are saying that isn't it sad that we have gotten to that point. My point is that the reason we have gotten to that point is that governments at all levels have sold out to the special interests. In this case, the teachers' unions hold incredible sway here in NY and in other states. When the unions are told that they must either give concessions or cuts will be made, their attitude is to hell with the kids, we are not making any concessions. The attitude of those who feed at the public trough is that they will not take any cuts and they don't care who suffers. It kind of reminds me of a client that I used to have. He inherited a business from his father. He was bleeding the business something fierce. I told him that he had to cut back or the business would fold. His attitude was that he had to have that much money to live. Now you know why I said that I used to have that client. He's out of business. So many people who are on public payrolls or public payments do not seem to realize that if things continue there will be no money for anyone.
Hi, twini. So, you do know what it's like to be on your feet a lot! In spite of all that, you'd probably agree that teaching a group of professionals, over three days, would not equal the wear and tear you'd experience in a school year with a bunch of kids. But, that's probably beside the point, anyway. I don't think we're that far apart on this, actually. Perhaps you're a little more focused on what appears to be the source of the problem- government of the special interests, by the special interests, and for the special interests- along with greedy unions, where I see the problem as running deeper and more broadly, to the society and "culture* in the U.S., as a whole. As for making "concessions", we're all going to be in that business before the economic dislocations that are coming are fully worked out, if I'm right about what the future holds for the country. ___________________ *I've made some comments on the "cultural" theme before: for those who might like to know what I'm talking about, see- http://www.cancuncare.com/forum/fre...cal-quiz-where-do-you-stand-2.html#post320936) ___________________
V, I do think we are much closer to the same page as far as what needs to be done and what may have gotten us to this point. I agree that we have a real crisis in values in the US. That crisis is one that has to be cured from the start by the individuals. The biggest obstacle that I can see is that we have lost all accountability. The mantra is now "It's not my problem," rather than "What can I do to help?" We have got to change that attitude.
V-I have to admit that teachers are important. But as long as they have unions to back them so they are there no matter how good or bad they are that is where the problems come into education. Indeed a good teacher that kids look up to are worth keeping and paying a higher salary. But to keep teachers who are there to spend their day by making themselves look busy and are detested by kids for not teaching, those have to go. The problem is that they cannot be let go due to them having tenure. This is the magic item that keeps teachers around forever and they do not have to move to teach anyone. Once they have the tenure they are in the job till they decide to quit. Get rid of this mindset and you will see education improve drastically by weeding out the bad teachers. That is all the Christie and many parents want. Nobody objects to a teacher should get $157 per hour based on the above data if they earn that money by teaching vs. spending their day not doing anything of value to our children. And the unions must give in to this or let the government get rid of the bunch all at once. And just for your info did you know that school administrators in NJ make and average $150-225,000 per year in salary without the benefits being in the picture yet. And they too have about 30 days off per year. And many of them are as useless as some of the teachers they oversee.
