Rowdy teachers’ meeting canceled

It is understood by all, that times are tough.  I believe a majority of teachers know they have to make concessions. Although I don’t work in EP, all districts are facing the same dilemmas.  Many teachers know it is difficult for many people to pay higher taxes to cover their salaries. Myself included.  I am by no means living large.  Please understand that.  Why, though, does it always fall on the shoulders of the teachers, and much less so on the firefighters, police officers, etc.?  Why is it that the state police can retire after 20 or so years and then collect their pensions immediately?  I haven’t seen too much discussion on that.  For me, as I said before, what is most frustrating is that the general population thinks the teachers are dispensible. That is mean and extremely disrespectful.  Regardless of salary (or who pays it), I don’t think John Q. Public would be too happy if he was constantly maligned for the horrible job he does in his particular job, when he knows he is doing a good job. It is human nature for people to get defensive when being attacked.  As teachers, we need to defend our positions because we ARE being singled out.  Try picking a fight with the frefighters or police.  Chances are they would get defensive, too.  This whole discussion about teachers and their performances makes me sick.  Maybe today, I will give your children exactly what you think I give them each and every day, which would be pretty much nothing. Nah, I’m too professional for that, as are many of my colleagues.

Thermo,
Sorry to offend you.  I don’t recall blaming anyone for my choices in my post or asking anyone to give me anything.  I have always worked for every dollar that I’ve earned.  Many people don’t agree with the negotiating process but that is the process that’s in place. It’s the process that all other school commitees abide by. Just because one disagrees with something doesn’t give them the right to disregard it.  Once again the teachers of EP are willing to do their part to help balance the budget.  To ask them to take on the result of 10 years of mismangement is simply wrong. The committee has continued to give raises to others and spend thousands of dollars elsewhere even though the department is claiming to be financially strapped.  Teachers feel that this is a double standard and that they’re being targeted.
Once again sorry if I’ve offended you or anyone else.  I’m not asking you to agree with me, I’m just responding to the story.

just wanted to clarify that East Providence Teachers do understand the fiancial distress that the city and country is in.  Cutting back is necessary.  The teachers of E.P. have already agreed to a pay freeze and co-pay.  Teachers are more upset with the lack of respect they’ve been given by the current school committee and the fact that the committee is unwilling to negotiate like every other school committee in the state does.

Please keep in mind the few minutes of the meeting that is being run is a snippet.  Remember what people are reacting to. I don’t know anyone who would be happy about being publically bashed and a surprise pay cut.  Although these people are teachers, they are human too.  They have families and bills to pay just like everyone else. They are afraid of losing their homes too. The full meeting was more of a pep rally atmosphere.  Emotions were high but no one was in danger. There were tax payers chanting and yelling too. Police were there because they had to be due to the large number of people. Some were actually there in support of the teachers. No one was in any danger.

This is a situation that is a result of the committee’s mismanagement of funds.  I don’t think the teachers nor the tax payers should have to take on the full brunt of that mismanagement.

The bottom line is the school commitee needs to play by the rules and go back to the drawing board and negotiate!  At the end of the day if the teachers still need to take a cut so be it but atlease the proper proceedure was followed.

Most of the back and forth rhetoric on this blog serves to make the bloggers feel good about their respective positions on this issue.  After all is said and done, the town of East Providence either needs to raise taxes or cut spending…period!  In order to cut spending, the town must look at the salary/benefits structure of all municipal employees.  The teachers are just the tip of the iceberg.

I don’t know why I continue to be surprised, but the hatred for teachers is just incredible.  While presently a teacher, I have worked in the private sector as well, so I feel as if I can speak to the issues at hand.  (By the way, that private sector job paid pretty well and I didn’t even need a college degree!) Every job has its pros and cons.  There are no perfect jobs.  In the private sector, I had several people to whom I had to report.  In teaching, the “bosses” to whom I report are my principal, superintendent and 23 sets of parents, who believe that their child is the only one I teach. I have more “bosses” in one year than many of you will have in a lifetime. It is often stressful. While money is certainly an issue when it comes to teachers’ salaries and I realize to a certain degree change is needed, I think it is important for people to realize the value of the job that we try to do. Most teachers are very dedicated and committed to their profession and work incredibly hard.  However, we are often chastised and denigrated.  Interesting, though, that parents who accuse us of not doing our jobs, wouldn’t think of addressing their own children for failing to hold up those same standards which are required of them as students.  Hhmmm…go figure! Ohhh, that’s right, I forgot.  We have to think of their self-esteem!  No matter what jobs we have, we should all be held accountable to achieve whatever our jobs require of us. In order for students to be successful, they have to be active participants in their own learning. Please also remember that not all children are created equal, so please do not equate test scores and student performance with teacher salaries. We are not miracle workers.  As I am fond of saying, “We all make choices.“  My choice was to get my undergraduate and graduate degrees while working and raising a family.  Easy?  Absolutely not. Quite a bit of debt?  You bet. Good, bad or indifferent, I chose this field.  I could have chosen to be a doctor or nurse, although I never had a burning desire to do either.  That doesn’t mean I begrudge them the money they earn or the lifestyles they maintain. Their jobs are difficult.(Nurses don’t make nearly enough!)  In our society, there is a hierarchy of job classification.  For the work that doctors, nurses and other high paying professionals do, pay is commensurate with education, responsibility and experience.  They are providing a very important service, as are teachers. (With all due respect, those individuals who chose to do something different, shouldn’t expect the same salary as someone who pursued a career in a more demanding, highly specialized field.)  Would you dare yell at your doctor and tell him he is not worth the money he makes?  I don’t think so.  While concessions have to be made, I suggest you teacher haters make one yourselves and admit that what we teachers do is a valuable service. I can sleep at night, knowing that I gave as much of myself as I possibly could during the day, in many cases dealing with students who parrot their parents disrespect of teachers. I don’t care if I “only “ work 9 months of the year and have vacations interspersed.  The decision I made to become a teacher was an easy one. It was the process to achieving my goal that was hard, and somedays continues to be, but I am not complaining.  It is what I want to do and I deserve every penny I earn! You may not like your job or pay, but that was YOUR choice.  Don’t begrudge me mine.  I earned it.