Rowdy teachers’ meeting canceled
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Teacher Meeting
Hundreds of teachers show up in support of East Providence teachers.
Teachers were angry over the move by the school committee in the cash strapped city to rollback teachers salaries to 2007 levels.
EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I.—Hundreds of teachers turned in support of colleagues from East Providence. The East Providence teachers were ordered to take a five-percent pay cut and ordered to chip in for health insurance premiums.
School committee members had to shut down a public meeting Tuesday night at East Providence High School because they couldn’t control the crowd of hundreds of teachers who came out to protest mid-year pay cuts.
The battle over the city’s teacher contracts has exploded as municipal budgets shrivel statewide in the face of a deepening recession and reductions in state aide.
Teachers say the school committee should not have rejected an independent arbitrator’s decision and is illegally trying to force pay cuts and increased health care contributions.
School committee chair Anthony Carcieri says the district is broke and has nothing else to cut.
The teachers’ union has sued the school committee over the move. A judge could rule by the end of the week.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Reader Reactions
@rihjp3 No one is saying that teachers do not work (please take a Logic class). We are saying that people who have jobs that are not in the government work also. Many of these people make less per hour of work compared to teachers. They also do not get the same benefits and pension. These people are having tough times and the teachers should share in this as well. We would like to see teachers make $200,000 a year (providing they are accomplishing specified goals) but we just don’t have the money. It is not that we don’t appreciate teachers. We can’t afford it right now.
PS. It is “upbringing” not “up bringing” (as a teacher, you should know this)
kc12,
I find it hilarious that you say you have a job. You have been posting on this site for almost 8 hours. You are definitely unemployed, jealous and you need to get a life. But first maybe you should get that GED. Find a new mission. Save your ignorant insults for someone else. Teachers, don’t respond to these people. These are the parents of the kids that we spend more time with annually than they do… these are the parents of the kids that we buy school supplies for… these are the parents of the kids that are no shows to parent engagement night.. I could go on and on. give it a break. go read a book!
Big Idea! You my friend have been out of the classroom for way too long. Lets run a little scenario by you. Lets pretend for a minute that you’re teaching the History of The Holocaust Honors Class at my school, and your job now is to not only have all the accurate lectures for a classes of thirty students each, not to mention the sociology class (30+ Students X 2 periods), and an american history II (honors and regular about lets give you a break with 22 kids each). Now the holocaust class has a term paper you have to correct throughly for each student (and we really do, ill even forward you my copy) which averages at about 20-22 pages per student. and thats one class, and you cant stop your other classes to buy you time to do that. And oh did I mention that its all done at home, unpaid, and thats minus the after school time you spend with your students, and the other papers to correct. By the way the Seniors and Juniors need(and thats who are in the Holocaust class) need that in about lets give you two weeks to be generous. Because of graduation portfolios which we will use that paper for. Good luck pal.
Secondly who do you think those snow days are for? The teachers, you are so lost, I’m pretty sure thats for the students… oh and the summer and holidays belong to us too. Its a darn shame those kids need that healthy social up bringing isn’t it.
By the way blaming the teachers is ridiculous because it is everyone’s fault things are this bad. Well not the students because we aren’t old enough to mess things up this badly. Any person who has studied any bit of economics knows that the poor savings habits and gross spending by everyone tipped the balance of the economy. I could go into the whole balance of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and why the lack of exports and sales as a whole combined with high level of imports and insufficient home produced goods and services (sold here doesn’t count i said produced for a reason), coupled with poor savings and spending balance on the part of the average “Joe the Plumber” knocked us out of balance. But I’m sure you wouldn’t want to hear that from a student. So I guess, its not just the teachers to blame is it? So if everyone, sans the children are to blame. Lets not punish the children, the teachers are our allies, and when the time comes we will pay to prepare the next ones in line, everyone is going to help the next generation how else does progress happen?
Oh “The Bid Idea” There are so many things wrong with what you just wrote I cant even address them all. I feel sorry for your two friends that their “friend” cannot recognize the work that they do.
and I dont know where these “facts” are coming from..I DO pay for my health insurance…and the pension..oh I pay into that, and oh yeah its not matched by my company…and you know what? I think I pay taxes too! wow imagine that? and the vacation days..what do you do on your days off? DO you do school work all day??? Do you do research and plan lessons and design individual lessons for each student so that each of their individual needs are met?
This is a no win argument….You, with your stubbornness and pigheadedness, will constantly think you are right, but I will know, in my heart of hearts how hard we work and how wrong you are. And “Bid Idea” Im not saying you dont work hard, I actually never said that, nor did any teacher on here. You better think about how you treat the “local” teachers that you bash so easily…we are teaching your future doctors and lawyers. oh and GET THIS…maybe you should take those 5 days now…it’ll take you at least that long to get your facts straight.
You seem stressed Bid IDea
@ The Bid Idea - Well put.
Comments on this blog from local teachers are some of the most outrageous comments I have ever read.
Someone said “After 10 years, teachers are making 30 - 40k more then rookie teachers, and we all do the same job.“ Should I feel bad for these rookie teachers? Lets compare….
GET THIS….
I have two friends who are rookie teachers, who both make 8k more then I do per year.
GET THIS….
My two friends leave work before 3p.m. every, single, day.
I leave work no later then 6:30 every, single, day (not to mention the weekends I put in, and I’m on salary).
GET THIS….
Their health insurance is free, no co-pay (paid for by people like ME).
Lets not mention MY health insurance payment, C0-Pay, and Deductable!
GET THIS….
They both have insane amounts of sick and personal days, vacations (not including summers), Holidays AND the grand-daddy summers off. Oh and Snow days!! How fun!
I get 5 vacation days a year, no summers off… and no snow days but I once left at 3pm..BOOOO!
GET THIS…
My two friends work for a school system who asks for a slight slight pay cut, and a teeny weeny co-pay…because of these tough economic times (understandable).
People in my company get FIRED! People are getting FIRED every month because of these tough economic times!
GET THIS….
Unfortunatly, a teachers profession is an EXPENSE (and yes, I know you are all teaching our fabulous children) but teachers do not generate revenue.
I generate big dollars for my company, and the benifits from start to finish that an educator receives DWARFS those of mine!!!!!!! Everything is uncomparable!!!
Imagine if these teachers received my pay and benefits? ...and then imagine if they worked a full year? Oh my, I would love to see their reaction, it would be quite a site.
Teachers… Remember what everyone else on gods green earth is doing. People are disgusted with local teachers because there are plenty of great people who earn peanuts (even compared to teachers) who have to pay their way with insurances.
It was sad sad sad thing to see those teachers behaving like that on the news. It’s utterly embarrassing.
GET THIS…
When I break this all down, I think I want to be a teacher. Maybe something cool like a gym teacher. But I’ll remember what my life was like trying to make it as a young professional in a struggling economy.
If you don’t want to soak your co-pays, THEN QUIT! Maybe they can hire ME!
Kc 12, where can teachers retire after 20 years? Not in Rhode Island. Up until last year it was 28 years regardless of age, and last year the general assembly made it 29 years and you have to be 58 years old. I agree that is generous, but you stating incorrect information.
Stop blaming the unions for the state’s finanical problems. While I am not a teacher or state employee, I know that the problem is decades of poor leadership by both the democrats and republicans. The General Assembly for years used one time revenue sources to plug the state budget instead of making the tough decisions and cutting spending. If these problems, including contributions to health insurance by teachers and government employees, had been properly addressed a decade ago, we would not be in this mess. You can’t blame the unions for doing their job and asking for these benefits. They didn’t give it to themselves, the politicans gave it to them. Address your anger at the appropriate people: the politicans. In the last election, you should have voted against your state senator or state representative that has made a career out of being in the General Assembly and has ruined this state financially. If you voted to re-elect them, then you are also part of the problem. While I agree that teachers and government employees need to start contributing more to their health insurance,and minor pension reform is neccessary, don’t blame them for not wanting to give something up that they have had for a long time. Any of us would feel the same as they do, and if your say you wouldn’t, you’re not being truthful.
jt, I write they can retire in 20 years. If they stay longer, they can get 75-80% ....That is much better than most. The Governors plan has not yet been past, and again, the health benefits are great, again, better than most. Not sure what other facts you are looking for?
kc, honestly- 20 years to get 60% - thats about 40,000 a year for a top step teacher- under the new governor’s plan- with no cost of living increase——they better get health insurance and a bag of chips or something—I m sure everything else in our world will only increase in price-thoughts?
jt-
facts only please-
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