OT: Lay off notices

[Thumper]

The lay off notices for my school go out tomorrow.

 

We lost two full-time ad two part-time teachers last June due to budget cuts. We're looking at losing three more teachers in this round.

 

The ESD Board met Wednesday to approve contracts and also approve the lay offs. I just got my contract approval letter today, so I'm guessing I'm good to go for the time being.

 

This sucks. Our staff is down by 30% in a year, yet we still provide services for the same number of young men. Class sizes are up, prep periods are history, and we're going to lose some solid, seasoned teachers.

 

I had a wee bit of the Bushmills last night for Saint Patrick's Day. I'm going to have somewhat more than a wee dram tonight.

 

 

F*ck.....

 

[/rant]

[Sugarskull]

That completely sucks.

I'm glad you keep your job though... but stillll

[Super Bass]

Seems to be the same everywhere.

[Johnny_Crab]

Only the school districts that have tightwads for years at the helm are getting by unscathed. Those will get hit in Texas somewhat when the decreased(YES, I SAID LOWERED PROPERTY TAX ASSESSMENT!) values get taxed for less for each SD.

 

Glad you made the grade Thumper!

My wife's employed at a local SD that has, so far, been well-managed by the bean counters. We don't play football in a pro stadium but they have managed a new band hall, new gym, and keeping staff.

[mrs. bleepo]

that sucks man teachers do an amazing service. i could never do what you do, i have no patience. mojo to all the teachers out there

[Svi]

I'm really sorry. Today a major district here layed off 30 teachers, and Chicago Public Schools are CLOSING left and right. Sad, sad, sad.

[jasper383]

That's really bad news.

 

My son's elementary school will most likely have two (at least) fewer teachers for next year, and they already are pretty stretched. It's still pretty bad out there, isn't it?

[Thunderbroom]

 

That's really bad news. My son's elementary school will most likely have two (at least) fewer teachers for next year, and they already are pretty stretched. It's still pretty bad out there, isn't it?

 

 

The Elgin school district announced 1100 layoffs...732 of them teachers. There district is the second largest (I think) in the state at 40,000 students.

 

My college is weathering the storm pretty well. While some colleges rely on up to 40% of their budget from our bankrupt state, my college is at 11% and we're in the middle of a huge ($89m+) multiyear expansion.

[Hearafter]

I hate seeing good teachers get the axe.

[prosigna]

We don't play football in a pro stadium but they have managed a new band hall, new gym, and keeping staff.

 

You still get to play in the "pro stadiums" for away games!

It is amazing what they spend on stadiums out there but I must say....

 

They are fun to play in.

[BottomHeavyKate]

My high school had a huge music program. 1400 kids in the school and we had 5 full size concert bands and 4 full size concert choirs. With jazz ensembles and choral groups. I took conducting, composition, and theory classes in high school. It was serious.

 

A few years ago money was tight so what do they do???? They axed the entire music department. No more band, marching band, pep band, jazz band, choir - nothing. After a full remodel and new performance hall that was build in 1998.

 

{censored}ed up.

[Svi]

 

The Elgin school district announced 1100 layoffs...732 of them teachers. There district is the second largest (I think) in the state at 40,000 students. My college is weathering the storm pretty well. While some colleges rely on up to 40% of their budget from our bankrupt state, my college is at 11% and we're in the middle of a huge ($89m+) multiyear expansion.

 

 

U46.

 

That district was in a few neighborhoods we looked at, but the second we saaw U46 we ran and never came back.

[Emprov]

Makes me wonder how many administrative positions are scheduled to be eliminated.

[J.]

I'm sorry to hear that man. Losing one's job always sucks.

 

I think the schools around me are doing a little bit better than most, but to tell the truth it doesn't pain me to see them having to make cuts. Unfortunately, I wish they were making different kinds of cuts.

 

I don't buy the notion that education needs more funding, especially when K-12 education consumes a whopping 50% of my state's already bloated budget, not to mention the massive cash injection schools get from steadily rising property taxes. On top of this, they still come around with new levies and referendums on off election years.

 

I think they need real reform, especially since I'm a gov't employee as well and know how the system works. If they really want to save money, it will involve breaking the back of the teacher's union... a good thing in my opinion.

 

First off, no more retiring at 55 with a defined benefit pension plan. Teachers get a 401k (or 403b) like the rest of the private sector gets. Retiree costs for teachers and administrators are staggering. That would be a HUGE savings.

 

Second, no more lanes and steps compensation. Why is the young, competent teacher getting paid 30k a year when the old has been just phones it in for 60k a year? I think we've all had teachers who we knew should no longer be in the profession. Pay for performance. I wouldn't mind paying new teachers more, but no way should some crappy teacher be making bank just because he/she has been there for 20 years. Of course, administrator salaries need to be cut as well, perhaps even more so.

 

Third, make it easy to fire bad teachers. I remember parents trying to get a teacher out of my hometown's middle school year after year after year. She was almost untouchable due to her tenure. That needs to end. Why does the same hack making 60k/year stay while two enthusiastic 30k/year teachers get laid off? The whole seniority bit doesn't fly, especially when it's taxpayer money and we want to get the best value for the dollar.

[y-o-y]

Not in education, but we laid off 2500 last week and 10k between Oct 2008 and Jan 2009

[dDigitalPimp]

hope everything works out and you keep your job thumper.

 

Seems to be the same everywhere.

 

yeah, our lead singer just got the axe at his job. sucks, they are a single income family.

[Fireball_73]

The entire Nuclear Physics department has had the plug pulled on funding at Glasgow University.

 

Hope your job stays secure.

[isaac42]

But the recession is over! The economy is on the upswing!

 

And all that crapola.

[pamackie]

 

But the recession is over! The economy is on the upswing! And all that crapola.

 

 

Lower taxes are always better! Why should rich folks have to pay for everyone else's education?

[bluedogaudio]

 

But the recession is over! The economy is on the upswing! And all that crapola.

 

 

The economy might be on the upswing, but the recession isn't over.

[bluedogaudio]

 

Lower taxes are always better! Why should rich folks have to pay for everyone else's education?

 

 

because they're rich

[isaac42]

 

The economy might be on the upswing, but the recession isn't over.

 

 

Yuh-huh! They said so!

[isaac42]

 

Lower taxes are always better! Why should rich folks have to pay for everyone else's education?

 

 

Because they benefit from having educated employees?

[pamackie]

 

Because they benefit from having educated employees?

 

 

Pfft. Whatever. They don't need an education to rise above! If they really care, they will rise anyway. Look at all those people who succeeded without decent schooling.

[Kindness]

 

Pfft. Whatever. They don't need an education to rise above! If they really care, they will rise anyway. Look at all those people who succeeded without decent schooling.

 

 

The ones that pulled themselves up by their bootstraps and didn't rely on government handouts?! They took personal responsibility for their success or failure and are true Americans.