I try to avoid hot button topics on here but I can’t take it anymore.
Education, my friends, is in the shitter.
What on God’s green earth is it going to take to fix this awful situation we have ourselves in? I, for one, am sick of it and will start a revolution if that’s what it takes. I’m serious.
I’m sick of my husband and I constantly worrying about our job security when we both have Master’s Degrees in education, he having two separate licenses. Just yesterday, Matt’s district came up with a new plan that includes cutting physical education (that’s what Matt teaches), art, music and computers. Schools will be K-8 and then high school so they will be closing many schools. There will be over 300 teachers let go, and if you’re lucky enough to keep your job, you’ll have to take a 10% pay CUT, pay more into the state retirement system and pay more for your benefits.
WTF people?
Granted, my husband works in an urban district with a bad reputation. BUT, those teachers work harder and do more with less than any I’ve ever known. They have wonderful teachers who just want to help kids succeed. And this is how we treat them.
And it’s happening everywhere. EVERYWHERE. Districts are laying off teacher after teacher, cutting extra-curriculars, busing, anything extra. And guess who’s suffering? The kids and the teachers. All because this country can’t figure out a way to make it work.
Shouldn’t teachers be one of the most highly respected and paid professionals in our country? They spend more time with our children than we do on most days. No one could go to college or become anything without them. Is it because most of us are females? Is it because most people think it’s easy? What is it that makes education the target for so much crap?
If I were in college right now, I’d think twice about going into the profession and that makes me sad. I’ve wanted to be a teacher since I could speak. The thought that I would avoid this profession makes me ill. But with what crap we are all dealing with right now, I don’t know that I could in my right mind do it. It’s so sad to me that my husband, who puts his heart and soul into teaching and has thousands of adoring fans over at his school, will be cut because this country can’t figure out how to make it work. The thought of all of those kids, most of whom are obese and get NO RECESS, will now have to do without any physical activity at all makes me very angry. The thought that some of these children, whose only way out may indeed be art or music, will not get to experience it makes me furious.
What on Earth is it going to take? I personally think if we could somehow organize a revolution where every single teacher in the United States went on strike until the government fixed it, that might work. The funding of schools must be fixed. There’s just no way around it. And before that’s going to happen each and every person in the United States needs to project a feeling of respect for teachers and education.
What do you think? I’m getting of my soapbox now so I can go figure out ways to make more money and save more money for when my highly educated husband gets laid off for the 4th time in his career. And, yes, I have a job but it’s for a charter school and, if you can imagine, we get paid even less than the rest of the lot. It doesn’t go far.
President Obama, or anyone else in authority that is listening, you MUST do something about this. I’m already starting plans for my revolution.
Elastamom's Excerpts 
I agree, teachers should be among the most respected of all professions.
Here’s hoping for a change…
Wow…that’s crazy! Definitely very messed up. I’ve always had a huge respect for teachers (ok, well, maybe not when I was snot-nosed kid) but since I started doing volunteer work in Nolan’s classroom, and of course going through all the IEP stuff with Kaia, I have alot more. The amount of work they do is crazy, and they have such a large responsibility. Definitely way underpaid. Here’s hoping for a change!
TOTALLY AGREE!!!
SIGN ME UP FOR THE REVOLUTION!
I”LL BE THERE RANK & FILE!
I’m no longer in the profession, and I don’t think I will ever go back because of situations like this. It’s really sad not only for the teachers and students, but for our future! Revolution? I’m all in!!
I completely agree with you!! Only in here would you take an already obese and lazy cohort and feed them a meal that averages 49 fat grams/1200 calories (that’s the nutritional info for a standard school lunch) and take away probably the only exercise they get in a day. It’s a proven fact that a healthy diet and exercise improves concentration, attention, behavior, etc. How will they ever learn the importance of physical activity if they can’t learn it at school? The incidence of childhood diabetes and other health issues related to childhood obesity is already on the rise. This will only make it worse and facilitate our already lazy, fast food society!! So sorry about the long response, but I’m very passionate about childhood healthy eating habits and exercise. I think they are both necessary to thrive. Also, teaching should be one of the highest paid professions. You have the impossible task of training our future. I got to tell you our future is not looking good right now.
This makes me sad. You are totally right, it is all over. Utah had a huge cut last year. It makes me very sad!!! I hope that they keep your husband regardless of the odds. Schooling should be one of the highest priorities!! What are these people thinking?!?!
I finally got caught up here! I wish I’d read backward though. I liked the ipad endorsement and the marriage advice and the positively superb progress update. This post, though, leaves me feeling kind of worked up. Funding in Ohio is F-ed up. The system is despicable. Hoping M’s job is spared…
girl…don’t EVEN get me started. especially after the craptastic day i had today behind the educational lines. i got sassed, ignored, belittled, and all other unpleasant varieties of elementary school student attitude. i think it’s because we haven’t seen the sun in 4 days….but i still had to do it all for the whopping price of about $0.20 an hour. with a head cold. our district took a hit this past year (also meaning pay cuts) and that’s why i’m at an elementary school now (which i have come to like…and might even love one day) and not working with high schoolers like i really wanted to. my position got cut and i was transferred. fortunately, i have tenure so i’ll always have a job….but they can pretty much place me anywhere they darn well please. and the “powers that be” are a bunch of yahoos who have never stepped foot in a classroom since their butts were warming a desk seat as a student. they throw things down the pipeline to us and demand results that are impossible. they tie our hands and make it to where it’s miserable with paperwork. it breaks my heart to hear about one of the GOOD ONES getting cut. the ones who truly care and actually make a difference. the ones who take what they are given and make it into something positive and successful. and i’m also sorry for turning this comment into what is looking like my very own personal rant post. whew!
He must work for TPS…… I have a friend who will be most likely getting let go as she JUST got a job this past year at one of the middle schools…. I feel horrible for everyone who is going to be affected by this… š¦
In AZ some of the districts have cut funding for Kindergarten. KG is basically optional in some cities in AZ. It just absolutely baffles me that the one thing we can arm our kids with, education, is being taken for granted.
I would march with you anywhere. The government needs to realize that the community can’t be expected to totally fund the schools – we are picked dry with taxes. Teachers offer our children a future and many of them offer our children things they will NEVER get at home. My heart breaks when schools talk about the cuts they see necessary. Sylvania alone is looking at cutting services related to special education! Nothing is sacred anymore. It’s time for Obama, and anyone else with a voice that people will listen to, to stand up for our children. They cannot succeed without the financial support of the government. In a world where we can pay athletes million dollar salaries, surely we can come up with some funding SOMEWHERE to help our schools and our children. Stay on that soapbox sweetie and allow some of us to join you up there.
I agree! Something has to be done!
Totally on your side. We went through some cuts last year and it just infuriates me! I don’t understand why so many adults in the world can’t see that if we cheat the kids, we end up cheating everyone. Good luck to you guys! I’m pulling for Matt and the kids!
I agree with everything you said. I hear the same things said at school all the time. Something has to change…..before it is too late.