From Randy Cerveny, President of the Harford County Education Association:
There has been much in the news regarding my actions and statements during the amendment process of the “bonus” with the County Council last week. Below is my response to the information that was published December 19.
December 6
Part of my public testimony at the hearing for bill 11-54 – The School Board and the Association shall negotiate those funds pursuant to the collective bargaining guidelines established in state law. Using that process could lead to the same outcome that was proposed by the County Executive. We don’t know how that will turn out.
Discussion as to why HCEA could not sign the MOU first occurred with Councilwoman Lisanti following the Council meeting. We engaged Nancy Giorno, a member of Executive Craig’s staff about the legality of money conditioned by county executives. She did not feel that there was a problem, but that opinion is contrary to that of our legal counsel who has cited cases where it has been overturned by Attorney Generals. One recent ruling concerned Harford County in 2008.
Lisanti and I continued to discuss this over the phone the next several days.
December 8
HCEA held a Legislative event that included members of the council. Much of the talk revolved around the “bonus”. Councilman Woods also agreed to help with amendments to fix the bill so teachers could be part of those receiving the money.
December 9
Wording for an amendment from HCEA’s attorney was sent to Lisanti. She informed me that this language would not be acceptable.
December 13
I believed that the issue was dead, but called Council President Boniface late Tuesday afternoon and explained that HCEA had been unable to come to an agreement on the amendment with council members and we would not be able to agree to the current terms the “bonus” bill. HCEA would not sign the MOU because we still believed that these funds cannot be conditioned and they must be negotiated. A short time later, I received a call from Lisanti with a suggested amendment that included many of our attorney’s recommendations. When I explained to Lisanti that this would work, she asked if I could hold on as she would like to have me talk with Boniface. He asked if this amendment would enable HCEA to do what it had to do to get this resolved. I responded with a simple “Yes” and ended the call. There was never any intent on my part to do anything but to represent the same position to the Council that I had been professing all along. This money cannot be conditioned and the funds must be negotiated with the school system and the result of those negotiations could be a one-time stipend.
The bill passed that evening
My statement at the end of the County Council meeting – Teachers work daily modifying instruction to meet the needs of all students. The council, with your modifications through amendments to bill 11-54, will now enable HCEA to work with Harford County Public Schools, within the state guidelines of collective bargaining, to see that teachers also benefit from this revenue.
December 14
My email to members was not meant to mislead anyone. My email stated that the Labor Board could use this money. This was not the only money that was available.
December 15
I have reviewed my MSEA and HCPS email accounts and have not found an email from Lisanti
December 16 – Present
Currently all bargaining units except HCEA have settled their contract for the 2011/12 school year. HCEA filed a complaint with the Labor Board to resolve our dispute with the BOE. Since our contract was unresolved our attorney argued (as she stated in her briefs shared weeks before with the BOE and the Labor Board) that no money should be applied to any other bargaining unit until the HCEA contract was settled. She proposed that the school system’s surplus from the previous year and any new monies coming to the BOE should be considered as part of the solution to resolve the dispute.
Following the Labor Board hearing I called the County Council offices late Friday afternoon and left a message to return my call. Having not received a returned call I called their office again Monday morning. At this time I have not heard from the Council.
Randy Cerveny
President
Harford County Education Association
No, you mean it wasn’t meant to become public. It was specifically meant to mislead! It’s a shame the teachers to oust you!
Teachers deserve what was put in the contract and will soon get at least a larger portion of that thanks to the decision that will be handed down from the labor board. As a tax payer, I hope that the BOE will renegotiate and settle up with HCEA and avoid the smackdown that is forthcoming from the labor board.
Stop wasting my tax dollars. I think people are failing to realize that teachers are public servants and they answer to us the taxpayers. I stand behind David Craig on this matter. Cerveny you are UNION SCUM and I hope the teachers vote you out for failing to represent them, I can’t believe in this economy with the people you represent not getting raises and step increase that you took a raise, I can’t believe they pay you with my tax dollars a six figure income, this disgusts me that my tax dollars are wasted like this.
At Pissed-
Do not forget….teachers are taxpayers too! I like to consider myself seld-employed 🙂
Seriously, though, teacher do pay taxes. It does not mean that the people laying the concrete on the street have to answer to me…. That is ridiculous. I am not the mayor of the town or boss of the world. I think many (at least the ones who post here) taxpayers have gotten a God complex. You pay your taxes for MANY services. Your individual contribution to an individual teachers salary for the year is about a quarter, so that is about as much say as you should have.
Your comment makes me feel so fortunate to work at a school where most of the parents show anything like the attitude you show. They are supportive, positive, and value the work I do each day for their child. Thank you to the wonderful parents I work with.
oops..”SELF-employed…” I don’t want the grammar police going off on me 🙂
@pissed-The teachers, sheriff deputies or county employees do not answer to the taxpayer. Their service is to their vocation, self-interest and their direct employers only. The county council, elected officials and the CE answer to both taxpayers and employees. I don’t know how paying someone to teach is a “waste” as you put it. Is education not important to our local economy? national interest? to the private market? What part of skills, literacy and knowledge do you find to be a waste? Clearly, teachers need to stand for their own economic benefit, as should everyone that works for a living. I am sure you don’t work for less than your skill is worth. The county has the funds to fully fund step raises and cola’s. They are choosing to spend it on other one time items or capital projects. The county can also raise taxes just as well as the county cut taxes the past 2 years.
Why do all the liberals on here want to raise taxes?
Why do teachers think there job is hard and can not be easily replaced?
Half the police action is only to substantiate there job and fill the coffers, why do they right BS tickets all the time, why do they criminalize drugs so much, why does the average person commit a few felonies every day?
We have too many laws and too much government.
I’m as conservative as they come… but to think for one minute that teachers can be easily replaced and that there job is not one of the most important in our society is a joke. I too think government is too big and that education would be better served to have government get out of the way but to put any blame on teachers is quite frankly bullshit. Teachers not only cover their content but most have to teach kids moral values, responsibility, and respect because so many parents fail to do it.
It is not that we want to raises taxes but we believe that you should honor your commitments to your employees.
@Pissed…Because you do not know the difference between “there” and “their” and “right” and “write”.
Merry Christmas,
~Grammar Police
I do not think the average person commits a few felonies a day!
@Pissed…I hope that your children get an incredible open-minded education and move far away from you because obviously, let’s face it, you have a few screws loose. I bet your values and opinions have helped you get far in life, which probably explains the anger and rage. You just like to blame the rest of the world for your problems, dont you?
It amazes me how many comments on this site bash teachers. I am so tired of hearing about how “we” are the problem in education and we stand in the way of positive education reform. I have never been asked once in my 15 years what curriculum and instruction should be used in our schools. Someone dictates to me what I need to cover and even how to do it every single day of my job. Yet, I have been accused of so much just because I am a teacher. I actually have to come home from teaching all day just to sit at the kitchen table and re-teach my child math “the correct way” because of the crap math curriculum the elementary school has. This school system is failing my child and as a teacher I HAVE NO FREAKING SAY IN ANYTHING!!!!!I have 2 degrees and I am not even allowed to use the laminator in my school for craps sake let alone get in the way of this country’s educational reform.
Bel Air Girl,
Send your child to an accredited private school. There are plenty of them around in Harford County and your child will end up with a real education and will, in the long, run be more successful.
Without teachers none of you would make the salaries you do or have the jobs you have. Your ability to write a semi-coherent comment on here is because of the teaching of some professional in some school who is being treated like the town prostitute by the Union and the Board of Education. Instead of bashing your teachers, try thanking them for the countless hours spent helping to shape you and possibly your kids into responsible productive people. Amazed how soon we forget how much one teacher has probably meant to us at all at some point in life. PATHETIC
@justanotherday – I remember the one teacher who made a difference and I also remember all the rest of the lazy jerks. On balance lazy jerk teachers have won and we have lost.
Stillwell
Your comments suggest that you are a bitter person. I seriously question whether you have the capacity for compassion about anything – and I am not just talking about this particular issue. You appear to be just another one of those people who wants to complain about everything.
@feelsorryforyou
I don’t believe the narrative that teachers are selfless benevolent creatures who sacrifice themselves for the children. Teachers have chosen teaching on the whole for the lifestyle, benefits, money, tenure and of course many could not compete in the free market.
In private, when you ask teachers about incompetent teachers they will agree and give you a list of bad apples. The good teachers are just as disgusted by the free-rider losers as the rest of us.
Stillwell
If it makes you feel any better you are only part of the problem.
please explain how that is so?
Yeah Stillwell that makes perfect sense, lump all of the teachers in with a few lazy jerks that you have had to deal with. I work with several lazy people but in no way to i STEREOTYPE all of my co-workers because of some lazy asses. Your attitude is the reason that teachers are seen as the enemy. What a sad state we have reached when so many people share those ideological beliefs. If you don’t like schools put your kids in private school!
I would suggest that everyone ignore and not respond to future posts from STILLWELL. Doing so only provides a platform and encourages more vitriol from him.
@feelsorryforyou
It’s unfortunate that you cannot come to grips with fact that teachers are selfish and self-centered. And their demands on taxpayers are unsustainable.
Our children are being cheated and we can no longer afford your incompetence.
@justanotherday – It’s sad but most teachers struggle to achieve mediocrity and sadly they fail.
Stillwell
Most? I seriously doubt that. No more teachers struggle than people in other jobs… I’m sure wherever you work everyone is a stud. Total BS to lump our feelings and their salaries based on some who truly do suck.
Come on stillwell you can not be that dillusional… Maybe you should actually go in to a school like Bel air middle or Fallston and see the amazing things that go on.
Randy is paid with union money.
The union gets its money from the dues that are payed for by tax dollars
Your arguement is ridiculous.
That money became compensation for a teacher for services rendered. At that point the taxpayer loses any right to say how it is spent. By your logic a private Northrup Gruman contractor who gets paid with money Northrup Gruman gets for working on a government contract is spending tax payer money and we should tell them how to spend it! For that matter all pay is taxpayer money!
Let’s get down to the bare bones here…SOMEONE is lying. Either the county council members or Randy Cerveny…someone is lying. Either way, the common man comes out on the short end of the stick. Either the people we’ve elected to represent us are lying, or the head of the teachers’ union, also elected to his position, is lying.
I don’t think anyone is lying. They are just presenting the facts as they see them. Perhaps the council does not understand HCEA’s position. It really doesn’t matter the solution is sitting down and negotiating not trying to blast the union in the press or manipulate our membership with”bonus”offers.
God forbid that Mr. Craig tries to do something so low down, so underhanded, so evil as give a bonus to deserving teachers.
I think everyone understands the unions position. Give us more, more more.
@Ryan….I think the union leadership needs to tell the truth. The teachers have been misled. Why are they suffering because of Cerveny. I was talking to a good friend who knows what is going on and Mr Cerveny deceived the county exec, council and BOE and teachers. This was a one time bonus and was not meant to be part of salary talks. I commend Cerveny for trying, but he went about it the wrong way. This was a bonus for county workers, teachers included, and now the school board has to wait for the council to approve the back up funds. I think the blame is directed at Cerveny because he messed up and tried to say it wasn’t his fault. He needs to apologize to all the hard working teachers who could have used the extra money.
I believe teachers have one of the most thankless jobs out there. In the same respect, if those teachers that really had faith in their ability to teach, refused to join the union (which unfortunately is a safe-harbor for teachers that either no longer care, or are ineffective in their jobs) they may find that the “broken” education system may start to heal. It’s not the only answer, but it may help.
Teachers are generally well educated, professional people. Why treat them like “subjects” that need to bow to their “union king”? Let them make decisions for themselves! I just don’t get the logic behind taking a group of folks likely with more education than I have, and treating them like kids that can’t take care of themselves.
Pizzle
I am trained and have a degree in English and English education, and I have a master’s degree in writing. I work hard every day to share that specific, specialized knowledge with my students. I can’t do math at all- nor can I arbitrate or negotiate the complex and ever changing political process. I am having a hard time just following what is going on- period. I can’t imagine trying to deal with any of this myself. I prefer to have a union do that for me.
Need the Union,
Well, if you ‘prefer to have a union do that for you’ then you have what you prefer. How is that working out for you? Any bonus money in your account? I believe you are either smarter than you think and just don’t want to make the effort to understand, or – well let’s hope you are smarter than you think because the alternative is truly frightening to me as a parent.
Ryan, I am smart enough to know that I am not educated in law or arbitration. My sister is a lawyer. She would tell you I am smarter than she is, but I haven’t been to law school. I am smart enough to know that politics is more murky water in which I prefer not to wade. Smart enough to know that it is better for my students if I continue to learn and refine my ability to teach them to read and write versus heading back to law school to protect my rights and my ability to collectively bargain. I have no desire to go back to school for eight more years to learn to negotiate with politicians about my contracted salary. Also- speaking of law school- I have more education than my sister, and she makes a lot more for admittedly less noble work. Though certainly smart enough to, I would never trade places with her. I prefer feeling like in some ways I am making a positive difference helping young people every day and doing the things I know I do well. Also- I think it is a fool who does not recognize their own limits or pretends to know everything. I certainly answer my students honestly if I don’t know an answer, and then we look for a reliable source to find out.
How is it working out for me? Well- that depends on how it goes with the Labor Board. I’ll be sure and let you know.
Apologies- should say ALEX R-not Ryan- long day- hopefully you don’t think I am not making enough effort here or not as smart as I think I am….
I agree with you get more involved. We nee smart people like you.
Need the Union,
And it is a bigger fool that ‘hires’ someone to perform a service for them (as you have hired the union) and doesn’t know how to judge whether they are getting a job well done or are being taken for a ride. I know how to judge whether the teachers of my children are doing a good job or not and I’m not a teacher. I think most teachers do a pretty good job and I applaud them. I think they are paid fairly given their ENTIRE package including how much time they have off. My issues are in several areas. First, the good teachers protect the bad ones. Second, the administration is wastes a ton of money on baloney that could be spent on stuff that matters. Third, the organizational structure is so bloated at the top that is makes me nauseous. Fourth, principals have too much power and little to no accountability.
Am I ringing any bells yet?
Actually teachers need a union to protect them from the abusive nature of current school system administration. Ask any teacher if they have any real influence over the path of education and the answer will be no. Administrators treat teachers like assembly line workers and believe teachers have nothing of value to offer when it comes to making decisions for the entire school system. If you look at the best school systems in MD and anywhere else around the country you will see a much better relationship between teachers and the administration. They recognize that they are working toward the common interests of their students. That relationship simply does not exist in Harford Co., especially under the current superintendent and some others in senior staff. Who better to help guide system wide than classroom teachers? They are the ones doing the work everyday, not administrators that have not been in the classroom for years, and quite honestly if they had to return to the classroom most would fail miserably or would decide to retire.
The best schools also have a much more active union membership.
Measured by what empirical standard?
And it was not happening under the dictatorship of Haas either.
That’s exactly right…Haas was a dictator and all of the teachers AND administrators were afraid of her. Good riddance to that disgusting scumbag.
I think Randy Cerveny should run for governor. He has been the finest leader the HCEA has ever seen. I full trust every move he makes and would even trust him with my children.
Well, he would certainly be as good in Annapolis as what is currently there.
Brian, are you a teacher or just a friend of Randy’s?
The HCEA collects dues then does NOTHING to actually assist teachers. They should be disbanded. And Randy should personally pay each of the teachers a bonus for screwing up the money they are owed. I guarantee that he is not suffering financially the way most of these teachers are.
Really?? You are obviously dillusional and I agree that us confident teachers do not want or need a union
IN 90% of jobs you negotiate your own wages based on what you know and what you do. We do not need someone to do that for us because as you stated we are all highly educated individuals (most with a masters degree or higher)
Folks, The union dropped the ball. Was it bad advice from their attorney, failure to act timely, hubris, a power play that blew up in their face? I’m not sure what happened behind the scene and what went on in their heads but they dropped the ball big time and the teachers have suffered for it. Most people have been saying all along that it would come to this and they have been right. A very few others have said that we don’t know what we are talking about and the teachers would be much better off if they will just support the HCEA. This is what I do know – others have the bonus and the teachers do not. Who stopped them from getting it? The HCEA. So, teachers, it is your union that you elected and support with your dues that stopped the bonus.
For the union leadership and it’s very, very few supporters to continue to walk around in a dazed stupor saying “Oh, don’t worry, it will all work out in the end. we have a grand long term plan and everyone will be fine” is absolutely ludicrous.
You obviously have no idea what you are talking about. Try not to wear you underwear for a necklace.
I read in one comment that the HCEA president got a raise. Incorrect. He is on the teacher pay scale plus summer wages because he works during the summer. Due to the contract HCEA pays for the benefits that the BOE pays for teachers. The cost of benefits and federal taxes have gone up. No raise. A lot of misinformation is perpetuating itself. Mistakes were made by all involved in this situation. I really appreciate both timelines of events so that I can better understand. It seems like many of the writers of comments do so just to voice anger and not add to the discussion. I hope cooler heads prevail and the labor board makes its ruling soon.
The comment that the union does nothing offends me. I was in a school for seven years and had excellent evaluations and parent involvement.I loved my job and my students were learning and succeeding. A new principal came and decided to shake things up. More than six of the teachers, myself included, were rated unsatisfactory. No specific suggestions were made on what to do to improve for this principal. Randy met with me, others, the principal and talked with higher administration. We finally were given expectations and are learning how to “play the game”. I am still a fine teacher but this principal tried to destroy me. The union brought sanity to help solve the problem. These types of situations happen all over. Without the union, I would have left a job where I make a difference for students.
I am glad the union helped you. I wonder how many of the others in your situation do not feel the same, though. Did some leave? Hmm…maybe we should be looking into the general corruption of some of the principals and admin instead of blaming the union. That’s no secret. I know for fact that there are some very bad people in the county getting away with stuff. Perhaps you have finally hit on the real issue. I wonder how many parents know what really goes on in the schools. Or maybe they don’t want to know…
I told my story to explain why I know HCEA works for me. I am not bitter. I am lucky that someone could cut through the mess and help me work with person.
Stillwell simply put you are a jackass and God willing you will not pollute the Earth with mini jackasses with your twisted sense of reality…. Teachers are not selfish but would like to earn a comfortable lifestyle from the fruits of their labor. GFYS
Stay classy, Goodjob.
@GOODJOB or GFYS
I you sure teachers are not selfish?
@GOODJOB or GFYS
Are you sure teachers are not selfish?
Are you sure you’re not a selfish taxpayer?
@Thomas Paine
I guess it is possible?
Why don’t you tell me how much more in taxes I should pay?
I currently pay an aggregate 53% inclusive of federal, state, property taxes, not including sales/use and other taxes.
Check the federal income tax rates prior to 1980. You and I are paying next to nothing for ridiculously more expensive services, which are only going to get more expensive, and for a significantly larger number of people, which is only going to get bigger.
Either cut services or increase revenue to pay for them.
@Thomas Paine
In 1980 you could deduct passive losses against active income and a whole host of other deductions that do not exist today.
It makes you out to be a jerk to suggest that I would be paying more real dollars in tax or have a higher effective tax rate at the 1980 tax regimen compared to 2010.
Prior to 1980 means prior to 1980, not just 1980. Keep going…1970…1960…1950…1940…do you see a trend? How much did it cost in 1970 to provide every school with broadband internet services? How much did it cost in 1960 to educate every student, including those with special needs? How much did it cost in 1950 to educate blacks and whites?
And you want to lower taxes now compared to then? Who is being selfish?
@Thomas Paine
You can’t look at just marginal tax rates when comparing tax regimens over the past 100 years. You need to look allowable tax deductions, tax exemptions, tax credits, ordinary income rates and investment income rates that change over that period of time.
Now under current tax laws how much aggregate state, federal and property tax percentage should I pay of my income?
Are you making an argument that we now pay more in real tax dollars than what was paid in the 1940’s and 50’s? That is absolutely ludicrous. Compared to then, we are living like kings without having to pay for it.
What percentage of taxes should we pay? Based on our current system it obviously depends on how much you make, but it should be more than what we currently pay. I do not know enough about the total cost of national services, the amount of debt we are paying, and the time line necessary to make a significant impact on paying our national bills to quote a specific percentage for each tax bracket so ALL (not just yours) of our children and grandchildren can compete in an international economy the way our parents and grandparents did.
Cutting spending alone will not bring things under control. That will only lead to a reduction in services that this country depends on.
Now, what percentage of income do you think we should be entitled to keep?
@Thomas Paine
If you don’t want to tell me what would be fair for me to pay in aggregate of federal, state and real property taxes, it’s okay. I understand that your progressive ideology prevents you from being honest since it may harm your false political narrative.
I beleive I said I don’t know what would be fair, only that it should be more than what it currently is. I don’t have all of the numbers.
If you don’t want to tell me what percentage of your income you think you deserve, it’s ok. I understand that your conservative, self centered ideology prevents you from being honest since it may harm your false politcal narrative.
@Thomas Paine
Are you insane?
Mr. Paine, I would be interested to know what total percentage you think is fair for income taxes and real property tax?
Jim, I would be interested to know what total percentage of your income you think you deserve?
Mr. Paine, it is your question to answer, kind sir.
WTF, it is not what money you get to keep. You deserve all of it. The money is yours in the first place. The question is what is fair for the government to take in the form of taxes at every level.
Jim, it is your question to answer, kind sir.
Instead of being selfish and wanting to keep all of your money as Patrick clearly thinks he is entitled to, maybe you should realize how important it is for citizens to contribute at a much higher level than what we currently are so this country can invest in the types of infrastructure and educational systems that our parents and grandparents were so graciously willing, and fortunately had the foresight, to do.
Again, we have the highest standard of living we have ever had and pay less than we ever have for it. This obviously cannot continue.
Only an anarchist wouldn’t want to pay any taxes.
So now Paine what percentage is fair?
I am clearly the only one who has not avoided the questions being asked here. I have said that I do not know what exact percentage is fair, except that it should be higher than what it currently is. I do not know enough about the volume of debt, the time to pay it off, the cost of services, etc. to place an exact percentage on each tax bracket. That is now at least the third time I have said that.
Now, what percentage of your income do you think you deserve to keep? Clearly you think you deserve a lot more than currently get to keep. I beleive that makes each of you incredibly selfish, by placing yourself above the well being of ALL (again, not just your own) of the children and grandchildren that will inherit this country. You are sitting at a computer, enjoying the highest standard of living this planet has ever know and are complaining about paying too much in taxes. Your parents and grandparents are ashamed of you. Are you willing to sacrifice even slightly like they did? Judging by each of your unwillingness to answer this question now at least 5 times, I’m guessing the answer is no.
@Thomas Paine
I;m going to make it easy for you to answer the question you’ve been evading.
How much total tax percentage should a household filing jointly making $150K per year and who own a house in Churchville appraised at $500K pay in federal, state and property taxes.
Now you can either answer this simple question or crawl back into your liberal rabbit hole and hide.
How many times do I have to say “I DON’T KNOW”. But it should be more than what it currently is.
Now, how much total percentage does a household filing jointly making $150K per year and who owns a house in Churchville appraised at $500K deserve to keep?
Now you can either answer this simple question or crawl back into your conservative spider hole and hide like a selfish, antiquated scumbag that is going to get what they pay for in the end.
@Thomas Paine
There’s the unhinged liberal tax and spender government always does and knows best guy we all know and despise.
You can’t know we don’t pay enough in taxes without having an opinion on what would be fair for people to pay.
Lets translate what Mr. Paine really means. “You have to pay more so I can have more”
Or do you deserve that other 47% of your income? I thought that no one, including teachers, deserved anything. Or does that only apply to people other than you?
What percent of your income do you think you deserve? 47%? 60%? 80%? 100%? 0%?
@Thomas Paine
I asked you “Why don’t you tell me how much more in taxes I should pay?”.
And I asked you how much of your income do you think you deserve?
Based on you prior words…zippy, since no one deserves anything…again based on your words.
It seems the county has a surplus of funds. the question is not how much more should anyone pay in taxes, but how are the current revenues allocated. the county has a 30 million surplus while property taxes have been cut the past 3 years while employees and teachers did not get raises, bonuses and pay more out of pocket for medical, pension and other benefits. It seems to me that the taxpayer doesn’t have to pay more, but must demand that the employees that do the basic work under our charter and state law should be compensated accordingly. If this was a private empoyler that has realized an unexpected profit, it would be fair for the employer to compensate their employees according to the $$$ earned. At least its how I operate my business, my employees receive more the more my business produces. If the bonus was coming from extra taxes I would have problem with it, but since it comes from smaller local govt, lower taxes and greater efficiencies, I don’t see how compensating employees accordingly would be considered a waste. I pay my employees more because the either do a good job or the competition would eventually take my trained workers for their benefit. Got that, private market gurus here at the Dagger.
What is there to be selfish for in teaching??? The pay they get blows, central office has more and more demands and people like you bash them all the time! You are probably the parent that blames the teacher when your kid gets suspended for some dumb shit they do
@GOODJOB or GFYS
Teacher’s pay, benefits, pension and time-off is very attractive.
Then you do it????? They have openings.
@Cdev
Is this what you resort to when you can’t refute facts?
no simply saying that if you believe it ios so attractive and easy you should give it a try!
@Cdev
It gets real old when you put words in my mouth. The overall compensation is attractive, however I never said the job was easy. In fact, if it was easy the compensation should be lower.
Yeah their pay… 50 k with a masters degree sure that’s attractive only thing I agree with is the 7 weeks off for summer
@GOODJOB or GFYS
Let’s not forget the health benefits, pension and holiday time off as well as summers.
It’s so convenient and disingenuous of teachers to not to want to calculate their total compensation and time off. Teachers have it far better than folks in the private sector especially with so many people out of work with masters degrees.
Let’s not forget one of the most important benefits: as long as you have a pulse, you won’t lose your job. Perhaps not literally, but relative to private industry – uh huh.
@Realist
It is amazing that teachers rarely get terminated and yet they are all exemplar at their jobs.
I must be all wrong about this…teachers are better than their private sector counterparts. I guess that’s why there is so much changing of personnel at private companies and not so much in public schools.
The inability to remove lesser quality teachers is a myth. The reality is that there is a great deal of personnel change in education. Almost fifty percent of teachers are gone from the profession within the first five years of entering the field. A significant number of these are for those who are not offered contracts at the end of their probationary period and others that recognize that teaching is not for them and choose to resign.
@Andrew
Tenured teachers have a job for life and involuntary terminations of probationary teachers for performance are also rare as opposed to lack of budget contract non-renewals.
I love the Dagger. Where else can you have 5 people with 20 aliases each make you think the whole county is up in arms about this issue. It is only $625, get over it and move on. I understand the tax dollar point, and the I could use the money for the holiday season point. I had some really great teachers and only a few bad teachers. Most were satisfactory. When I go to the grocery store, I get some good cashiers and a few bad cashiers. Most are satisfactory. When I had work done on my house I had some good contractors and a few not so good contractors. Most were OK. Get the point? I do have 2 questions.
Why all the anger during the one season when we should all try to come together to celebrate something special and be kind to others? What is the deep need that one or maybe two of you have to bash teachers? Without an education, where would we be? Sorry 3 questions. Have a happy holiday season if that is even possible for you.
It’s simple, Decoydude, people on The Dagger are mostly angry people who love getting nasty, personal, and slinging mud at one another.
@decoydud
Go pound sand.
@Playfair Thank you for proving my point.
@George
Are you unfamiliar with satire?
PLAYFAIR or perhaps aka PAUL or BS or STILLWELL – Did I strike a little nerve? I thought I would. However, you all continue to provide me quality entertainment at its best. You have just made my holiday almost complete. For that, I say thanks. Although you may be finding lumps of coal to play with in your Christmas stockings, I will be playing in the surf and sand. I appreciate the gesture, but I will have to pass. I can’t wait for 2012. I love the Dagger! Have a Happy New Year!!!
why are all the comments being removed….someone has something to hide?
What comments are being removed?
Little do you all realize that everyday that we (teachers) are off is unpaid. We only get paid for the 190 days that we work. Also, Randy met with us before the Labor Board hearing and told us that all money must be accounted for and be in the “pot” for the Labor Board to see, now he is backpeddling and saying it Could be considered. I told him from the very beginning that the bonus and the negotiations are two different things, take the bonus and be thankful for it, but obviously he didn’t listen.
Teachers only get paid for 190 days and measuring their total compensation they make more than people in the private sector who work 247 or more days per year.
Totally fallacious argument. You cannot extrapolate a teacher’s 10-month salary to the 12-month salary of someone in the “real world”. Let’s see you survive consistently by compressing your salary into 22 paychecks and then take an 8-week *UNPAID* vacation.
@Concerned Teacher
Alright you’re just stupid. You should quit teaching altogether and spare the children and parents your foolishness.
You wrote “Let’s see you survive consistently by compressing your salary into 22 paychecks and then take an 8-week *UNPAID* vacation.”
What if you were paid your annual salary in a lump sum at the beginning of the year? What if you were paid daily at the end of each day? No matter how you divide it up it is the same amount of money. Are you so undisciplined that you cannot budget your income?
@Concerned Teacher: You sound like a young child who received their allowance on Monday and had spent it all by Wednesday. Your annual income is just that, you annual income. What difference does it make when you receive it?
“your” annual income. Sorry.
@Retiredawhile, The teachers and the union have a 190 day wacky narrative that they use to distract taxpayers. You see they want to be considered professionals with an exempt tax status and at the sames time be treated as non-exempt hourly employees when it suits their needs. They want it both ways.
It’s all an effort to not acknowledge teacher’s great public sector compensation of salary, health/dental, pension, 403B and phenomenal time-off.
A teachers 403b is entirely self financed. There is no matching funds provided!
@Cdev
So that’s all you got out that post 403B? What a jerk you are?
No my point is it is not a generous benefit that is costing the tax payers anything. THey put the money in it all themselves.
The reason the 403b is self financed is because they have a pension which has the employer contribution in it. This is common among orgs with a pension (which many companys no longer have).
Why do we get rid of schools and teachers….think of all the money we would save….let parents educate their own kids….lets see where our society is in 15 years
Regarding our “Cadillac” Health Care Benefits:
“The Board of Education intends to eliminate the PPO Plus plan and implement a 33% increase in your contribution to other plans. They also have proposed to triple your share of health insurance contributions for your spouse and dependents.
This would result in a massive increase in out of pocket expenses and decrease in your take home pay. HCEA is committed to negotiating a fair contract which maintains your current healthcare benefits and recovers your lost salary steps, while preserving your long-term financial stability.”
Ryan,
You posted that there will be “a 33% increase in your contribution” and “They also have proposed to triple your share of health insurance contributions for your spouse and dependents”
What are the individual and family plans currently and how much are they proposed to increase to in actual dollars?
It’s impressive that you can execute a quality copy-and-paste from official HCEA marketing… err, informational memos, so that everyone knows what the official HCEA talking points are.
County employees contribution increased about $120 per month for a first year employee making about $42k per year. Of course, the more one makes the more total $$$ are taken out to meet the % for each plan. Also, there are different plans for teachers, employees, sheriff, judges and elected officials. I am speaking regarding classified HCG employees only. The increase in health care depends on your plan, such as PPO, MPO, HMO. The more expensive the plan, the more the employee and family would have to pay. I don’t have any concrete figures for that, but HCG is self insured so the cost is less than purchasing direcly from Eatna or CareFirst. CareFirst, for those whom will look it up, just administers the plan for the county and the county pays the bill or fee for service under the CareFirst negotiated plan to the provider. In percentage terms, county employees pay significantly more for health care, pension and have not received any steps (which are no longer available) or COLA’s.
I meant to say $120 per pay x 26 pays per year = $260 per month which means the the average employee pays most of their own pension and that money is also taxed yearly. In fact, many employees would wish to have that money in a 401k instead, have the money grow tax free until withdrawal and have control of their own funds.
I don’t think your healthcare should have increased either. You are being mistreated. Unionize. Fight back.
Ryan, you tell us about the proposed increase of out of pocket expenses of your healthcare in the upcoming contract negociations. You and I both know what is driving those cost increases, don’t we? Speak to any insurance professional in the medical insurance field and they will explain it, blow by blow.As long as the “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act” stands, your medical coverage will continue to decline, until we’re all sitting in a clinic or dying on a gurney in a hallway. By supporting this Act, you’ve screwed over the teachers, in and out of the union, by giving one of their few good benefits a terminal disease.
Look up self funded insurance and then tell me what your think.