Another in an occasional series of informal reports, analysis and opinion based on a meeting of the Harford County Board of Education.
A meeting of the Harford County Board of Education held just before Valentine’s Day highlighted the heartfelt pain and hard realities of education funding. Added to the mix was a ray of hope and key questions posed by Board members about college readiness and whether all students should attend a four-year college.
Feeling the Pain
Clad all in black and wearing red badges saying “Save Our Schools”, a group of teachers, organized by their union, came to the February 13 school board meeting to talk about education funding. None was as poignant as the comments from Bel Air Middle School math teacher Dawn Klein. Tearful at times, Klein said that teachers come in early and stay late because it is necessary for students’ needs to be met. In addition to her teaching job, she said she helps with extra-curricular activities and works three outside jobs but can’t afford to live in Harford County, where she grew up. Saying she felt blessed to have a job and work in a great school, she was met with robust applause when she quietly added “but enough’s enough.”
Hard Reality
The state budget proposed by Gov. Martin O’Malley hits local governments hard next year and beyond, with millions in new costs related to teacher pensions. Previously borne entirely by the state, teacher pension costs are proposed to be shared with the counties starting in fiscal year 2013. Some potential offsets would reduce the impact in year one of the shift, but without the offsets the pension costs for Harford County have been estimated at $8.3 million next year. Kathy Carmello, coordinator of government relations for HCPS, told Board members that the new costs would be in addition to required local education funding known as Maintenance of Effort (MOE).
Opposition to the pension shift abounds in Annapolis, Carmello said, including from local school boards and the Maryland Association of Counties. But she said that proponents of the shift were “going to try to force local governments to raise taxes.”
Harford County Executive David Craig has said that $8.3 million in teacher pension costs added to MOE next year have would have a “catastrophic” effect on the budget and taxpayers in Harford County.
A Ray of Hope
Tony Cofrancesco, the student representative on the school board, offered hope to his fellow students that the student rep position will soon carry limited voting rights. The voting rights would exclude matters such as personnel and budgets.
Students have fought for voting rights for years, seeking support from the school board and from Harford County legislators, who are necessary to the passage of enabling legislation. Cofrancesco said that the Harford County Senators sponsored such a bill this session and that all of the Harford County delegates were in support, save one. After the meeting, Cofrancesco, in response to a question, identified the lone holdout as Del. Glenn Glass.
A Key Question for Harford County Public Schools
Next on the agenda was a presentation from a team that included the president of Harford Community College, Dr. Dennis Golladay. The subject was the partnership between HCPS and the college, which Superintendent Robert Tomback said was “serious” and ongoing. Future initiatives include a program that will allow students to get a high school diploma and an associate’s degree within a total of four years. Dr. Golladay also expressed hope that the Maryland Higher Education Commission will, in the next few weeks, approve a plan for Towson University to offer a program on the HCC campus that would allow students to earn an associate’s degree at HCC and complete another two years for a baccalaureate degree from Towson, without leaving Harford County.
Following the presentation, Board Member Bob Frisch asked about the number of students who complete a college readiness program in Harford County Public Schools but need remedial coursework once they get to the community college, posing a key question for the school system: “Are we accomplishing our mission?”
Dr. Golladay agreed it was a “big issue” but said the college didn’t have the capability to gather the data. Among the efforts to reduce the number of students in need of remedial classes, which students must pay for without earning college credit, Golladay said that the classes were being redesigned to be delivered in “short bursts” or concurrent with for-credit classes.
Superintendent Tomback said that data tracking high school students into 95% of the nation’s colleges is being processed by the National Student Clearing House and would be provided to HCPS. The data, from 2006, is expected to be available in the spring. Tomback said the report would be more comprehensive than what was provided by the Maryland Higher Education Commission’s SOAR Report, which he said has been discontinued.
A Question of Vision
Wrapping up the discussion, School Board President Leonard Wheeler asked Dr. Golladay about his vision for higher education and whether all students needed to attend a four-year college or if four-year colleges had outlived their usefulness.
Dr. Golladay said that post-secondary education was now considered essential to employment. Four year programs have not outlived their usefulness, he said, but he would like to see some changes made. Higher education should prepare students not only for a job but to be good citizens and good leaders. Whether that meant a certificate program, associate or baccalaureate degree, he said that properly done, all three types of post-secondary education were appropriate and necessary.
Why can’t HCC determine the stats on those completing a “college readiness” program in Harford County but still needing remedial courses? On the application they know the school and graduation date and type of courses taken. compare this to those requiring remedial courses and voila’.
Dr. Golladay should be ashamed of himself for claiming that HCC doesn’t have the “capability” to gather the remediation data; does he really think the Board was born yesterday? And for Dr. Tomback to claim that he’s waiting til the spring of 2012 for the 2006 data?!?!? And then what does he plan to do? This is laughable. Are these really the people that we’ve entrusted our kids’ education to. And don’t get me started on Dr. Lawrence, who should have been all over the post-secondary remediation issue since his buddy hired him 3 years ago and effectively made him responsible for the whole instruction side of the school system.
Double-talking, rear-end-covering bureaucrats. Let’s hope the HCPS board (AND the HCC board) stay on this and that they don’t let these clowns pull the wool over their eyes so easily and disingenuously.
Dr Golladay is obviously clueless and in need of remedial motivational therapy. Or cut his pay or remove him from his position. If you don’t know – find out. I think it should be a priority don’t you sir? I really don’t think you could do my job to the level of customer satisfaction I prefer to deliver to my customers.
Dr. Golladay did a nice job of dancing around the question concerning the need for HCPS graduates to take remedial class when they arrive at HCC. I find it very unlikely that HCC does not have the capability to gather this kind of data. Perhaps complete disclosure might be detrimental not only to the HCPS system but all school systems. This is not just a problem isolated to Harford County. When 40+% of recent high school graduates attending community colleges and 20+% attending 4 year colleges or universities need remedial classes that says something is wrong in K-12 education. Dr. Tomback’s reference to the most recent data available being that collected by the state in 2006 leaves much to be desired. This issue should be of primary concern to HCPS leadership. After all isn’t this what they are supposed to be preparing students to do, go to college or be ready to enter the work world with the kind of skills employers need? If HCC or the state can’t or won’t get a handle on this data than HCPS should step forward to do it. School systems do not like to publish data that might make them look bad but sometimes public disclosure of this kind of information is necessary to force the kinds of changes that serve the best interests of students.
I don’t understand why teachers keep saying they can’t afford anything. I have been frozen on level 3 of the pay scale for three years… my husband is out of work and we still live quite comfortably. Granted, we don’t have any children. I also work a second job on weekends and in the summer. Again I ask, who isn’t facing some hard times right now? You can’t live like a rock star on a teacher salary… we all knew this going in. Ps. there are some very affordable locations in Harford County… I grew up in Baltimore and it was cheaper to move up here.
The key here is you don’t have children. Try adjusting your budget by adding in daycare expenses. I pay almost $1200 a month in daycare. It was my decision to have children and I wouldn’t change that for anything, however when I decided to raise a family and be a resident and teacher in Harford County I thought I would be able to afford it. Now I can’t even send my children to a preschool full time to prepare them for their education because I can’t afford it, but I make sure that everyone elses children are getting a high quality education each and every day. I don’t think anyone is asking to live like a “rockstar”, but atleast compensate us for the time and devotion we put into it. Our own families are suffering because of our devotion to everyone elses family.
The key here is that HCPS Teacher is living within her means, in difficult times, and not complaining about it. It seems you feel you should be compensated better because of your life choice to have children, and your desire to send them to preschool. At least that’s my read on your comments.
Sounds like you are too young to have any real financial worries. Teacher2 is correct, with a bit more age and additional responsibility on your plate you will singing a different tune.
Is your husband collecting unemployment?
HCPS Teacher nailed it! kids or no kids, she is doing what is necessary to survive a troubling economic time: living within her means.
Teacher 2 – did you miss the part where HCPS teacher said her husband was out of work? she wouldn’t have to pay daycare if her husband’s not working.
My father raised and supported a family of 5 on just a teacher’s salary. My mom didn’t work until the youngest of 3 children was in 8th grade, and even then it was just P/T while the kids were in school. My dad taught all day long, coached baseball in the spring, and sometimes worked summer school. And this was also during the recession in the early 1980’s. Oh, I almost forgot: he managed to put all 3 of his kids through private school. How? by living within his means.
Another example: My wife and I have 6 kids, 4 in HCPS schools, 1 in private pre-school, and 1 infant. Our combined salaries are fairly similar to a married couple who are both level 3 teachers, give or take. We made it a priority to put our kids (all of them) in preschool. Harford county says we make ‘too much’ to qualify for it through HCPS, so we have to pay for. so we had to cut back a little somewhere else.
The way I see it, if my wife and I can afford to live in a fairly nice home in a quiet, peaceful neighborhood, own 3 fairly nice automobiles, put our kids through private pre-school, never be late on any payments, have fancy smartphones, cable, internet access, video game systems, nice clothes, this, that, and the other, then I don’t ever want to hear another teacher complain that “I can’t afford to live in Harford County” ever again. It’s called a budget people! Use some common sense. Sheesh.
Jeff
“Our combined salaries are fairly similar to a married couple who are both level 3 teachers, give or take.”
I call BS.
That’s a big give with no take.
The math is easy and it doesn’t balance.
Yes I know what a budget is.
I said the same thing. Simple math, it doesn’t fit with the budge of a step 3 teacher. I smell credit card debt!
@ retiredawhile. I am living within my means. When I bought my house and had my children I had enough money to live within my means. However, when they start taking money away from your paycheck every year that kind of kills your plans of living within your means. It is not that I desire to send my children to preschool, they need it. Obviously you are retired so maybe you are not up on the latest education. Have you been in a K classroom in recent years? I am not asking for compensation for my family or life choices. I am asking for compensation for the extra 10-12 hours of work I put in every week for our county’s children. This takes away from MY FAMILY!
Teacher2,
I have not been in a K Classroom recently. There is no need for me to do so, as it relates in no way to our having a conversation about your compensation.
It really does come down to what you provide through your employment, and what you receive in return for those services. If you don’t feel your compensation is fair, (and it may not be) then make your case on those merits.
Um, yes it does. Remember this comment you made…”your life choice to have children, and your desire to send them to preschool”. It’s not my “desire” to send my children to preschool. In order to be prepared for HCPS K program they do need it! I am trying to do what is best for my children. I think you have been out of the classroom and system to long to even have any say. You have no idea what it is like now with everything that has come down the pike. It isn’t just teaching any more. There isn’t even any need for me to explain because you wouldn’t even understand.
Teacher2,
Have it your way. Go negotiate on the basis of your having children and your “need” to send them to preschool. Tell whoever pays you that your contribution is worth more than you are receiving based on that criteria. Good luck with that.
If you are not successful in your negotiation perhaps you should look for an employer who will pay you on the basis of your family needs, rather than what you can contribute to the employer. Again, good luck with that.
Trust me, I am confident that what I give to HCPS is above and beyond what I get paid for. There is not doubt in my mind. Did I ever say that was my family was my only argument. No! I am a dedicated, devoted, caring, and intelligent person and teacher. I can promise you that. Go relax in your retirement, while we (teachers) help build the future of American by educating the children of today. All while struggling to meet the needs of our families. Thank you.
Teacher2,
It’s not me you need to convince. As I said in one of my posts, you may be under compensated. You need to convince your employer, and the funding authority. Again, good luck with your rational for better pay.
Captobvious – kinda hard for you to call BS when you don’t know what my wife and I do for a living, hmm?
Doesn’t matter what you do only how much your doing it for. You claim similarity to 2 x salary of a level 3 teacher. I don’t need to know what you do to know that amount. I can also estimate the monthly expenses from what you claim. It doesn’t balance unless you’ve got a wad of help from somewhere, in which case, your not really doing it on the money you claim.
Also you neglected significant daycare costs unless your wife is staying home, which again puts your claimed salary and situation well beyond most people.
captobvious – you are making an awful lot of assumptions. 2 of 3 cars are paid off. Mortgage was refinanced to pay off debt in other areas. Pre-school is not expensive. Cell phone plan is cheap, as well as my cable/internet bill. And I don’t have any ‘significant’ daycare expenses because my mother doesn’t charge me to watch her grandkids when my we need her to. I work days, my wife works nights. I also manage to pay for my kids to be on rec council sports teams, which I volunteer to coach. I just make sure that we don’t spend more than we take in. That’s all.
I did forget that I have a few investments here or there, but they are hardly anything to speak of. Most years they go untouched anyway.
Jeff
Sorry but your claims do not match up with a typical demographic.
About 30 years old with 6 kids and a 1/4 million dollar home with the recurring and previously encumbered costs you claim, implies a great deal of help has been shuffled your way. If you had 20 more years of work life behind your claim I’d give it more weight but until then your still standing on the shoulders of your parents.
Capt – no financial assistance has come my way for a long long time. The home I am in is not my first. So I guess the profit from selling my first home permitted me to buy one that is ‘out of my demographic’. I am a little concerned, however, by the amount of data you know/claim to know about me. Stalker much?
Tweet much?
You splash your info around with reckless abandon, then claim victim when someone uses it?
All I did was refute your claim of economic parity with a teacher by using math and common sense.
As I said, it doesn’t add up.
Sanctimonius much?
Wow Jtowne. How much do you have on your credit cards? You really feel the need to rub all that stuff in peoples faces when we are just trying to make ends meet. The simple math tells me that if you are both on step 3 of the teacher’s scale that it is virtually impossible to be living comfortable. I am quite a few steps ahead of you. I don’t have ANY of that fancy stuff, I live in a 1100 sq. house, 2 7 + year old automobiles, 1 child in part time preschool, 1 child in full time daycare, all of us wear hand me down clothes and MY husband lost his job too. Thankfully, my husband found a job but cut his salary in 1/2. My bills are on time every month too. We make it work. I am tired of TRYING to make it work for my family when I HAVE to make it work everyday for the 25 kids in my classroom. I don’t care who you are or what you have but it is a fact that we do too much for the salary we make. My parents were the same as yours in the 1980’s recession; times are different. The cost of living was much cheaper than it is now. Not to mention, we signed a contract with HCPS that doesn’t seem to mean anything now. I think we all know that times are tough, that’s obvious.
I think “we do too much for the salary we make” may be the turn off for some people, and I know it is for me. Should you make more money? Maybe, but I think I should as well, but it is not going to happen. You present yourself as a victim in this and that is simply not the case. You chose to be a teacher and to have a family. If you are not living the lifestyle you expected to that is unfortunate, but others are not to blame.
You seem to think that extending yourself to the children you teach and doing the absolutely best job you can without the remuneration you feel you deserve makes you something very special. It doesn’t. Welcome the realities of this economy in this time and place.
Exactly!!
OK! Whatever. Walk a day in a teacher’s shoes…Then maybe you will see my rationale. Did you sign a contract? Did your employer uphold the contract? Are you forced into continuing your education but have to pay for most of it? Do you work 2 – 3 extra jobs so that you can survive in the summer? Do you work overtime EVERYDAY and not get paid for it? Should I continue? EXACTLY!
I am not presenting myself as a victim. I am presenting myself as a person that deserves to be appreciated and in some way, shape, or form be shown that I am valued. You can think what you want to think about my situation, but many teachers feel the same way and you will never understand until you are in our position.
Teacher2: I cannot stand your whining any longer. What world are you living in that you believe it is the duty of your employer to provide you with positive affirmations? By golly, you ARE a good person and you ARE valued. And maybe if you’re a good little boy or girl you’ll get a lollipop. There, are you happy? Suck it up and welcome to the real world.
You do present yourself as a victim, or at least present yourself as someone who has been treated unfairly by the system. As for the issue of being valued, if you are still looking for validation by the public at large, or feel the need for reinforcement from strangers for decisions you have made, your needs are way beyond what I, as a tax payer, are responsible for.
I go to work every day and justify my labor, dedication, and sacrifice as something I must do to support my family. If I am unfulfilled, feel taken advantage of, or don’t get the appreciation I would like, it is the nature of being an employee. It is not the failings of the people around me who, I might add in your case, are paying your salary. Grow up, accept your lot, or move on.
Yeah, I have a bit of a twitter addiction. I also very often sign my full name to posts on the dagger. It shows that I have nothing to hide, unlike some people who hide behind aliases. Sorry if I didn’t ezpect folks to make the connection from here to twitter. I didn’t claim victim, either. If you knew me, you’d realize that was snark.
Also, you didn’t refute my claim. If anything, you bolstered by helping point out that I have been financially savvy for most of my adult life. I also didn’t compare my income to one teacher; I compared my family income to that of a couple of teachers. Perhaps I confused what the levels are, but I’m fairly confident I didn’t.
Anyway, have a great weekend.
Jeffery Beck
You are confused. RN’s make much more than a step 3 teacher. Gotta love Facebook!
My spouse is a nurse and she told me RN’s with 3 to 5 years experience in the area where she works make roughly 60K+ to 80K+ depending on shifts, type of nursing specialty and employer. You often work 36 hour weeks and get more for nights than days. Shift work can be 12 hour or 8 hour. She says 3 days on and 4 days off can be a nice perk. You can get overtime and other differential pay. I looked up the teacher pay schedule and a step 3 teacher makes $43,677 to $47,728 in Harford County.
However, you also need to remember, that a teacher on Step 3 right now is actually a sixth year teacher. A third year teacher is still on the first step of the salary scale.
Like I said, I may have gotten the steps wrong. That whole system confuses me, since its not based on merit. I’ll check when I get home. Regardless, we grossed just over $100k last year, not that its anyones business. Btw, that is hardly a huge amount given that we support a family of 8. Regardless of step, the average teacher makes a base salary of $50k, so 2 teachers make $100k.
My only point was that teachers who claim they can’t afford to live in harco are obviously doing it wrong.
Also, it was never my intent to imply that teachers don’t earn what they are paid, or even more. I love every teacher my kids have had, and I think they’ve all done a great job. Whatever your contract says you are to be paid, the BoE needs to honor that. If harford truly has $80 million in a rainy day fund, I see no reason to cut anyones pay, either.
Again, my only point was that the sob stories need not apply. As I recall, per the current contract, an entry level teacher makes just shy of $40k. If you can’t live on that, you’re doing it wrong.
Seriously, $40,000 is enough to live on. Even if a person only rents their home you are talking $1000-$1500 a month. Your telling me a 40K salary can afford the rent, electric, food, maintenance, gas and upkeep on a car? You’re kidding right?
Teacher2 – first, I have credit cards that get paid off every month or every couple of months. I use them to maintain mu excellent credit rating. Second, I know waiters and entry level mechanics who make less or about the same and do just fine. Hell, my wife and I started out making $40k COMBINED and we’ve obviously done alright. Third, I wasn’t trying to rub it in that I have some nice things. I was just using that to prove that it can be done. Fourth, if you really can’t make it on $40k, why start a career knowing that’s what you’ll be making? Loving what you do can only be part of that decision. ‘Starving artist” mentality doesn’t really fly for teachers, ya know?
Jeff
Exactly. I started my career knowing that what I would be making and this is not what I was contracted to be making at this point.
also, Teacher2, who said anything about an RN? Now that really is kinda stalking. But like I said, I have nothing to hide. And if RNs make so much more money, why didn’t you follow that path? You’d still be doing a very honorable and respectable job, earning a better living doing so, and would have required a lesser degree, meaning you’d have been out of college and working a few years ahead of a teacher entering college at the same time. As far as I’m concerned, nursing requires a very acute skill set, more so than teaching. Not that teachers are inferior, (they’re not), just a very different skill set.
Anyway, like I’ve said, the point is not how much I make or how qualified of a teacher you are. My point is that even an entry-level teacher cannot justify to me that they can’t afford to live in Harford County. Maybe you can’t live in Todd Lakes or Falls Crest, but you can live in Harford County.
Jeff
@TEACHER2
You’re a whining self-absorbed self-centered coddled cry baby who doesn’t understand delayed gratification or working in earnest. You want what you want and expect despite the economic recession we should give it to you.
The answer is no.
You can suck it up and continue to teach or seek greener pastures.
The point that you can live off of $40K is an undisputed given. The nuance is how well can you live off of said $40K.
My objection to ‘JTowneJeff’ was the implication that you can “live just like me”. People’s starting and current circumstances vary greatly and $40K may be just scraping by if your paying hefty college loans and renting for something other than Edgewood prices. No offense intended. I’m sure you work hard, many people do, but you had what seems to be a good start. Congratulations and enjoy.
My objection to “Teacher2” is that you are playing the martyr card much too strongly. True enough that teachers in HarCo often get a bad shake but you’ll not improve the situation with histrionics.
Perhaps a future teacher should have some of things said here in mind before planning a career, at least in Harford County. You can be sure it’s going to drive the good ones out and leave us a questionable bunch if they do.
off topic but
Your welcome Dagger
you don’t often have dialogs running with this number of comments.
Teacher2
Would some way, shape, or form other than monetary compensation be acceptable? If yes, what can we do to make you happy?
I’m done here. This is going way too far. I am not playing the martyr card. It amazes me that people can take such a simple argument and blow it up into more than what it is. The bottom line is that teachers deserve a better salary. It has been like that for years and years and I hope that one day it will get better. Thanks for the lollipop comment, that’s mature.
@Teacher2
You are an ingrate and a crybaby. Other citizens are suffering without jobs and still have to pay their property taxes that pays your salary.
So shove it bitch!
daggerpress.com/2012/01/11/burbey-dispelling-the-myths-of-teaching-in-harford-county/#comment-98548
This is how you argue for increased pay:
w w w
daggerpress.com/2012/01/11/burbey-dispelling-the-myths-of-teaching-in-harford-county/#comment-98548
@Teacher2
This is how you argue for increased pay:
http://www.daggerpress.com/2012/01/11/burbey-dispelling-the-myths-of-teaching-in-harford-county/#comment-98548
by far the best of Dagger
I think what everyone seems to be missing is that HCPS has been forced but County Executive Craig to use money that should have gone to teacher salaries to fund programs. HCPS is being dangerously underfunded by a County Executive who likes to cry poor to his citizens while buying hundreds of millions of dollars in bond debt. THere are more people out of work as a result of this kind of policy.
Ryan, I think why you and other teachers are getting so many thumbs down and negative remarks is first of all, the tone of the postings. They make you all as a group seem to be a bunch of entitled martyrs who are the only ones suffering in this economy. Secondly, we do get that you bargained and have a contract for a pay increase. Truly, we get it. It’s not fair, it’s unjust, etc. But David Craig was voted into office and this is what he is doing not only to the teachers but to other departments as well. Everyone is feeling the sting. Just hope he runs for governor and the voters become educated before the next election as to who will run the county.
You are exactly right. The worst part of what Mr. Craig’s redistribution of wealth plan which funnels millions of dollars to wealthy developers is not taking salaries from our teachers, police officers and other county workers, it is that he is literally taking money from our children. His history of underfunding schools is jeopardizing state funding. We need the public to recognize the inconsistencies in his rhetoric and stop the madness.
Enough Already, I agree, and another thing is that we as teachers are being lumped together under Ryan’s idiotic comments. We as a group do not feel like a bunch of entitled martyrs as Ryan professes. Some of us are actually embarrassed to attend board meetings knowing that Ryan will be there. Hey Ryan, how many kids do you actually teach? If you have lost so much money being a teacher why don’t you find another job? Or get a second job to support your family like the rest of us. It sounds like you dislike your job any way. Still bitter about losing to Cerveny? And as far as your Aegis editorial, good job using the thesaurus.
I am not claiming to be a martyr. I teach because I am committed to children and my community. I stay in Harford County for the same reason. As to whether teachers are not coming to board meetings because of me, that is ridiculous. In fact, many teachers thank me for my advocacy. As to issues with Randy winning, I graciously conceded and have been working on several committees to support my union. As to the thesaurus, I didn’t use one. As to the money I have lost, its about $12,000 and running. What concerns me more than the money is the fact that my children and the children of my community are having their rights, their future and their education hijacked by the ambitions of a county executive who refuses to adequately fund schools. Tired of my or not, I intend to continue to exercise my 1st amendment rights and to bring into the light the facts which have been hidden from the public.
Jesse Bane doesnt care about the youth of our county
Bane cares about the bad guys though. He attends candlelight vigils for murdered thugs. Has he ever been to a Bd of Ed meeting? Visit schools to see how things are going? Implemented rehab programs for wayward students? You get the picture. Oh, right–picture. If there’s not a photo op, count Uncle Jesse out.
Sheriff Bane has come to my kids school upon request more than once. I believe I read something that said he is going to a BOE meeting on Monday. Or as you would say, daaaaam dog, you dissin 5-0 wit out no cred. Waas sup wit dat? Word… Booyah!
Teachers…this is not the forum to argue anything. All the people who read the DaggerMess already have their minds up and are probably the same morons who continue to write letters to The Aegis complaining about teachers.
(on a side note..really…they care enough to type up a letter and mail it to The Aegis complaining about teachers??? LOL. They must not have ANYTHING going on in their life to take the time to write the same crap that has been printed about 100 times)
Anyways…like I said. No point in posting anything on this site. Minds are made up and the majority of them never taught a day in their life. They come here to just…save the time of typing a letter to The Aegis I suppose…
Keep speaking out…Keep fighting…Never quit.
@NoPoint
We want people like you and Ryan Burbey to leave the teaching profession and for Teachers Unions to lose their destructive stranglehold on public school education.
Sorry pal, I won’t be leaving teaching. However, could you please describe to me how unions have a “destructive stranglehold on public school education”?