Comments on: Local Teachers, Union File Federal Lawsuit Against Performance Pay Law

By: just saying

just saying — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 22:57:01 +0000

I do believe teachers should be held accountable but only for the ones they teach i know for a fact when i was in school you have some teachers that would go above and beyond to help a student that is struggling on the other hand you had some who could of cared less . Now here it is 20 something years later i see the same thing . I also know at one time here locally we have had teachers teaching that couldn’t even earn their degree to teach but yet they are teaching. And as far as people complaining about they pay i agree some teachers deserve so much more but i don’t think they went into teaching believing they would be millionaires. So job well done for some of you and for the ones that dont care this parent wishes yoy would find another job

By: So sorry

So sorry — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 15:50:59 +0000

I know it’s not the teachers fault if a child does not learn and it is wrong when a teacher looses pay because a child can not score right on a test I have been to enough IEP meeting to know its not all the teachers fault cause the higher ups are trying to save money look I’m pretty sure that this school district gets extra money for disabled children the need to use it to better the outcome for everyone. As far as parents go unless some of you people have ever had to deal with watching your child fail be put down because they can not do something and clearly they can not. Then be told its their behavior well when a child is 16 in the 8th grade on a 3rd grade level being mainstreamed everyone know they won’t pass the FCAT but still the parents can’t get help even after the psych that the school district sends them to says its due to the child delays who’s at fault yes the parent still. I’m just saying thanks to the people who make these parent feel worthless and shamed for not having a smart child.

By: Bob Jones

Bob Jones — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 13:39:13 +0000

This is a lot to read/there are a lot of comments on here. First, let’s take a factual approach and say – “teachers make every other profession possible.” That’s a fact. Each successful person had a teacher somewhere in time. All of the smart commentators on this site each had a teacher and they should be given credit where it is due.

I know many teachers, and having talked to many I have discovered that the most prominent issue for a child not learning is due to their behavior. That’s not the teacher’s fault. Also, there are cases where the child has some mental issues that may be genetic. That’s not the fault of the teacher either. So, if we consider this alone, NO TEACHER can be the blame for a child who is not disciplined, or due to no fault of the child because of genetics or some other unfortunate case. Furthermore, if a child is BAD and DISRESPECTFULY, that’s a direct reflection of the PARENT (s). Right? Do we cut the parents pay because their children aren’t taught manners and respect at home? Sure we do, it’s the same thing the school system wants to do to teachers. ?? Gee-whiz –

Therefore, I do not agree “totally” with measuring teachers on the success of a child’s progress – especially if there is a gap where most of the other children are learning on pace. Should the little league coach get blamed and his/her pay cut for a child that can’t run as fast as the other kids? What if they can’t catch? What if they haven’t made a free-throw in the game? Kids learn differently. Some faster, some slower. If the same thing is being taught in the class and the majority gets it, I cannot say that the instructor is flawed or should be penalized financially.

By: MB

MB — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 12:03:05 +0000

Accountant:

Why would a teacher need to thank you? Isn’t that our job as responsible parents when we choose to have children, to raise them to in the best possible way; to be productive, responsile, respecting citizens of this country? Yes, your child is probably a “dream” child for a teacher to have, but I still think it helps to thank the teacher because they put up with more crap in their daily dealings than you probably do in your accounting position. Just my dos cervesos. MB

By: cantontmentteacher

cantontmentteacher — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 12:00:30 +0000

Which particular teachers probably won’t be released. They are representing teachers from middle and high schools who are being evaluated based on students they do not “service” (to quote the lawmakers).

At the high school level that could include all 11th & 12th teachers and elective teachers who have the school average 10th grade FCAT score used in their evaluation–that means many of them are being evaluated on the scores of students they will not teach for 1-2 years (if they EVER teach them).

By: 504

504 — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 23:16:08 +0000

When will we find out what teachers are involved in this? It does seem that the “regular” teachers have a problem with the ESE children I also have been told this excuse.

By: Accountant

Accountant — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 22:26:12 +0000

MB – I agree with some of what you are saying…its a little exaggerated….if not teachers would not be able to work 40 hours a week at a second job during the summer which quite a few of them do. Yes lots of us stay late and come in on weekends to catch up. I have several teachers in my family but hey its great. They take my kids to the beach, the zoo, the skating rink and bake cookies with them during Christmas. Believe me my kids wish I was a teacher. I fully understand they work more than 40 hours a week same as a lot of people and the pay is low same as a lot of people. My children make good grades and behave so maybe the teacher would like to thank me.

By: MB

MB — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 16:45:47 +0000

Accountant: Your definition of teacher time off is inaccurate. Yes they do get time off during summer and Christmas breaks, but it is not truely time off like you think. During the summer they are going to mandated seminars routinely; they are redecorating/cleaning their classroom (usually out of theri own pocket) for the upcoming school year. They attend school and county held workshops to prep for the upcoming year and new curriculum. During Christmas they are catching up on grading papers, completeing lesson plans for the next nine weeks. Their time off is very little, just like their pay. Next time you see a teacher, thank them; they work more hours and harder than most doctors for a scale of peanuts. MB

By: parent of 4 school age children

parent of 4 school age children — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 16:12:28 +0000

@Preda I think Brent is on the right track with the classroom size issue. In a conversation with a local middle school teacher she explained a situation to me that was very frustrating for her as a long time educator. She explained that ESE children were being mainstreamed. A consequence of mainstreaming ESE children was putting an added stress and overloading the teachers. She stated that by having the ESE children in her classroom brought an ESE teacher with them. By doing this the school is able to increase the class size because there are now 2 educators in 1 room. There is still only 1 teacher responsible for running the class and everything associated even though there are 2 teachers present. The ESE teacher is present only to see what is being taught so that during the study period they can help if needed. This is a cheap way to get around classroom size guidelines. All of this said I do believe teachers should have some accountability for the job they perform but only for those they teach. We all have jobs and someone we are accountable to, what is lacking here is an accurate way to measure.

By: jerk

jerk — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 15:14:02 +0000

$32,000 is starting pay for 9 months of work for an inexperienced person.
let them prove their worth like everyone else. do not hide behind the unions and make demands that the people who pay you cannot afford. if you do not like it try flipping burgers and saying would you like fries with that, which by the way is an honest job.