Comments on: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis Approves $500 Million For Teacher Pay Raises

By: Vicki

Vicki — Sat, 26 Mar 2022 03:09:26 +0000

So this plan in 2020 gives a starting fee of 47 thousand for veterans teachers. So by 2022 there should be a raise? Florida has always been behind in pay and style. So we now in 2022 Florida should have a union. To help fight for there teachers. There are more families moving in Florida the state needs to keep up! If you have great teachers you have great students to become great citizens.

By: Lee

Lee — Fri, 10 Jul 2020 22:04:34 +0000

Good luck hiring teachers right now at any salary!

By: David Huie Green

David Huie Green — Mon, 29 Jun 2020 19:29:23 +0000

REGARDING:
“It takes $1.54 to purchase what a $1.00 did in 1999.”

So, how much did a Chromebook, smartphone, LED bulb, or Tesla cost in 1999?

David for the incomparable

By: David Huie Green

David Huie Green — Mon, 29 Jun 2020 19:20:29 +0000

CONSIDERING:
“If someone gave you a million dollars, they could have given you a billion.”

It WOULD be nice. Strange that nobody’s offered either.

David for acceptance

By: ROBERT

ROBERT — Sun, 28 Jun 2020 13:39:28 +0000

I hate this plan..I know teachers that have 20 years experience and are certified in ESE and special needs students and have a masters degree and only make 52k a year. Now some 22 year old with a basic bachelors can get hired and make nearly the same pay as that long term experienced teacher. While it is great for new teachers it completely ignores teachers with years of hard work and experience. Seems totally unfair to me.

By: Joshua

Joshua — Thu, 25 Jun 2020 21:25:19 +0000

I agree with most of what “No Excuses” said. Teacher pay def needs to be addressed considering what they have to do these days. They’re basically having to act like child care workers and parents while still teaching. Let’s face it, a lot of parents are not invested and expect a lot more from teachers now. As far as the LEO comments, we are under paid and our job is dangerous. These are very obvious issues that we knew about before we “volunteered” to serve. Yes I wish we got more but I knew what I was getting into and I joined a bargaining unit to help get me more pay. Also, LEOs are not required to have all the degrees teachers have to have for there low paying jobs. Teacher unions haven’t had much success when negotiating salaries. So I hope they see a lot of this money this coming year. Also, hope all the LEO can bargain for more considering how tough this job has been so far this year.

By: JOHN

JOHN — Thu, 25 Jun 2020 19:42:45 +0000

@ Dwn. So nothing is ever good enough. If someone gave you a million dollars, they could have given you a billion.

By: No Excuses

No Excuses — Thu, 25 Jun 2020 19:16:09 +0000

While I could make many comments about this article and the responses I have read here, I would like to focus on the comparison between CO’s and teachers.

CO’s, what you make in Florida is shameful. You definitely need to be paid more for the job you do.

However, as someone here pointed out, teachers do get time off. I should also add that those of us who do, are only paid for the time we are in school. Ten months out of the year. Our paychecks are prorated to pay us for 12 paydays to help make finances flow more easily for the district. Why the differences in pay? Well, most teachers have at least four years of college. CO’s need only have a high school diploma to be employed. Many teachers have Master’s degrees or higher, which means 6 years or more of college in their subject field. They are subject matter experts in their areas. You would not go to a doctor that didn’t have the appropriate medical degree, would you? Why are our students any less important? Why is a teacher deserving of less salary than a lawyer? A JD is simply a doctorate in law. An Ed.D is a doctorate in education. Teachers make less than lawyers because we are public servants and in many cases, lawyers aren’t.

Last, but certainly not least, teachers deal with many of the same things in classrooms everyday that CO’s deal with while working with inmates. I make this statement because I have been in that situation. I’ve been in teaching for 37 years this August. 17 of those in the Escambia School District and 20 of them as a teacher with the Federal Bureau of Prisons as a GED/Special Needs/ESL instructor. The similarities between working with inmate students and public school students would shock you.

Give the teachers (all of them) an equitable raise, and do the same for the CO’s and Law Enforcement personnel.

JMHO. No offense meant to anyone.

By: BRING IT ON

BRING IT ON — Thu, 25 Jun 2020 18:27:02 +0000

The way I see it is if the kids don’t go back to school, the parents become the teachers. They should be compensated. Santa Rosa county just this year put a $5000 impact fee on all new single family dwellings. They say new people moving into the area are impacting schools, where’s that $$ going especially if the schools remain closed. So if the kids don’t go back to school because of one virus or the other, why are teachers getting paid more for doing less?

By: Rasheed Jackson

Rasheed Jackson — Thu, 25 Jun 2020 15:07:32 +0000

I have heard for years that teacher’s starting salaries are too low, and because of this Florida is missing out on good teachers because those who would teach, choose to go to higher paying jobs. The Governor is trying to do something about that and people complain. Why? I understand the veteran teachers frustration but you are working for what you agreed to. If you don’t like the pay go somewhere else.
As one person pointed out teachers are a part of a collective bargaining group so negotiate for better salaries. Basically you voted for your pay. Maybe you need better negotiators.
Please don’t take this the wrong way, I do believe a lot has been thrown on teachers over the years, and dealing with the social issue they encounter on a day to day basses would send most people packing, so I do respect the work teachers do, and I am sure many are p[leased with the governor support but must we continue to find fault in everything? I think it is a step in the right direction.