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I'm sick unto death of the American public, specifically, the California Public.
So it's not secret there are problems in our school system. But what's the number one thing everyone from the District Superintendant of SCUSD to the Governor to the average dipshit want to do to fix it? Fire teachers, and cut the pay and benefits of those remaining.
Right, because that makes sense. Let's not worry about overhauling the curriculum to make it relevant to the lives of our students, let's not bother with updating and upgrading the ancient and barely-working computers on which we're supposed to teach them how to use modern programs. Let's not buy actual novels they can study to learn about life and how to think, let's not stop wasting money on new editions of badly-written textbooks. Let's not even consider doing something about the Culture of Ignorance and Disrespect that rules the inner city schools. No, let's just fire teachers, cut their pay, and cut their benefits.
You know what? If you think like that, then screw you. Let me say that again: FUCK YOU. I'm sick of your shit. I've been insulted by lackwit parents who think I'm unintelligent because I only make $40,000 a year, because of course everyone knows that the measure of intelligence is how much money you make. I've been insulted by kids who spew the same stupid line their parents say: "Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach." Hell, I've been told that fucking line by my own family. Imagine how good that felt.
I've been told by people who consider me a friend that I'm overpaid because I make $40,000 for ten months' work. Listen up, dumbass. First of all, with my education level, the median income in the US is $75,000 per year. If you do the math, then by that standard, for 10 months' work, I ought to make $62,000. Even if you add my benefits package to my income, however, I still only make $50,000 a year--that's $12,000 less than the national median income for my level of education. And even if teach for my full 30 years and continue to take classes to increase my education, I'll only make $80,000, compared to the $100,000+ I'd make in another field at that level of education.
Frankly, I work a lot more than 10 months. Every day, I work three hours longer than I'm actually paid to work. During the summer that you slack-jawed dimwits think I'm enjoying while you work, I not only take care of my kid, but I rewrite curriculum, attend endless meetings, take summer courses to increase my effectiveness as a teacher (at my own expense, mind you), and begin work a full three weeks to a month before your kids ever see me.
Unlike most people, I don't get to leave my work at the office. Even if I never correct papers at home, I'm always thinking about my job. Ask my wife how often I'm stressed because I'm worried my students won't rise to the challenges I've set them. Ask her how often a I've fought for my students when administrators want to throw them under a bus. Ask her how I'm sleeping these days. Ask her how often I've been watching a movie with her, and started bugging her with how I can turn it into a lesson.
Then ask her how much of our money I spend on supplies I can't get from my tight-fisted school district each year. Ask her how many times she's gritted her teeth because I spent $50 on a book I needed for school, or on paper because my school won't pay for it anymore, or on ink and pens and teaching units and DVDs for my classes. Ask her how frustrated I am that I can't really do that anymore without causing us problems.
Next, take a look at my car. I've been driving it for 10 years. It's a piece of shit; has been since a year after I bought it. Ask me why I can't replace it. Ask me why my windows won't roll down and my sunroof won't open. Ask me why I'm still driving this PoS when I said four years ago that I'd get a new car once I had a teaching job. Ask me why every time I get in my car, I groan, and every time I get out of it, I wince.
And you want to cut my pay and benefits even further ... shame on you, California.
Fucking kangaroos
So it's not secret there are problems in our school system. But what's the number one thing everyone from the District Superintendant of SCUSD to the Governor to the average dipshit want to do to fix it? Fire teachers, and cut the pay and benefits of those remaining.
Right, because that makes sense. Let's not worry about overhauling the curriculum to make it relevant to the lives of our students, let's not bother with updating and upgrading the ancient and barely-working computers on which we're supposed to teach them how to use modern programs. Let's not buy actual novels they can study to learn about life and how to think, let's not stop wasting money on new editions of badly-written textbooks. Let's not even consider doing something about the Culture of Ignorance and Disrespect that rules the inner city schools. No, let's just fire teachers, cut their pay, and cut their benefits.
You know what? If you think like that, then screw you. Let me say that again: FUCK YOU. I'm sick of your shit. I've been insulted by lackwit parents who think I'm unintelligent because I only make $40,000 a year, because of course everyone knows that the measure of intelligence is how much money you make. I've been insulted by kids who spew the same stupid line their parents say: "Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach." Hell, I've been told that fucking line by my own family. Imagine how good that felt.
I've been told by people who consider me a friend that I'm overpaid because I make $40,000 for ten months' work. Listen up, dumbass. First of all, with my education level, the median income in the US is $75,000 per year. If you do the math, then by that standard, for 10 months' work, I ought to make $62,000. Even if you add my benefits package to my income, however, I still only make $50,000 a year--that's $12,000 less than the national median income for my level of education. And even if teach for my full 30 years and continue to take classes to increase my education, I'll only make $80,000, compared to the $100,000+ I'd make in another field at that level of education.
Frankly, I work a lot more than 10 months. Every day, I work three hours longer than I'm actually paid to work. During the summer that you slack-jawed dimwits think I'm enjoying while you work, I not only take care of my kid, but I rewrite curriculum, attend endless meetings, take summer courses to increase my effectiveness as a teacher (at my own expense, mind you), and begin work a full three weeks to a month before your kids ever see me.
Unlike most people, I don't get to leave my work at the office. Even if I never correct papers at home, I'm always thinking about my job. Ask my wife how often I'm stressed because I'm worried my students won't rise to the challenges I've set them. Ask her how often a I've fought for my students when administrators want to throw them under a bus. Ask her how I'm sleeping these days. Ask her how often I've been watching a movie with her, and started bugging her with how I can turn it into a lesson.
Then ask her how much of our money I spend on supplies I can't get from my tight-fisted school district each year. Ask her how many times she's gritted her teeth because I spent $50 on a book I needed for school, or on paper because my school won't pay for it anymore, or on ink and pens and teaching units and DVDs for my classes. Ask her how frustrated I am that I can't really do that anymore without causing us problems.
Next, take a look at my car. I've been driving it for 10 years. It's a piece of shit; has been since a year after I bought it. Ask me why I can't replace it. Ask me why my windows won't roll down and my sunroof won't open. Ask me why I'm still driving this PoS when I said four years ago that I'd get a new car once I had a teaching job. Ask me why every time I get in my car, I groan, and every time I get out of it, I wince.
And you want to cut my pay and benefits even further ... shame on you, California.
Fucking kangaroos