Teachers face mass layoffs as stimulus runs out

Well isn't this nice.

Study: Schools must raise taxes or slash budgets to make up for shortfalls.

ALBANY, N.Y. - Using federal stimulus money to avoid layoffs at schools is going to create a shortfall even more difficult for states and schools to contend with when that money runs out, according to a first-of-its-kind study released Monday.

New York alone will see a $2 billion shortfall after stimulus money ends in 2011-12, and that could drive up some of the nation's highest local property taxes another 8 percent, according to the analysis by state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli.

"This isn't just a New York problem," DiNapoli said in an early and detailed analysis of school aid after federal stimulus funds run out in 2011-12. "Other states across the country will face a similar dilemma if they used stimulus money to plug budget holes instead of paying for one-time expenses.

Read the rest of the story here.

Another blow to the US's public school system I see. This is happening all over the country as well, and we wonder why there is a lack of teachers.

Isn't it obvious that there isn't enough reward for the work they put in? My sister is a teacher in the states and she is so frustrated trying to help and teach kids with substandard equipment and and dated books.

Screw health care, education should be more important.

Thoughts?

~Keeper

Originally posted by tothetenthpower

Screw health care, education should be more important.

I disagree.

Warfare is more important than both education and healthcare.

Only a global conflict has the capacity to create the billions of jobs that are needed to keep the economy afloat.


[edit on 22-12-2009 by In nothing we trust]

reply to post by In nothing we trust

Warefare is more important than healthcare or education

Hence why we need more education when one thinks this way is correct, and the other reason why aliens don't come down and say hello.

So you want WW3 to start in order to uplift the economy?

That's a little dark don't you think?

And I dont think it's necessary. Mind you I agree that it works, however it this climate it would only lead to mass spending, which would equal out to mass debt.

It would only compound the problem.

~Keeper

[edit on 12/22/2009 by tothetenthpower]

reply to post by tothetenthpower


I wonder how that little girl Obama was parading around in his first speech

is making out.

He made a lot of promises to upgrade schools, FOR THE CHILDREN

Surely he will keep that promise .

Simple. Government needs to get out of the business of daycare. Which is what the U.S educational system has become. There is money to be made in education. Let the free market do it's job.

Originally posted by tothetenthpower

So you want WW3 to start in order to uplift the economy?

That's a little dark don't you think?

... however in this climate it would only lead to mass spending, which would equal out to mass debt.

Warfare is the one thing that the entire human race can get behind as a worthwhile goal. We have all kinds of stored up bombs and ammunition we should use it. That's why we created it.

Don't worry how to pay for it.

Trust me, once the bombs start falling no one will give a crap about the economy or the debt.



[edit on 22-12-2009 by In nothing we trust]

As bad as this may be for the teachers...losing their jobs and all. Imagine how much the children will suffer with overcrowded classrooms. I see the educational bar being lowered once again.

I guess the flip side is....all these teachers that claim to be teachers purely for the benefit of educating the youth...well, here is your chance to put your money where your mouth is...and volunteer to stay on as teacher with only a promise that you will be paid again when the economy makes a turn for the better.

The sound of teachers volunteering: chirp....chirp....chirp...
Best Ben Stein impersonation: anyone? anyone? anyone?

Originally posted by Aggie Man
I guess the flip side is....all these teachers that claim to be teachers purely for the benefit of educating the youth...well, here is your chance to put your money where your mouth is...and volunteer to stay on as teacher with only a promise that you will be paid again when the economy makes a turn for the better.

Your talking about a profession that walks out on the kids during the school year because they want MORE MORE MORE! Sorry but teachers make good money in MOST parts of America, great benifits, retirement, summers off (and mind you their salaries are STILL better than mine and don't even work a full year), ALL holidays off and paid, weekends off, when its hot they get AC, when its cold they get heat, I mean cmon...

And you and I both know 90% of teachers aren't in it for the kids, they are in it for the money, working enviroment, status, etc...

Now would I expect them to work for free...of course not. Are all teachers in it for the fringe benifits...I don't think so, but school and teachers are NOT what they used to be...that is a FACT and very evident with just a quick look...

EDIT TO ADD: It's just not teachers on the chopping block and losing their jobs by the way....there are other professions just as important that are feeling this as well...

[edit on 12/22/2009 by rcwj1975]

reply to post by tothetenthpower


I agree, why spend trillions on a health care system that will diminish services and tax us more? Spend the money on an education system so that we can have an educated populace to work the jobs of the future. As it is, CEO's are eyeing other countries that can offer cheaper, more educated workers.. what does America offer? The public school system is a disgrace, one of the worst in the Post Industrial World.

rcwj1975

Your talking about a profession that walks out on the kids during the school year because they want MORE MORE MORE! Sorry but teachers make good money in MOST parts of America

Teacher make @% for wages.. They average 30-50k a year. Most new teachers won't even have a shot at tenure anymore, and beginning wages are in the 25-35k/yr range (and that's in a decent suburb). Teachers go on strike because it's the only way to increase their wages (and remember the teachers often spend many free hours working, because they are not hourly, they are salary) If we paid teachers more, we could have more educated and qualified teachers. Personally, I wouldn't bother going 60k in debt to get a Masters Degree to make 30k in an over crowded class with teenagers.

Originally posted by Rockpuck
Teacher make @% for wages.. They average 30-50k a year. Most new teachers won't even have a shot at tenure anymore, and beginning wages are in the 25-35k/yr range (and that's in a decent suburb). Teachers go on strike because it's the only way to increase their wages (and remember the teachers often spend many free hours working, because they are not hourly, they are salary) If we paid teachers more, we could have more educated and qualified teachers. Personally, I wouldn't bother going 60k in debt to get a Masters Degree to make 30k in an over crowded class with teenagers.

MANY jobs, professional careers at that, start in the same range when it comes to salary. Those "other" careers don't offer tenure and as far as I am concerned tenure is BS! How many other jobs give the promise of NO TERMINATION or LAY OFFS no matter how long you have been there, or no matter the situation, baring something illegal????

I agree teachers are important and are vital, but I am SICK of hearing about how hard their job is and how little they get in return. MANY of us get little in return for the work we do. When other professions complain about things like teachers do what are they told? "hey YOU chose to be a _____!" Well they chose to teach....




[edit on 12/22/2009 by rcwj1975]

It would be one thing if we actually had a real educational system in the US. Come on, there is a huge difference between the states and their respective school systems. Then throw in the teachers perks and how many of them cannot teach and it looks like a total waste.

Honestly I don't think what teachers get paid is half bad. Its enough to live on somewhat comfortably in most areas. It may not pay for big extravagances, but its enough to ensure you have what you need. That said, The education system in the U.S. is crap to put it mildly. I play a few games where I get to talk to kids from all over the world. I am generally impressed by the kids in the 14-21 age range from most countries except america. Most of these kids despite being from, non english speaking countries, speak english fluently at around the age of 14 because they were taught in school. They have a love for classic literature and me, a college educated 30 yr old american feel, well uneducated compared to these 14 yr old kids. No wonder america is failing. Our kids aren't dumb just uneducated by the rest of the worlds standards.

Originally posted by rcwj1975

Originally posted by Rockpuck
Teacher make @% for wages.. They average 30-50k a year. Most new teachers won't even have a shot at tenure anymore, and beginning wages are in the 25-35k/yr range (and that's in a decent suburb). Teachers go on strike because it's the only way to increase their wages (and remember the teachers often spend many free hours working, because they are not hourly, they are salary) If we paid teachers more, we could have more educated and qualified teachers. Personally, I wouldn't bother going 60k in debt to get a Masters Degree to make 30k in an over crowded class with teenagers.

MANY jobs, professional careers at that, start in the same range when it comes to salary. Those "other" careers don't offer tenure and as far as I am concerned tenure is BS! How many other jobs give the promise of NO TERMINATION or LAY OFFS no matter how long you have been there, or no matter the situation, baring something illegal????

I agree teachers are important and are vital, but I am SICK of hearing about how hard their job is and how little they get in return. MANY of us get little in return for the work we do. When other professions complain about things like teachers do what are they told? "hey YOU chose to be a _____!" Well they chose to teach....

[edit on 12/22/2009 by rcwj1975]

You obviously don't understand how VITAL teachers are. Teachers are one of the most if not THE most important proffesion we have.

The education of our children is the most important thing I can think of. Do you want another generation of dumbed down kids who can't help themselves and therefore must rely on teh government to screw them at every turn?

Come on now.

You say that many other proffessions offer the same wages. Yes they do, but however they are doing nothing in comparison to the hard work and dedication it takes to teach and mold the minds of children in order to make them intelligent, productive members of society.

This whole, we do more too argument is a straw man pure and simple.

Did you know that India has more kids on the honor role than America has kids enrolled?

Did you know that America stands as one of the lowest in Education among 1st world countries? Did you know that America contributes the least ammount of it's citizens in professions such as Engineering, Medicine, Physics etc?

America's school system is a joke, and until it becomes something as renoun as it should be then you will continue to have a #ty economy, a #ty government and a #ty standard of living.

The reason?

Your populace isn't educated enough to know what they can do for themselves.

~Keeper

Edit to add these are findings:

1. Sweden
2. Finland
3. The Netherlands
4. Belgium (Flemish Community)
5. Ireland
6. Belgium (French Community)
7. Austria
8. Germany
9. France
10. Italy
11. Canada
12. Australia
13. United States
14. United Kingdom
15. New Zealand
16. Japan

Kinda sad eh?

Source

~Keeper

[edit on 12/22/2009 by tothetenthpower]

Originally posted by tothetenthpower
You say that many other proffessions offer the same wages. Yes they do, but however they are doing nothing in comparison to the hard work and dedication it takes to teach and mold the minds of children in order to make them intelligent, productive members of society.

Oh cmon...teachers DO NOT teach anymore. They are given the material by the state or government and simply pass it on to the students. Have you seen or spoken to current teachers in this country? Sorry but MANY are still not mature enough to teach anything. MANY still grasp the lifestyle of college, parties, social status, etc... they have NOT become professionals, they have become a bunch of whiny young adults who aren't in teaching to actually teach and don't give a ---- about the youth today. And having to have a college degree to teach elementary grade students makes me laugh...

Now, in their defense, some what, I will say kids these days aren't like those of us in the past either...kids are a bit more unattentive, disrespectful, and outright dumb thanks to piss poor parenting.

This is precisely why stimulus dollars don't make a bit of difference. It's nothing but deferred pain. The longer this Bailout Bubble is allowed to inflate the worse things are going to get. If we had just taken our medicine for spending beyond our means we wouldn't be caught in this current trap...Of spending beyond our means.

Other options would be to stop this stupidity, continue the bailout bubble until it blows up in our collective faces, or turn away from the train wreck ahead.

With jobs being lost on most every front,maybe people could consider home schooling for their children. I dislike the thought of school short falls and the higher taxes that come with them. But lets face it, our school system sucks!! There are far to many children that graduate high school that can only read at or near third grade levels. It's past time for parents to take an active hand in education.

reply to post by rcwj1975


Obviously then you haven't met any "real" teachers.

As far as the teachers getting the material from the state, that's also a huge problem. Obviously we should have a standard for our children in regards to the material but it should be regulated and defined by the people who teach and study it, not some government bureaucrat.

The wonderful teachers are the ones who take that material and add to it. And teach to the children in a way that makes them interested and engages them in learning.

The quest for knowledge is never a fools errand.

I don't know about the US but where I am from I have met hundreds of teachers, high school and elementary alike who are phenomenal at what they do and care about those children as if they were they're own.

It's unfortunate that you would blanket ALL teachers the way you do and also ALL the students as being the way they are.

My children certainly do not fall into that category and neither do thousands, probably millions more either.

I don't understand how it came to be that people just stopped caring. They just look at the news one day and said, "Well, it's too far to go back".

Like the whole of North America was on this new drug called F-It All. How do you all expect to fix anything if you are too afraid of the change it requires?

Everybody wants change, but nobody seems to be doing the hard work that is needed.

I really think it's ridiculous that so many Americans aren't smart enough or simply aren't educated enough themselves to figure out that the education system should be your top priority.

~Keeper

[edit on 12/23/2009 by tothetenthpower]

reply to post by tothetenthpower


Is happening in my state, the state can not longer fund many positions at state level including teachers, police and any other public server, but then you got the fat rats in the upper state government giving themselves raises.

reply to post by marg6043


The biggest problem with any public service, is that it isn't run by the public.

The government, whether state or federal are just as corrupt and will do anything to reach farther into the cookie jar, cutting costs and ultimately cutting the quality of the service.

My province is seeing the same thing here too, along with the sale of our Provincial Power Company to another Province, because it was so mis-managed they ran it into the ground.

A public service should be just that. Public. For us, run by us.

~Keeper

reply to post by tothetenthpower


I see you are from Canada, but I imagine we have the same problems when it comes to local government, in the US you know we pay two main taxes, the federal and the state local government, but the state needs federal funding to keep state government working, actually our local taxes are supposed to pay for public servants, but with most state running their budgets as irresponsible as the federal government they get federal grants while keeping the budged deficit growing like the fed keeps printing money to keep spending while the national deficit is growing.

Is really a ponzi scheme, but without tax revenue due to the recession and unemployment no only states are running our of money and taxable income but the Federal government also.

I wonder how long we can go on and on living on bail outs and stimulus