On Aug 11, 4:10*pm, Han wrote:

Thanks!! *I agree, we need to talk. *We don't want more occurrences like
the GM and Chrysler bankruptcies that give away pension obligations to
the "state" or just say screw you to the retired workers. *Some givebacks
need to happen, but we were focusing here on teachers. *And then the BIG
question is, would you want your kids (and your neighbors' kids too) to
have a good education, or should the kids be warehoused until 16 or 18
and then loosed upon the drugdens that would undoubtedly spring up in
your town.


Han,

I agree that kids need to have a good education but simply paying
money does not guarantee that. We pay a hell of a lot per student in
this country and we are getting dumber and dumber. Do you really
believe that it will turn the corner if you pay teachers more money?
Hire more teachers? Provide more "free" meals in school? Give each
kid a Mac?

Nope. It all starts in the home and whether or not a kid's parents
value education and make darn sure that their kids do the needful.
You have parents at both ends of the spectrum: those who think their
kids need to be #1 in everything and can never have a bad grade and
those who can give a #%@^. And I do not know which group has more
members in it. Unless and until those things change, we will sink
lower and lower.

Additionally, I graduated from high school around the time that Jimmy
Carter created the Department of Education. Seems to me the USA was
on top of the world at that time and, ever since, we have plummeted
but the costs have risen tremendously. I see a lot of problems there.

But let's get back to the subject: why shouldn't teachers have to
endure everything the rest of us do? We all are forced to work more.
We are all forced to pay more. And, as a result, our hourly take home
pay has been reduced incredibly.

Am I biased? Maybe I am but I am sick of having to pay for more and
more people out of my salary.