WARNING: This entry is not suited for everyone, and it contains enough tangents in its content that you may need an air sickness bag. It's basically just a rant - a justified one at that, I think.
It has become quite clear to me over the past few weeks/months that the corporate heirarchy that exists in the U.S. is rather weighted to one side regarding salary (I will not say all, there are many people that deserve the money they make, and even more) and corporate spending. I read an article tonight on MSN (
link) that I found rather frustrating. If you happen to disagree with me, then I apologize that you can't relate.
My wife is a teacher, and she is a good teacher. I have had the opportunity on several occasions to witness her during her work day, among many other teachers (I at one point worked as a computer technician for a school she taught at) and I must say that she is no less than an absolutely amazing teacher. Her kids learn much more than they are expected to, they have fun, they grow together and her class is, overall, a community of growth - mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually, you name it.
Of particular interest to me in the article was the fact that education administrators are within the top 12 paying jobs overall in the U.S. in 2004. Now before you start hitting me with blunt objects, I am not saying that this is such a bad thing; however I have to question why teachers are so poorly paid and drive economy cars, and why the school administrators drive Lexus and Mercedes. Unless you've had your head buried in the sandbox you are no doubt aware of the fact that teachers are poorly paid, period. "But they get two months vacation a year" you might say - no, no they don't, I'm not sure where you got that figure, maybe from the facade of the term "summer vacation" which trust me, is not as much a vacation as you might want to believe; whatever time taken during the summers for relaxation is more than well deserved for teachers' ten- and twelve-hour days during the school year.
I have seen ridiculous amounts of money spent on the part of a school to make a name for itself, while sacrificing money in areas most needed - one example that comes to mind is an annual conference at the largest hotel in town, free hotel rooms for teachers, as much wine and cheese as you can fill your face with, additional materials such as bags and books. Another example would be the catered lunches that administration enjoys, no doubt for which payment is taken from the school's petty cash box. I have seen it all, and I have seen enough.
Why does this bother me? Teachers are not paid their due. Let me say it again: Teachers are NOT paid their due.
I cannot stand, and frankly I get rather upset when my wife tells me that a certain administrator has scheduled a meeting with her to "go over the number of copies she made this month" which, by the way was a note sitting on her lunch tray one afternoon - the same lunch tray she received as recognition for being teacher of the week. "Hey, here you go, you're a great teacher and we want to reward you with a free lunch ... oh and by the way, you made too many copies last month, please schedule a meeting with administration to discuss this." Nice. Are you trying to tell me that the school is justified in spending money liberally in areas NOT related to the children's education? When did the school system become a conglomerate of corporations with presidents and more focus on dress code and fois gras, than education.
Oh yeah, and if you think all of those supplies you see in the classroom were bought and paid for by the school, forget it. It's likely that 90% of it was paid for by the teacher out of their own pocket. Teachers are lucky if they get a small budget for their classroom for the year, at least in the schools I have heard about.
I can't stand it anymore. I see teachers helpless to do anything because of the power of a choice few people up at the front or sitting at their desks at the county school board office. I see administrators bending to the whim of parents without consideration of the opinions or feelings of their own employees - the teachers, and ultimately costing the teachers more time, more of their own personal money, and creating more work every day.
Happy teacher of the week award - don't make so many copies next month.
Give me a break, smarten up.
