Steve9347

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Sep 11, 2012 -> 02:49 PM) I really doubt the typical person pulling in 70-80k a year is working 40 hours a week. I sure don't see it. Don't you see? Everyone who is not a teacher clocks out at exactly 40:00 hours per week! And they all take super crazy long lunches paid for by their employer! And they never, ever even think of work when outside the office! And there are always strippers and cocaine freely available.

QUOTE (ptatc @ Sep 11, 2012 -> 12:38 PM) Most teachers to even make a little more money need to go get a Master's degree as well. Yeah, but those higher-level college courses are covered by schools as "continuing education".

QUOTE (CrimsonWeltall @ Sep 11, 2012 -> 12:31 PM) They're not working 20%+ more hours because the plan involves hiring 477 extra teachers to work those added hours. High school teachers are going to be working an extra 14 minutes. Elementary and middle school teachers will be working the same hours as before. So it's a 16% raise for working basically the same schedule. http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-07...-teachers-union When everywhere else, in reality, raises aren't being tossed around for s***s and giggles.

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Sep 11, 2012 -> 12:28 PM) Lawyers generally have the additional benefit of making $$$ You know there are lawyers out there who simply get a salary, right? Not every lawyer in the world is being privately paid.

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Sep 11, 2012 -> 12:26 PM) Teachers do not get "three straight months," or twelve weeks, off in the summer. What school district that isn't on some modified year-round schedule gets more than 2 weeks in December? Well, college teachers get close to a month off...

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Sep 11, 2012 -> 12:24 PM) Looking at other publically-funded professionals, like say Cops and Firefighters, they do little work outside hours, they work fewer hours, and they get paid OT for when they go over. As they should, IMO, because of the conditions of their jobs. And this is coming from someone who used to work in law enforcement. Yeah, but even with that overtime, they get paid, on average 30k less in Chicago than CPS teachers.

QUOTE (Jake @ Sep 11, 2012 -> 11:48 AM) "I hope it isn't a suicide sicko" Bad teacher QUOTE (flippedoutpunk @ Sep 11, 2012 -> 12:05 PM) The teacher then gave us a speech about how if this is found to be the acts of a foreign country or terrorist organization that we are the generation thats going to be asked to fight back. Awesome teacher

QUOTE (That funky motion @ Sep 11, 2012 -> 11:29 AM) I was in Florida about to be married the next day. We were getting married on a cruise with 125 friends and family. I was watching tv while my wife was in the shower. As I watched it, I couldn't help but think, how was I going to tell her that her wedding would be possibly be cancelled. As she came out of the shower, she asked me what movie I was watching. As I told her what was going on she started to cry, but not because of her wedding that she planned for a year. It really hit me then that I was marrying the right woman. Wow, that's a great story.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Sep 11, 2012 -> 12:16 PM) Forgot one more key one... 6. Teachers work a lot of hours outside of work, more so than most any profession. The idea that it is a job with some huge amount of time off compared to others is completely false. When you add in all the extra, unpaid overtime they have to put in, they are probably getting a similar amount to everyone else in professional jobs. And they don't get to choose when to take it like others do. Well, let's be real, that "overtime" gets teachers to a normal level of working - those who actually do it. You cannot say with any breath of seriousness that 3 straight months off, plus 2-4 weeks in December, plus Spring Break while also getting weekends off during the school year is not having more time off compared to other professions. It's just blatantly inaccurate.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Sep 11, 2012 -> 12:14 PM) Man, there is a lot of uninformed B.S. in here, and out there on social media. Regardless of where you stand on this, let's clarify some things people keep missing... 1. I keep seeing people mention the fact that the teachers want a 16% raise, while private industry founders, and how that is just whining and being spoiled, etc. This is so thick with falsehood it is hard to know where to start. First, a lot of people seem to forget that the extended school day means teachers are working 20%+ more hours - so a 16% raise is still an actual step DOWN in pay per hour. And oh by the way, the extended school day that will cost more money (salaries and other effects) was NOT the union's idea, it was the city's. Second, it completely ignores that both the CTU and the City officials are BOTH saying, salary isn't even the key issue here. But the money numbers are easy to throw around in some shallow attempt at discourse, so, lazy wins the day. Then there's the fact that private industry by nature is going to have lows AND highs economically, with huge opportunity for both. So where are the teacher bonuses when things go well? I mean, if they should suffer when others do, why aren't they also getting some of the success when things are going well? Can't have it both ways. 2. The fact that people here don't see the falsehood in the articles comparing MEDIAN and AVERAGE statistics against each other makes me wonder how many people ever took, or passed, basic statistics. 3. The idea that teachers can never be fired is false - let's focus on reality: teachers who reach certain levels of TENURE get big job protections. So don't go blaming every teacher, or thinking that as soon as you are hired you have a permanent job. I actually agree with those who dislike tenure job protections - I think they should be gone entirely. But that is what they are TENURE rules, not rules protecting all teachers. They in fact work AGAINST younger, less experienced teachers. 4. On the other side of the argument, I see people who support the teachers' side stating that the union is right to try to stop merit evaluation based on test scores... but then they are also fighting the ability of principals and administrators to fire teachers who underperform. WTF? Which is it? Do you want your performance based on test scores, grades, or subjective review of performance? Because this argument you are making has it sound like you want NONE, and that is a giant pile of B.S. You are working with public dollars, and people deserve to know that teachers are being evaluated somehow, some way, so that the lousy ones can be shown the door. So pick your poison. 5. I am also seeing BOTH sides get into this thing where they are accusing the other of not caring about the children involved. Bulls***. You really think that most teachers AND administrators (who usually were teachers previously) don't care about this? Come on now, let's put that stuff aside. They both care, obviously, but also NEITHER cared enough to find a way to get a good contract done. It isn't one side or the other veing somehow evil here, or wanting to hurt their students. This is the same empty garbage we hear from people saying Obama wants to destroy the country, or Bush wanted to take over the Middle East. Give it a rest. QUOTE (Soxbadger @ Sep 11, 2012 -> 12:16 PM) No it hurts everyone, because unlike a private sector job, schools are for the benefit of society. So when you have highly educated teachers who want the same job for less money, society is hurt when the union says no. Society is hurt when the school district is bankrupt and the union wont let it hire cheaper replacements. Once again, everyone wants a teacher job. But the union creates a system where only the select few ever get it and then creates rules to ensure that those select few never lose it. And maybe Id be a little more convinced in the system if we were going gangbusters and dominating in education. But we arent, so outside of teachers bank accounts, who is winning? Because this is who is not: children, tax payers, society. Both of these are solid posts, but they lack the passion of a Steve post.

I'm going to not be a teacher and take my lunch, since apparently no teacher anywhere has ever had lunch.

QUOTE (CrimsonWeltall @ Sep 11, 2012 -> 12:02 PM) Maybe they shouldn't do that, because the idea that the average American teacher works 11 hours per work day is ridiculous. Think of every lazy teacher who does the minimum or uses the same lesson plan year after year putting in like 6 hours a day of legit work. There's a teacher putting in 16 hours a day for every one of those? That's like 8am to 2am every day! I must know at least 20 teachers. They don't work past 2:30-4 on any given day. And if they do, it's because they are teaching a sport or doing math club or some s*** where they get ADDITIONAL PAY BEYOND THEIR SALARIES. And when they are grading papers at home, or planning, or whatever, they're watching American Idol and drinking. Some even have the audacity to b**** about having to go to the Scantron machine and wait for it to churn out their work. All of these arguments are just silly. Teachers, for the most part, have it made, and they all act like they are the most noble people doing God's work and raising everyone's children for little to know pay.

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Sep 11, 2012 -> 12:02 PM) man steve you sure are melting down in this thread By providing facts and figures with a little bit of anecdotal background?

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Sep 11, 2012 -> 11:54 AM) Can we get a comparison of CPS salary averages to college-educated salary averages? That's more apples-to-apples. The average CPS salary is $71,236. The average person with a Master's Degree in Chicago makes $66,000. http://www.simplyhired.com/a/salary/search...l-Chicago%2C+IL That's assuming most teachers have a Master's Degree, obviously.

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Sep 11, 2012 -> 11:54 AM) Can we get a comparison of CPS salary averages to college-educated salary averages? That's more apples-to-apples. Who THE F*CK cares? The average teacher salary is $71,236 in the Chicago Public School district, which includes elementary schools and high schools, according to the Illinois Interactive Report Card of Northern Illinois University. The average in the state is $64,978. The average police officer in Chicago is paid $40,000. Fireman? $41,000. Cry me a f***ing river, teachers. Your life must suck to never be able to be fired and to be able to take worthless classes to force a pay raise.

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Sep 11, 2012 -> 11:49 AM) I didn't post that article to show how much harder teachers have it. I posted it to deflate the argument that teachers should be paid less because they don't work as much, because it turns out that, yeah, they do. Who here has said they should be paid less? The entire f***ing thread is about how ridiculous CPS teachers are for going on strike, when they are compensated as well as other professions with better benefits. They, at most, work almost as much as other people! ZOMG STRIKE!

QUOTE (Jake @ Sep 11, 2012 -> 11:35 AM) What I don't understand is why you guys don't all become teachers... awesome pay, awesome benefits and pension, EASY work schedule, EASY nature of work why don't you do it??? I would have f***ing done it if I hadn't been brainwashed by teachers my entire life who did nothing but b**** about how s***ty their job is while getting more pay and benefits and f***ing pension than is remotely reasonable.

Teachers want more for doing less, and it's been that way for years. They do this all while perpetuating the ideas that they are underpaid and they are doing something noble. Seeing as how I have a lot of family who are teachers, I see a lot of bulls***. One of the most ridiculous things I've read is this facebook status they all share once a month or so. It goes something like "while you are home tonight, teachers everywhere are working late to make sure your child gets an education." Everytime I read it I want to punch the PC screen. They act like they don't get paid! They act like it's not a job, like they are public servants who don't get more time off than 90% of professions out there. Nothing can convince me otherwise. My mother spends 3 months doing jack s***, and then goes back to the class room and has to go in on a Saturday and you'd think the world ended. This is while my dad's on the like 35th consecutive year of rocking 60-80 hours per week. They have no idea how stupid they sound, and they have no idea how much they should be resented.

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Sep 11, 2012 -> 10:11 AM) Some more background on how much or how little teachers actually work: http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2011/06/25/...worlds-longest/ So, even though they get lots of time off, they still put in almost as many hours as the average full-time employee. Yeah, so they spend that time in the classroom, and at most spend just over 1900 hours working a year. An average work week for the average person is 40 hours, though mine's more like 48. There are 52 weeks in a year. That's 2,080 hours, on the absolute lowest end. I don't get paid overtime when I stay past 5pm, I do it because I need to get work done. Boo f***ing hoo teachers, you almost sometimes, but not really, work somewhat close to what other people do with more benefits, more vacation time. God, teachers suck.

Me? I was 18 and working at MCI as a telemarketer while going to community college. That morning, I heard that a "plane hit the World Trade Center" from someone I was calling to sell long distance to (and wow, 11 years marks a big difference in technology, eh?), and she told me that she was more interested in the news than discussing her long distance. I removed my headset and went to the large break room (this place was huge, with like 400 employees) and saw the news. People began sort of funneling over to the break room to see the "news" - which at this point we all assumed was a horrible accident. I called my dad, a machinist, who never sees the news during the work day, and informed him. As I was on the phone with him, the second plane hit and everyone in the break room freaked out. Obviously, MCI sent everyone home for the day, so I went to my parents' where I lived at the time, and watched the news unfold. My night classes at community college in Rockford (Rock Valley College) were somehow not canceled, which I still think is sick to this day, but I obviously did not go. I drove out to see my then girlfriend (now wife) in her dorm at NIU and took her to dinner. 11 years. Wow. I'll never, ever forget.

Fall TV Preview - just in time for tonight's SOA premiere! http://flapship.com/fall-2012-tv-ill-be-watching/

I expected more points in this late game.

QUOTE (Soxbadger @ Sep 10, 2012 -> 11:18 PM) We definitely shouldnt post 4 times in a row that just makes it seem like I have multiple personalities. Everyone knows I'm the guy who would never have a broken image link forever in my signature.

QUOTE (Buehrle>Wood @ Sep 10, 2012 -> 05:08 PM) Anonymous isn't really a group. It's a meme referring to the anonymity granted to a user of the internet. Or not. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anonymous_(group)

QUOTE (JPN366 @ Sep 10, 2012 -> 10:38 PM) You two can't have the same f***ing avatar, it's confusing. But White Sox.