You're Not Just Bashing Educators You're Bashing Women

The amount of bashing of Educators (and their Unions) as the Scapegoat for the problems with unsuccessful student outcomes is sheer ignorance and hate. It’s disgraceful to see that LinkedIn is used to slam our overworked, undervalued and underpaid Educators simply because the majority of Teachers are women, and in this country women are still without Equal Rights when they are Teachers.

Generally I do not post Political issues because as a registered Independent I see both sides however this is one issue that requires exposure. Day after day ignorant people are discussing educational issues as if they have any ‘real’ experience on the matter. This is especially true of Conservatives who avail themselves of every public program from Welfare to Unemployment yet have the nerve to think that Unions (which most Conservatives belong to) and Public Education are bad things. More insulting is that these Woman Bashing Conservatives think they know something about how schools do, and should work. This is not to state that Liberals know much better, but at least Liberals pretend to value Educators. Well, that is most of the time…I think.

What’s really at play here is that according to the United States Department of Education the Teaching industry is comprised of nearly 76% women which account for the following abuses:

1- Teachers must work a minimum of 20-25 hours of weekly unpaid overtime.

No Union I have ever been in has banned me from working unpaid overtime after the contractual work day because unpaid overtime for Teachers is as naturally expected as breathing. You cannot be a Teacher without working daily unpaid overtime so drop the ‘Fake News.’

2- Teachers are 10 month employees and are prohibited by law to collect unemployment benefits. Teachers do not collect salary for July and August.

When you are unemployed you are free to collect unemployment, aren’t you?

3- No other public servant has to spend upwards of $100,000 to qualify for a job that pays an average of $45,000 of which more than half is given back each year in unpaid overtime and unpaid summer furlough. Teachers work at borderline net losses.

All respected public servants (of which Teachers are not) do not work one minute of unpaid overtime. All other public servants do not have to pay to acquire their jobs, while Teachers are in the ‘Pay to Play’ system and are not guaranteed a job.

4- Teachers are the only public servants who are mandated to work a minimum of 30 years or be age 55 before they can retire without a 20% lifetime pension penalty.

 You should also know that the working conditions in all too many schools are not much better than the factories my Grandmothers and Great Aunts used to work in. Unlike the people who complain about Teachers, while at work Teachers cannot:

A- Shop On Line

B- Make phone calls to family and friends anytime they want.

C- Grab a cup of coffee whenever they'd like one

D- Use the Restroom anytime they need to

E- Use Social Media

While at work Teachers must:

A- Work without necessary supplies

B- Buy supplies for their students

C- Regularly give up their Lunch period to give extra help to students.

Teaching is not a flexible job. There is no rest during the work day as ones full attention is needed every moment. Teachers are the abandoned Stepchildren of Public Service based on it being the only female dominated sector of Public Service. To me, that says all I need to know about the fight women still have ahead of them.

On the issue of Unions I believe Teacher Unions should focus on raising professional standards and stay out of politics. Politicians are the ones repressing Teachers while we throw our money at them. Money we should invest in ourselves. Unions need to raise and not raze the image and societal value of Educators. Mind you, no one fights for changes in Teacher Union philosophy more than I do, but to bash Teachers is unacceptable. By the way, Union officials are not monsters. They have very difficult jobs. The fact that I often disagree with the model they use, does not mean I do not value their work. I often disagree with anyone who is completely one sided, after all ‘even a broken Clock is right twice each day’ and if you can’t find something to agree with who has a different perspective there is no hope for change.

On the issue of student/school success or lack of same, the descriptions are simple but fixing the problems are not. Schools are unsuccessful when its students have been improperly placed into learning environments they are not ready to participate in. Conversely, successful Schools are comprised of students who are ready to learn. Successful students are not fighting the emotional, impoverished and traumatic existences that make their counterparts unsuccessful and we as a Nation, run from that truth. These children need our help yet all we do is rename schools; shuffle populations; blame Teachers; demand more and more from Teachers etc. while placing Band Aids on serious matters.

Teachers are not equipped to handle all the needs of unprepared students while trying to meet the needs of prepared students. It’s akin to simultaneously baking a Souffle and frying Chicken in the same vessel. It cannot work. Each needs special attention so they can eventually be presented at the same meal.

While you’re at it stop trashing Teachers and especially around children. How can we have any respect and support when all too many people do this? You send children in to schools having them think that we are overpaid, under worked and unqualified buffoons. When you speak in such ignorant tones you are compromising Teacher effectiveness and damaging student success, so knock it off.

In closing I ask that you stand up for Woman’s Rights in the Workplace by standing up for Teacher’s Rights as they are one and the same. Our Nation owes a great debt of thanks to our Teachers. Where would you be without them?