OT: West Virginia teacher's strike
- Thread starter Da_Bull
- Start date
- Status
It's not for you to decide what's relevant you little bigot.
So I didn't bother going back and reading all this, because I know how it went.
First, people are really damn dumb and illogical with their "teachers don't work much!" nonsense. Teachers work about 190 days in ten months. The average employee works about (40 weeks x 5 days minus say a week of vacation) 195 days. Uh... yeah, its roughly the same. You can't go bitching about "OMG teachers get two months off!" and then try to compare their work time in ten months to other peoples work time in twelve months, ESPECIALLY when most teachers work in the summer in other jobs, and so work about the same as everyone else. I don't get how people can be so thick.
Second, anyone trying to say teachers have an easy job or one that isn't exhausting is simply a moron, especially if you listen to ACTUAL TEACHERS WITH ACTUAL EXPERIENCE telling you the opposite. I'm always amazed how people with NO experience chime in on stuff they know nothing about. If a soldier posted on here about his experiences in combat, my guess is those same people wouldn't have the balls to comment on something they know ZERO about. I've worked a more demanding private sector job than just about anyone... 90, 100 hour weeks, sleeping at the office 3 nights a week, millions of dollars involved, literally no life... and it wasn't as exhausting as teaching. KIDS ARE EXHAUSTING, and being completely and totally responsible for them in every day for hours and hours, and then going home and doing more work for them... there is nothing like it. Any teacher will tell you, and any moron who has never taught has no idea.
Anyway... I know this thread isn't worth it. Every teacher will chime in with actual, real world experience... and the usual lower-IQ angry folks will chime in with opinions with no factual foundation and their typical illogical points and exaggerated anecdotes that they think prove some huge point. So be it; lower IQ people who didn't do well in school tend to have this strange bitterness to them about school. I mean... I HATED school, absolutely HATED it, but I recognized the value, when I was in high school, at Duke, and at Columbia for grad school, and after some years in the private sector I decided to become a teacher because I felt I needed to do something that had some intrinsic value, to give back to people. I think education is valuable, and I am glad when I see good people get into the profession because our kids need good educators, good mentors, good guides, and good adult role models. (although I always grumpily scold young people and tell them to go to law school... who in their right mind would become a teacher?)
Anyway, I'm out. If other teachers want to waste their time trying to teach in this thread, go ahead... teachers have a hard time giving up on people. But it's hard to teach morons on the internet who are miserable, bitter, only here to take shots, and who are completely incapable of admitting they are wrong or misinformed about anything in the world.
BTW, I DO draw a little happiness from how many posters on here who have always struck me as pretty bright and moderate and logical who have liked stuff teachers have posted here. @DevilNeverCry @Big_Blue79 @Dattier @Quavarius @KisteK @VAWildcat15 @RipThru @JimboBBN @The Reindeer Terp
First, people are really damn dumb and illogical with their "teachers don't work much!" nonsense. Teachers work about 190 days in ten months. The average employee works about (40 weeks x 5 days minus say a week of vacation) 195 days. Uh... yeah, its roughly the same. You can't go bitching about "OMG teachers get two months off!" and then try to compare their work time in ten months to other peoples work time in twelve months, ESPECIALLY when most teachers work in the summer in other jobs, and so work about the same as everyone else. I don't get how people can be so thick.
Second, anyone trying to say teachers have an easy job or one that isn't exhausting is simply a moron, especially if you listen to ACTUAL TEACHERS WITH ACTUAL EXPERIENCE telling you the opposite. I'm always amazed how people with NO experience chime in on stuff they know nothing about. If a soldier posted on here about his experiences in combat, my guess is those same people wouldn't have the balls to comment on something they know ZERO about. I've worked a more demanding private sector job than just about anyone... 90, 100 hour weeks, sleeping at the office 3 nights a week, millions of dollars involved, literally no life... and it wasn't as exhausting as teaching. KIDS ARE EXHAUSTING, and being completely and totally responsible for them in every day for hours and hours, and then going home and doing more work for them... there is nothing like it. Any teacher will tell you, and any moron who has never taught has no idea.
Anyway... I know this thread isn't worth it. Every teacher will chime in with actual, real world experience... and the usual lower-IQ angry folks will chime in with opinions with no factual foundation and their typical illogical points and exaggerated anecdotes that they think prove some huge point. So be it; lower IQ people who didn't do well in school tend to have this strange bitterness to them about school. I mean... I HATED school, absolutely HATED it, but I recognized the value, when I was in high school, at Duke, and at Columbia for grad school, and after some years in the private sector I decided to become a teacher because I felt I needed to do something that had some intrinsic value, to give back to people. I think education is valuable, and I am glad when I see good people get into the profession because our kids need good educators, good mentors, good guides, and good adult role models. (although I always grumpily scold young people and tell them to go to law school... who in their right mind would become a teacher?)
Anyway, I'm out. If other teachers want to waste their time trying to teach in this thread, go ahead... teachers have a hard time giving up on people. But it's hard to teach morons on the internet who are miserable, bitter, only here to take shots, and who are completely incapable of admitting they are wrong or misinformed about anything in the world.
BTW, I DO draw a little happiness from how many posters on here who have always struck me as pretty bright and moderate and logical who have liked stuff teachers have posted here. @DevilNeverCry @Big_Blue79 @Dattier @Quavarius @KisteK @VAWildcat15 @RipThru @JimboBBN @The Reindeer Terp
Last edited:
Oh, sorry Bull, I missed this.
I teach 6th grade, so 11 or 12 year olds. We technically teach everything, but we've switched some stuff up to unofficially departmentalize a bit... so I ditched math and science, and teach several sections of writing, reading (spelling and vocab and stuff is in there too) and social studies. I've been told I'd be better at higher grades where it is purely departmentalized, but honestly my favourite part of teaching (and the part I am best at) is the mentor/motivation/personal sort of thing... that's why I've never become a principal, even though my background would sort of seem to indicate that's what I should likely do.
Oh, and I totally post at work sometimes
What can I say, I'm a bad boy! Honestly we do SO much work on the computer now that I always have 12 windows and tabs open, and I do admit, sometimes, when the kids are working on their own I check in here. I'm sorry! I'm sure I am not the only person who has total access at work who checks in on this dumb forum when they shouldn't. If I am... shit, I should stop!
Reading this at work now. Considering turning off lights and taking a nap after posting. Later in the day, I will clean a fish in my office and work on my plan to skim pennies from each transaction. Tolly ho.
I have no interest in commenting on the topic of teachers and how stressful their job is. There is more to any occupation than what meets the eyes and there is no reason to downplay roles of the people in our society. It takes all kinds to keep us rolling in the right direction.
That said, I feel like we can celebrate our own success and education without insulting others. I agree, some people ITT should have a more open minded view on the difficulties of teaching. I also agree with some of the points made on the other side. But if I am being honest, it is you that has come off as angry and insulting. Which is a shame, because you have made many great points to support your take and have the experience to reference your points. If your motivation for posting ITT was to teach people who don't have the experience, you lost from the moment you called someone a moron and accused them of being angry for sharing their thoughts. Which happened in your very first post.
Not that it matters, just saying.
One of the most self serving, holier than thou, posts i've seen on here. Wow.
Starts by admitting that he didn’t read anything that anyone else wrote, then calls everyone else a moron. Goes on to claim that anyone who disagrees with him is angry, closed minded and low iq despite the fact that he’s the only one calling people names and refusing to engage in anything resembling civil discussion. I can only imagine how lucky your students must be to have you molding their young minds.
And by the way, what “average employees” do you know who only work 40 weeks a year? I’ve always considered myself to work a fairly average job but maybe I’m in the wrong line of work. I work 50 weeks a year with about half of those being six days a week.
Lol. Uh oh. @TheDude1 is triggered. He’s such a pussy.
Yup. TheDude1 is one of the biggest hypocrites on the board. He thinks higher of himself than anyone else I’ve ever seen on here. Pretty much solidifies that he still lives in his mothers basement, is overweight and probably has never been laid. He’s the stereotypical internet message board poster who is completely full of shit.
There's 52 weeks in a year. The average employee works 40 weeks / 5 days a week you say.....
No, I assure you, the average US employee is not off for 3 ****ing months a year.
I always give teachers around me hell for being off all summer. But to be fair, for a lot of teachers summer turns into like 6-8 weeks after inservice (or whatever they call it now) and pre-school year meetings and prep. Plus, a lot of teachers don't take off during the school year unless sick. And then for some, like my mom back in the day, she'd work summer school in summer for extra pay.
Yea, I work several summer sports camps (about 3 weeks worth) during the summer to make extra money and the camp profits is split between coaches & the school booster club so I feel like I'm doing something good for my school as well.
I just want to clarify the math. The average worker gets 1 or 2 weeks of vacation, 11 holidays, and 2 days off a week. That comes up to 236 days a year with 2 weeks vacation.
Want to talk about a shafted workforce, look into the hours first responders work. Only work 120 days a year, but with 24 hour shifts its about 2900 hours compared to the average workers 1900 hours.
I would try to calculate teachers hours worked, but I know that varies a lot depending on teacher and work day. You only "work" 7 hours a day(8-3), but a lot of stuff you do at night like grading, required to work ball games, etc... I have family and friends that are teachers, so I wasn't trying to knock them with my first post. I respect most teachers out there, but as always there are turds in every profession.
Want to talk about a shafted workforce, look into the hours first responders work. Only work 120 days a year, but with 24 hour shifts its about 2900 hours compared to the average workers 1900 hours.
I would try to calculate teachers hours worked, but I know that varies a lot depending on teacher and work day. You only "work" 7 hours a day(8-3), but a lot of stuff you do at night like grading, required to work ball games, etc... I have family and friends that are teachers, so I wasn't trying to knock them with my first post. I respect most teachers out there, but as always there are turds in every profession.
You bring up another good point about after school requirements as well. My "school day" is from 7:35-3:35. But teachers are required to stay after school countless days for faculty meetings, game duties, open house, training sessions, professional development, etc. Also, I coach and usually leave my house around 6:30am (45 minute commute) and come home sometime around 8:00-9:00pm during the season. If you are a high school coach it's much later than that. Now granted, we get paid extra to coach but the coaching stipend in most counties is laughable and NOBODY coaches for the money, we do it because we love it. So for me the whole "7:30-3:30" hours are only from about March - end of school. August - Feb. is more like 12-14 hour days depending on home/away games and such.
stopped at the average person works 40 weeks out of the year. The average person gets 12 weeks off a year huh?
terrible argument.
teachers chose their profession, and it has been like it is for a while. learn to accept your decision.
I didn't choose my profession just to turn around and complain about my schedule/pay when I knew exactly what I was signing up for.
It's not relevant whether transgenderism is real or not.
If a student says they're transgender; their parents say their transgender; and they have a team of psychiatrists, therapists, social workers, GPs, endocrinologists, and waitresses who all say the student is transgender, what business does any classroom teacher have other than to serve that student?
I was amazed when I found a hiring ad a few years ago for a cheer coach at an elementary school here. They get paid a whopping $300. They have to be at all football games, boys basketball games(a and b team) , and girls basketball games(a and b team). It really is ridiculous.
Made me respect those who do it though.
It's absolutely relevant whether or not transgenderism isn't real. It's a distraction. There isn't any biological evidence that proves a person who is born a boy is actually a girl and vice versa. It's a mental issue. It's called gender dysphoria. It needs to be addressed and bringing that into the classroom can be a distraction.
So if I genuinely think I am not a human and actually am a dinosaur, do I get to require people to call me a dinosaur? No, because it's genuinely absurd. The same applies to people who think they are transgender. It's not a real thing. You don't get to pick your gender or race just because of your feelings.
That's a gross oversimplification and spin on what he said. He's not even close to the only one throwing insults around.
The 40 weeks figure was prorated for how much other employees worked over the same 10(-ish) months of the school year.
It is. It's a distraction. So if a kid thinks he's a dinosaur and decides to roar instead of talking, you're saying that's ok? Who is the teacher to tell him he's not a dinosaur? What if the kid REALLY REALLY REALLY thinks he's a dinosaur?
You coach because you love it but we are suppose to feel bad for you "working" longer days to coach?
You sneaky bastard.
It's not the teacher's place to tell the kid whether or not he is actually a dinosaur.
That's been addressed. It's inaccurate and irrelevant.
Many of the things teachers allegedly "signed up for" have been stripped away. Are teachers entitled to the same benefits just b/c that's what they signed up for, or do circumstances change? A lot of career teachers start working in their early 20s. 12 years in, they're still bound to what they knew then?
No one knows everything there is to know about a job before they've worked it. Everyone has some on-the-job training. No one's complaints are invalid strictly on the basis of allegedly having known the deal going in. And everyone has every right to make suggestions and to advocate for improving their work environment.
That's the appeal-to-extremes fallacy. It's absurd.
A student sitting in a classroom doing their work is not a distraction. Bullying is a distraction.
Part of choosing a profession is having insight into what it might be like as a career, not just 5 years out of school.
This is your opinion. It could absolutely, without question, be a distraction for some. A boy dressing as a girl and vice versa can be a distraction. Because most sane people know biology matters and just because you FEEL like you're a different gender, doesn't make it reality and it definitely could be a distraction.
And part of being in a profession is learning new things about it and trying to improve upon it. No one is claiming teachers ought to be able to get rich off a teaching salary. You are pitching the opposite extreme if you're saying that supposedly knowing what you were getting into means you can't ever complain.
I'm cool with people doing what makes them happy, for the most part. But anytime anyone tries to explain to me that being trans really does change your gender, I can't help but roll my eyes. Don't tell me I'm not smart enough to understand transgender and I won't tell you you're bat shit crazy.
Actually, the bulk of the medical community and society accept transgenderism as real.
A teacher with a Sikh or Muslim in their classroom will have someone easily identifiable based on their apparel. It's not a legitimate distraction.
It's a teachers job to teach whatever kids are in the room.
OT. But maybe bullying wouldn't be such a distraction if we taught our children how to handle a bully. Typically bullies go after the easiest marks. It's hard to not be the easiest mark when you are told that as a boy it is normal to chose to be a girl. Parents that let their children chose their gender identity need to pull their children out of public schools. That or be arrested for child abuse.
What has so drastically changed in your work hours vs. compensation? Grading papers and teacher meetings have always been a part of the job.
So explain the drastic changes (in less than your usual novel-length post)
And how many days in a row is this for you posting on the board during your grueling work hours? Look I'm all for teachers getting their due, but it is wildly over-played how hard some of them work.
Last edited:
Uh, no they don't. Just because YOU want it to be that way, doesn't mean it's reality.
I've already been over this.
In NC, teachers received a pay cut several years ago and then wages were frozen for several more. They did away w/ tenure. They did away w/ Master's pay. They stopped paying for any continuing ed. They continue to siphon more and more tax money away from public schools into charter schools. They keep adding standardized testing.
Correct. It is reality whether I like it or not.
It's also entirely irrelevant. It doesn't matter what an individual classroom teacher thinks of a student's orientation, religion, gender identity, immigration status, etc. Their job is to teach whoever walks through the door.
And the reality is most people don't believe in transgenderism and it's completely relevant because it's a distraction.
You've certainly used it as a distraction in this thread.
What a student is shouldn't matter to a teacher in a professional capacity. What they do matters. Insisting other students not bully is not pushing any kind of subversive agenda.
- Status
