Wow, I know teachers work hard and put in long hours but this guy thinks teachers deserve a much higher salary than a ASN nurse. What do you think 2-year degree/all nurses? Please let me know your thoughts. I was outraged, not that teachers dont deserve the $50 per hour, but that he thinks it should be so much more than a nurse. Here's his post as it appears in the newspaper:
None said...
As long as we in the USA supports the mentality of sgt's comment and not Teufel's comments inferences, we will have second rate schools. A true blue, quality teacher should be very well paid. They are in a profession (male or female as a teacher) as in 'a woman's work is never done syndrome'/they work at home, summers, all the time preparing for their students, enquiring, mentally and physically/actually; teaching is only the significant/weekday part of their work. Persons with an AS degree in nursing as a travel nurse can make as much as $35.00 an hour. 'Comparatively', Teachers, perhaps, should make at least 50 dollars an hour, and would still be under paid, given what CEO's, for example, make, if one were to compare them to the salaries and bonuses of Wall Street executives and so many other so called business professions and THEY have never learned basic 'lessons'! You know exactly what I mean sgt. So stop bellyaching and go pay your taxes with glee. Don Beattie in Winthrop, Me.
Specializes in RETIRED Cath Lab/Cardiology/Radiology.
Given that teachers are salaried and often work much more that their contracted hours - with no additional compensation at all - I certainly think that they should have a higher hourly rate than nurses.
ITA.
A friend who teaches kindergarten has remarked to me, "If you make a mistake one patient may die. If I do my job poorly I can ruin a whole generation."
I think the two professions are apples and oranges, and really can't reliably be compared.
Does anyone else find it ironic that nurses are always complaining that the general public really does not understand what we do, and that we are not given nearly enough credit for our work and our education...and yet here some nurses are doing the EXACT SAME THING to the teaching profession? Why do we need to tear down another's chosen field to build up ourselves?
FWIW, I am a school nurse and I get teacher's salary and bennies.
1) If you break my pay down into an hourly (I have done the math), I get paid roughly what my base would be at the hospital. Of course, minus shift diffs.
I work 7:40 - 3:10, although I usually hang around til 3:30 or so. Teachers regularly stay well beyond 5pm, and have tons of work they do at home as well. If you look at what they make hourly, it is much less than what I do. They have required meetings and trainings during breaks and over the summer as well. They regularly purchase their own classroom supplies (when is the last time you purchased and brought to work your own insulin syringes or alcohol prep pads?)
2) We pay our own healthcare, the district only pays a portion, which is comparable to what portion the hospital used to pay of my insurance, and is comparable to what my DH's company pays of his, and he is in sales.
Our health plan SUCKS. It covers very little beyond the basics. We have outrageous co-pays and the drug plan is worthless. Pretty much like everyone else's right now, but please don't tell me about the great free healthcare teachers get.
3) The retirement plan is not enough to live on. Unless you have zero expenses, you are going to need a supplemental retirement. We are also not eligible for social security since we are on the district's retirement plan.
4) Teachers have more accountability for their job than ANY other job I have seen. There are constant "walk throughs", evaluations, tests, etc. that they have to deal with. They are held solely accountable for a student's learning, even when the parent's are not involved and the student could care less. How do you teach a student who does not want to learn? How do you teach a student who may want to learn, but has zero support at home? How do you teach a student who is so poverty stricken, hungry, and afraid for his life at home that learning something new is at the bottom of the priority list (remember Maslow's needs, survival comes first). This is the reality for many if not most teachers in the public school system.
I really wish that people would stop attacking another profession to try and build themselves up. It is not effective and just makes you look bitter. You made your choice, others made theirs. Thank God there are people willing to do what teachers do. No, they are absolutely NOT paid enough for what they have to do on a daily basis.
why do we need to tear down another's chosen field to build up ourselves?
that was my thought exactly when i read this guys opinion--he didn’t have to tear down nursing, or anyone else for that matter, to make his point. most of the nurses who posted here responded to his analogy of comparing nurses to teachers and agree there is no comparison.
Specializes in Emergency, Cardiac, PAT/SPU, Urgent Care.
And again, what teachers receive compensation-wise and what they have to endure varies greatly district to district. The above is not even close to the case in my district, nor is it the case is several of the other districts in this area.
For every point you have made, Purple Scrubs, regarding what teachers have to endure at your school - I could easily counter with what they endure at mine. However, it's not worth it, for I could go on ad nauseum - and you're right - the two professions can't be compared fairly.
Specializes in Emergency, Cardiac, PAT/SPU, Urgent Care.
Given that teachers are salaried and often work much more that their contracted hours - with no additional compensation at all - I certainly think that they should have a higher hourly rate than nurses.
Why should they get additional compensation? According to other posters here, they are payed for 12 mos. of the year - so wouldn't those "extra" hours be balanced out by the hours they don't have to work during the summer?
My husband's job is a salaried position, and he works all year around and stays late or goes in early very often - should he be compensated extra, also?
Why should they get additional compensation? According to other posters here, they are payed for 12 mos. of the year - so wouldn't those "extra" hours be balanced out by the hours they don't have to work during the summer?
My husband's job is a salaried position, and he works all year around and stays late or goes in early very often - should he be compensated extra, also?
The way that teachers' are compensated (and I can speak only for California) are X $/hr x Y hrs/day x Z days/year = annual compensation. Annual compensation/10 (or 12) equals monthly salary. Teachers are not paid one dime for any hour that they work beyond those contracted hours. And yet, a great many of them need to work many more hours than contracted in order to be effective at what they do. Hence my statement that, as salaried employees, they are fully deserving of a higher hourly rate than nurses (who, as nonexempt employees, are paid for every hour that they work -- often at 1.5x or 2x for the extra stuff).
the way that teachers' are compensated (and i can speak only for california) are x $/hr x y hrs/day x z days/year = annual compensation. annual compensation/10 (or 12) equals monthly salary. teachers are not paid one dime for any hour that they work beyond those contracted hours. and yet a great many of them need to work many more hours than contracted in order to be effective at what they do. hence my statement that, as salaried employees, they are fully deserving of a higher hourly rate than nurses (who, as nonexempt employees, are paid for every hour that they work -- often at 1.5x or 2x for the extra stuff).[/quote']
again, you are comparing apples to oranges! salaried nurse managers aren't paid one dime for extra hours of work, but they often have to put in the extra time to complete paperwork as well. contracted people working in the private sector aren't compensated one dime either. it's also wrong that they don't receive extra pay! how often do firefighters, policemen, and emt's spend off-hours helping the community?! we all do work that makes us feel we are contributing to the "greater good" of others without getting paid for it. to state "they [teachers] are fully deserving of a higher hourly rate than nurses" solely for the reasons you state is to judge without first obtaining all the facts!
Specializes in Emergency, Cardiac, PAT/SPU, Urgent Care.
So then, according to your formula, they are indeed getting paid for only 9 mos/year (not 12, like others have stated) - so the teachers in my district are REALLY making out VERY well!
BTW, I am also salaried and frequently stay past quitting time to see patients who show up late or are still waiting to be seen after hours because we are backed up; yet I don't see one dime of O/T, either. I also do not receive productivity bonuses, for I am hired through a hospital, not a doctor's office. Yeah, I guess I could just turn those patients away - but that wouldn't give me a good customer service rep which would negatively impact my yearly eval, which could then result in no raise. Wish mine were guaranteed!
again, you are comparing apples to oranges! salaried nurse managers aren't paid one dime for extra hours of work, but they often have to put in the extra time to complete paperwork as well. contracted people working in the private sector aren't compensated one dime either. it's also wrong that they don't receive extra pay! how often do firefighters, policemen, and emt's spend off-hours helping the community?! we all do work that makes us feel we are contributing to the "greater good" of others without getting paid for it. to state "they [teachers] are fully deserving of a higher hourly rate than nurses" solely for the reasons you state is to judge without first obtaining all the facts!
i have all the facts.
i believe that an exempt salaried employee is generally due a higher hourly wage than a non-exempt, hourly employee.
firefighters and cops are hourly employees and are paid for their ot, unlike teachers.
So then, according to your formula, they are indeed getting paid for only 9 mos/year (not 12, like others have stated) - so the teachers in my district are REALLY making out VERY well!
A teacher's year is still twelve months long. The receive paychecks for nine of those months. For three months they don't get anything. How does that the equivalent of "really making out very well"?
Teachers may pick up summer school teaching positions to help bring more money in, or may take other jobs not related to teaching for the duration. They do not have it good.
So then, according to your formula, they are indeed getting paid for only 9 mos/year (not 12, like others have stated) - so the teachers in my district are REALLY making out VERY well!
BTW, I am also salaried and frequently stay past quitting time to see patients who show up late or are still waiting to be seen after hours because we are backed up; yet I don't see one dime of O/T, either. I also do not receive productivity bonuses, for I am hired through a hospital, not a doctor's office. Yeah, I guess I could just turn those patients away - but that wouldn't give me a good customer service rep which would negatively impact my yearly eval, which could then result in no raise. Wish mine were guaranteed!
You should look into a different job, then. This one doesn't seem to agree with you.
dianah, ASN
8 Articles; 4,724 Posts
ITA.
A friend who teaches kindergarten has remarked to me, "If you make a mistake one patient may die. If I do my job poorly I can ruin a whole generation."
I think the two professions are apples and oranges, and really can't reliably be compared.