Perhaps I'm missing something but I just read this on some news site but similar articles are all over the news:
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"Some state governments and local school boards have made the decision to send stimulus money to teachers as a thank you for the efforts they made during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many teachers risked exposure by offering in-person instruction, while many others had to scramble to transition to online coursework during an unprecedented global public health crisis".
And this is the email I just sent to Governor Abbott and Senator Ted Cruz:
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I am horrified the State of Texas is sending $1000 stimulus checks to teachers. For what? They sat in the safety and security of their homes most of the past school year, teaching from computers. Where is the extra stimulus for the nurses and other healthcare providers who literally put their lives on the line each and every day as they cared for people in hospitals, in their homes. Not only were they at severe and much greater risk than teachers - they also risked the lives of their family members each time they completed a shift and walked through their front door. Their spouses, children, elderly relatives..
Also, speaking of elderly, where is THEIR stimulus check. Are you aware housing (where they are going to live) is the greatest concern of seniors? How are they going to buy groceries? Pay for life-saving medications?
And yes? I am a retired senior nurse. I'm OK. I can afford my rent, my food; however, I worked with low income seniors for the past 3-4 years. Many are homeless.
So explain to me why hundreds of thousands of dollars are going to teachers while you leave out those that saved the lives of those teachers? And many seniors that made this country what it is?
This plan is abhorrent. I'm ashamed of my Texas government.
What am I missing here? I didn't even have room to talk about the nightmare of working in those many layers of PPE, having difficulty breathing through the masks, sweating from all the layers of protective gowns/caps...so many things...for 12-14+ hours...helpless while people are dying before your eyes...not having a family member with them. And what about all the HCP's that had to go to work (including unit sec, CNA's, ancillary people) and leave their kids at home to try to get computer educated???
OK...this is the reason I normally do NOT listen to the news - not good for an old persons B/P. I'm livid for my peers.
First of all, teachers are NOT overpaid. Too many reasons to state here.
Second, yes I knew when becoming a nurse that Id be caring for sick patients, but IMO, nurses do deserve hazard pay for working in THIS pandemic. I work 60 plus hours a week without pay for OT, and I’d gladly have a union, but there are no unions in the state I work in. Forgive me, but under the circumstances it’s a bit daunting to consider trying to start one given how exhausted I am working this many hours, with many Covid positive pts a day, in a pediatric clinic. Parents bring their children in NOT KNOWING their kids and infants are positive on a regular basis. Stuffy nose, cough or sore throat. Anyone whose been around children or infants know they cannot control their fluids etc…We are exposed, the environment is exposed all day long. We do our best to mitigate with several measures.
What I want to say about this is, I fear for and worry about our nurses in the hospitals. When I hear hospitals are setting up make-shift units and giving nurses 4-5 ICU pt assignments, I cannot believe they are not getting hazard pay.
OMG! Are you kidding me? How on earth are they managing? If anyone deserves hazard pay, THEY DO.
What! Are you hourly? Why are you agreeing to do this? I don't mean to offend but I am just honestly curious about how/why this is happening. If you are volunteering to work so much extra for your employer without being paid OT, then you are far more generous than I am.
Many teachers have used Covid as an excuse to get out of work. Why would you give people a stimulus for doing their job? Especially a profession that is already overpaid?
Nursing only requires an ADN to take the boards. Teachers must have a master's degree in 36 states plus DC. Teachers who must report to the classroom filled with unvaccinated kids should get an essential worker bonus. Teaching from home? Not so much. Gordon, I don't think this is really a concern of yours about teachers' bonuses as it is a rant against unions. If nurses were in unions, they would more likely be receiving hazard pay. If you are annoyed that someone else is getting what you aren't, form a union.
I wonder who wins when the working-class fight among themselves about who is more deserving of financial support from their government in the midst of a national public health crisis.
What! Are you hourly? Why are you agreeing to do this? I don't mean to offend but I am just honestly curious about how/why this is happening. If you are volunteering to work so much extra for your employer without being paid OT, then you are far more generous than I am.
I don't think this is even legal. I received a check from unpaid overtime when this was taken to the labor board. But that was in the early 80's before the world went nuts.
So we are doing "Sally got something I didn't" thing now? I'm not. GO TEACHERS! You can actually rally for yourself without throwing shade at a benefit others are getting.
Pay school teachers great for them but pay nurse also and every other group that’s had to be face to face during this pandemic.
I'm not against paying teachers a bonus. Good for them. The transition to off campus teaching must have been difficult as is the transition back to in class and hybrid education. Teachers are about the opposite of an overpaid career and deserve whatever little bone they can get.
I will qualify that with a but...around here every other group that's been considered front line like food service, gas and grocery store workers and retail got big bumps in pay, hazard pay and bonuses while health care workers who are taking care of sick people including COVID positive patients every day got minimal hazard pay that stopped a long time ago and no bonuses. So, where's our bonus???
BeenThere2012, ASN, RN
863 Posts
First of all, teachers are NOT overpaid. Too many reasons to state here.
Second, yes I knew when becoming a nurse that Id be caring for sick patients, but IMO, nurses do deserve hazard pay for working in THIS pandemic. I work 60 plus hours a week without pay for OT, and I’d gladly have a union, but there are no unions in the state I work in. Forgive me, but under the circumstances it’s a bit daunting to consider trying to start one given how exhausted I am working this many hours, with many Covid positive pts a day, in a pediatric clinic. Parents bring their children in NOT KNOWING their kids and infants are positive on a regular basis. Stuffy nose, cough or sore throat. Anyone whose been around children or infants know they cannot control their fluids etc…We are exposed, the environment is exposed all day long. We do our best to mitigate with several measures.
What I want to say about this is, I fear for and worry about our nurses in the hospitals. When I hear hospitals are setting up make-shift units and giving nurses 4-5 ICU pt assignments, I cannot believe they are not getting hazard pay.
OMG! Are you kidding me? How on earth are they managing? If anyone deserves hazard pay, THEY DO.