TEACHING IN WISCONSIN

I have always had a soft spot for teachers.  I think it is because some of my most memorable moments have been spent in the classroom.  I’m one of those people who can name just about all of my teachers from high school AND the university.  For me education has been a fairly constant life-time endeavour.  The issues involving  teachers VS the Governor of Wisconsin seem to be very straightforward–the state if broke, as is the great state of Tennessee ( my state).  The governor of Tennessee is turning over every rock trying to find methods to reduce our negative cash flow.  I have to believe the Governor of Wisconsin is doing the very same.

Yesterday I received a transmission from a friend of me highlighting the “situation” for several teachers and administrative staff in certain school districts.  That transmission is given below.  Pardon the abbreviations.  These come about due to the need to condense the e-mail.  I will say take a good look.  I won’t bother to comment.

Heard about unrest in Wisconsin???? This is what it is all about…..

For anyone who thinks teachers are underpaid this is the official excel DPI database of teachers wages by school district. Look up your own district!!!   The current budget repair bill would have them paying about 5.8% towards their own retirement….right now, we the taxpayer, pays 100% of their generous retirement, and most of us pay 100% of our own retirement too.  AVERAGE WAGE AND BENEFITS (remember this is for about 9 months of work)   TEACHERS:  Milwaukee         $86,297 Elmbrook          $91,065 Germantown      $83,818 Hartland Arrwhd    $90,285     (highest teacher was $122,952-lowest was $64,942) Men Falls          $81,099 West Bend       $82,153 Waukesha        $92,902 Sussex              $82,956 Mequon            $95,297 Kettle Mor       $87,676 Muskego          $91,341   STAFF: Arrowhead – Bus Mng – Kopecky – $169,525 Arrowhead – Principal – Wieczorek –   $152,519 Grmtwn –  Asst Princ – Dave Towers – $123,222 Elmbrk  –  Burliegh Elemetary – Principal Zahn-  $142,315 (for a primary school!!) Madison – Asst Principal – McGrath – $127,835   UNIVERSITY of WISCONSIN STAFF (2009) (salary alone): Michael Knetter – Prof of Bus  –  $327,828 Carolyn Martin -Chancellor Mad-  $437,000 Hector Deluca – Prof of Nutritional Science – $254,877 (really??)   (source:Madison.com -as the UW removed salaries from being posted online in 2007- why if they are so low?)  How about some other “public servant job” ???  What do they make?     Madison Garbage men (2009) (salary only): *  Garbageman, Mr. Nelson earned $159,258 in 2009, including $109,892 in overtime and other pay. *  Garbageman, Greg Tatman, who earned $125,598 *  7 Madison garbage men made over $100,000 *  30 Madison garbage men made over $70,000   MILWAUKEE CITY BUS DRIVERS (salary only):    136 Drivers made more than  $70,000  54 Drivers made more than  $80,000  18 Drivers made more than  $90,000    8 Drivers made more than  $100,000 Top Driver made  $117,000 (Source WTMJ)   (The average private bus driver makes $9-13 an hour (about 20,000 yr) with no pension, or healthcare.)  AND WE ARE SUPPOSED TO CONTINUE PAYING 100% OF THEIR GENEROUS RETIREMENT? THEY HAVE SHUT DOWN SCHOOLS AS THEY DON’T WANT TO PAY 5.8% OF IT THEMSELVES  ….REALLY?