The Board of Education is threatening to sue Montgomery County, Maryland (that's US, folks), because they don't like the idea of being told by the County Council that they can't have every last dime they want to spend.
What do you, the ordinary citizen, think? How should MCPS deal with the proposed funding shortage? Take the poll NOW:
Not a great poll, because I can't vote for multiple options. I voted for eliminating administrative positions as that is more of a long term solution to what I believe to be a lot of waste.
ReplyDeleteFurther I think it is probably not good to furlough teachers with specific daily classroom assignments. I believe all other MCPS employees should suffer through the furloughs.
Economy sucks. Where I work lots fewer people around. NO raises at all for last 3 years, health insurance costs paid by employees way up. 401K match gone. I know this is going on all over in the private sector.
Not fun, but public employees need to share the pain. It's a new economy. Everyone needs to deal with that reality.
Bob Astrove
I'm not quite sure why you seem okay with furloughing school staff. (Please correct me if I'm misreading you.) I think teachers, bus drivers, paraeducators, and the rest of these people who are working for our children represent US more than the county council.
ReplyDeleteWho is OK with furloughing school staff?
ReplyDeleteNot one single person has voted in this poll to furlough school staff.
From Lyda (poll creator): I never said I was OK with furloughing school staff. It is, apparently, something that has been suggested by the County Council, although they have no power to require it. I'm just wondering if there are people out there (other than the County Council) who DO think it is the solution to the shortfall.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate that, Lyda. I didn't check the results of the poll, because I was interested in what you had to say. I am NO fan of Jerry Weast, but I was curious about the tone of your first sentence.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your response!
I think reading specialists, staff development teachers, and central office employees should be furloughed for AT LEAST 5 days. Seriously, in my school (I'm a teacher), the reading specialist and staff development teacher do NOTHING. They don't work with kids and they really don't support teachers. they're too busy with "testing." Forget furloughing them, get rid of the positions altogether!
ReplyDeleteI am tired of being compared to the outside world of jobs. Those of us on the levels beneath Administrator have always made much less than market-rate salaries. We have given up the additional salary in exchange for good benefits, job security and the desire to perform public service. We do not live in Mcmansions, take expensive vacations, drive new cars, own boats....we DO hope to retire with a feasible pension (outside of this County I'm afraid). Why are we supposed to be denied this when we have been denied all of the other luxuries during our whole working life?
ReplyDelete@ anonymous
ReplyDeleteAre you a MCPS teacher? If so, YOUR union is at the secret budget table. They have cut the deal that you want. The voters of Montgomery County have voted for the elected officials that YOU told us to vote for with your Apple Ballot endorsement. Voters have done what you wanted and you have had representation in secret, behind closed door meetings to cut the budget deal that the rest of the Montgomery County citizens have NOT had.
And please come to a consensus with your other union members. A number of Apple folks do want to be compared to outside world of jobs and want credit cards and logo clothing thrown in as perks because they think that represents outside world jobs.
This is not a logical response.
ReplyDeleteThe union cuts a "deal" therefor anyone who is in the union wants that deal. Not possible and certainly not true.
In the next paragraph this monolithic union now needs to come to consensus with itself.
So which is it?
Not possible and not true?
ReplyDeleteGreat. Then please tell the voters of Montgomery County that the Apple Ballot does not speak for teachers - because the voters THINK the Apple Ballot represents ALL teachers. And in support of all teachers, the voters support the system and the officials that the teachers tell them to support!