School budget cuts that make sense

flavio

flavio

Banned
Trim the fat instead of firing teachers...

In one of his first official acts as new chief of the cash-strapped Oakland public schools, Randy Ward has turned off 500 district cell phones used by employees and others who were chatting their way to $750,000 a year.

From the driver who delivers the milk to nearly all 100 principals, so many district employees were issued cell phones under the prior administration that when Ward asked for a list, just 200 phones could be matched up with individuals.

The rest were floating out there somewhere -- but still getting plenty of use.

"We'd get some bills that were $200 and $300 a month, and when we called the number associated with the phone, a stranger would answer and refuse to identify themselves," said Harold Lowe, director of purchasing for the district.
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More.....................................................


One thing I find puzzling from the article though...

noting that the district's annual cell phone bill could pay the salary of about 12 teachers.
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That's 62,500/year per teacher. Since when do teachers make that kind of loot?
 
flavio said:
That's 62,500/year per teacher. Since when do teachers make that kind of loot?
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Take home, they don't. But, add in Social Security that the School is paying on them at 7.5%, Workers Comp, Unemployment, Medical Insurance, and various other taxes associated with employing people, and you get up there quick. Most people don't realize that you cost your boss on average 20% more than what you actually are paid. That is, if you make 8.00 an hour, it costs your boss 10.00 to have you there.
 
Whoa! Too right they should put a stop to it! Christ the state schools over here are so strapped for cash all the staff in one school are donating their pay on friday to buy library books for the kids! And their local Member of Parliment is also donating his pay for the day to highlight the problem.
 
This thread brings up a point I've been wondering about for years. At what point did education become the least important government priority? It's been that way a long time now.
 
chcr said:
This thread brings up a point I've been wondering about for years. At what point did education become the least important government priority? It's been that way a long time now.
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Exactly!... the powers that be seem to begrudge every penny that is spent on educationg our kids but fail to understand that they are our future and our wealth.
 
I think the big problem is that Education is one of the few Government agencies or departments that makes NO income. Just about all the others have some kind of fines, taxes or what not to bring in a little of what they spend except Education. Education is all expense.

Now, I'm not saying it's right by any means, just explaining the facts. In my Opinion, teachers would make 100K a year, and lawyers would make 20k.
 
PuterTutor said:
Most people don't realize that you cost your boss on average 20% more than what you actually are paid.
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That would put them at about $52k. Still more than I thought they made but it's not clear if he's talking about an average starting salary or average for all teachers. It may just be an approximation as well since it's not really the point of the statement.

chcr said:
This thread brings up a point I've been wondering about for years. At what point did education become the least important government priority? It's been that way a long time now.
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Well that's been bugging me lately since it seems like the public schools budget crisis and teacher layoffs has been on the news all the time. Art and Music teachers seem to be the first to get it. The state has it's own budget crisis, but hitting up the schools seems like it should be one of the last places you go.

But it's good to see this guy actually cutting some waste to save the teachers. He's going after land lines next...

He wants to shut down long- distance on most district land phones, except for principals' phones and a few key offices in the central administration building.

"So if someone wants to call everybody and their mama, the district won't be paying for it," Ward said.
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That's always a big thing around here too, school budgets. Art, music and transportation to the school are always cut somehow. Some of those public meetings get down and dirty too, it's a scene every time.
 
flavio said:
That's 62,500/year per teacher. Since when do teachers make that kind of loot?
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I jumped off the "teacjers are underpaid" bandwagon about a year ago. Look around & you'll find that many urban teachers are paid in excess of $45k a year & some go into the $100k range. That is pay, not pay & bene's.

They've been lying to us.
 
flavio said:
That's 62,500/year per teacher. Since when do teachers make that kind of loot?
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My boss' daughter is a elementary school teacher for the Clovis Unified School District in (I believe) her fourth year. She's making in the mid-30K range right now. Clovis is a pretty good sized school district, but Oakland's is many times bigger. Bigger districts tend to pay more to start and for tenured teachers. Plus, the cost of living in that area is higher than here. Also, the salary goes up the longer a teacher stays there, so that by the time you're there 20 or 30 years it's entirely possible to be bringing home that much loot and more.
 
Well perhaps a nominal fee should be charged to the parents monthly... say $20 a month for each child. In a school with 1000 children that would give them an income of $20000 a month. I don't think $20 a month is too much to ask for a child's education.
 
Let me just say...PROPERTY TAXES
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Yep, whether you have kids in school or not. I had a big argument with a county commissioner a while back because I don't have kids in school. I still pay the taxes though, when they try to do something stupid with the money, I'm likely to say so.
 
chcr said:
Yep, whether you have kids in school or not. I had a big argument with a county commissioner a while back because I don't have kids in school. I still pay the taxes though, when they try to do something stupid with the money, I'm likely to say so.
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Yeah but with property taxes they could be used anywhere without being traced. I suggest the fee because it could be directed straight to the school systel itself... all 100% of the fee.
 
erniemoof said:
I suggest the fee because it could be directed straight to the school systel itself... all 100% of the fee.
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You mean just like Legalized Gambling was here in Missouri. Yep, that money all goes directly to the schools. :rolleyes:
 
The California Lottery is supposed to benefit the schools. My mom worked as an instructional assistant for a second-grade class for half a year in the late '80s, and she got a cut of the district's lottery money as a year-end bonus... not a huge cut of it, but still...
 
Jersey's lottery and casino revenues are earmarked for education and programs for the elderly but they don't see much of it. Instead it goes into interest bearing accounts because the state can spend the interest on anything it wants. Jersey sux.... :shrug:
 
Face it. If we want to properly edumacate our kids & so on, then we adults are forced to smoke & drink & gamble. Otherwise, nothing gets paid. :shrug:
 
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