Very little pay??? Have you seen the salaries listed for some of the Geneva teachers? They go into the 6-digit range, my friend.

Jeff the average tenured Geneva teacher makes about $70,000 that is for 7 to 8 months of work. Add gauranteed employement, substantial yearly raises, early full retirment with C.O.L.A. people get a little jealous when their civil servants live better than they do (aka Politician style)

they need to move to Glen Ellyn Jeff where the AVERAGE salaries of teachers in 41 & 87 far outpace that of the average salaries of their tax paying citizens. The salaries may be low at the start as u state but tell me what the salaries in Genevea top out at say, after 20 years, not to mention their benefit packages and early retirement golden parachute opportunities. BTW Jeff, here's a list of salaries for Geneva SD 304:
http://www.familytaxpayers.org/salary.php
Looks like fair compensation to me for a 9 month job. Plus, ever see I-355 at 5 am and all the poor working stiffs on the road to the salt mines????

Rudy,

I've said it before, tenure needs to change, but considering what they do, $70,000 should be the minimum pay! Have you tried just one day of teaching? And summers off is just enough to offset the 14 hour days during the school year.

Meanwhile Geneva Public works employees - with a high school education - make an average of $50,000, get $25,000 in pension benefits, and 80 to 90 percent of their health benefits prepaid by us.

And if you believe one of my sources who did an internship with them, they actually work only about half a day.

Teaching is hard, thankless work.

Jeff

Let's try this agani my last post didnt post. Anyway you are so right on!!!! Most people dont know about how hard teaching is! Not only is there working at school but then also when we get home with papers and tests to. In wisconsin theysaid teachers cant go on strike!!!! How can we ever get treated fair! Keep fighting Jeff! Make them see the TRUTH!!!!!

I 'm a semi- retired teacher. On the whole yes we are underpaid. When compared to athletes, lawyers, doctors etc. Whats more, we have a HUGE amount of expectations from the state, administrations and parents placed upon us. Income depends upon the district that you work for. Starting teachers in this area may be in the low 30's but it depends on experience and education. If a teacher continues their education then the district pays accordingly, and reimburses for cost ( a plus)We do need to give a nod to the union that makes sure that there are insurance benefits ( those count for something) and cost of living increases ,tenure- that can be good for some, and bad for others. Most districts even give the option for pay over 9 months or 12. Other than that- you are spot on. Children are more stressed, and challenged now than they were when I was teaching. Parental support of teachers/school changes. I had parents that I never saw- although I taught more than 1 of their kids. I had others that were so involved I felt sorry for the child. I think when an athlete makes millions a game and a teacher struggles to buy their classroom supplies ( beyond the weird things we are asked to supply) there's a problem.

BTW Elliot, we are making our teachers and other state employees MILLIONAIRES via their PENSIONS if you really want to know. Nice gig you have going. Maybe I'm just jealous???

Sorry Elliot, the tax paying public should not be held hostage by it's employees. Kudos to Gov. Walker of WI. Your ally, Gov Quinn, does not have the guts to take on the unions who have banrupted this state. Here in GE, school salary negotiations are in the middle of the school year like Zion. Why? So you can go on strike during the school year to force your demands. Everything is tough today but we can't pay A/V Librarians, school nurses, and standard PE instructors 100K/year and then a pension for life of around 80K per year starting at 52 years old. We all need a reality check before this state collapses and collapse it will..

Jeff, with all due respect, u really need to do your homework on this subject (public pension payouts). Highest pensioners are teachers, the highest making 400K per YEAR FOREVER! Public employees need to go on a 401K plan like the rest of us. In addition, there needs to be a 2 tiered salary structure. My cousins husband is a Physics teacher in Florida. He makes less money preparing lab experiments, etc, as compared to a PE teacher just because of less seniority, etc. Good teachers should be paid good money, bad teachers should be fired. But you can't tell me a school nurse or librarian should make the same wage as say, a history/foreign language/economics, etc, teachers. The unions have been very adept at lumping all of them in the same category. In addition, 3 out of the 4 schools fail to meet AYP (adequete yearly progress) and are on the academic watch list despite the MILLIONS we are pouring in. Yes, I've heard it's due to ethnic makeup but I don't buy it. Other districts with same racial makeup do far better. I do agree that some if not most parents do not devote enough time relative to their kids education. If I were a Sup, mandatory uniforms would be the 1st order of business, no distractions. Vouchers are a MUST. We need some competition in our educational system to improve performance and efficiencies. The Unions break out into a rash when u mention the word "voucher".

Jeff, these people are the ignorant fools that you spoke of. If all the students coming out of the tri-city's were aspiring to work at Mcdonald's I would listen to these remarks. The fact remains that the students that come from Batavia, Geneva, and St. Charles are the future leaders of our towns, business and the same in other large cities. Yes there are the handful of kids that want nothing more than to play video games and live off of mom and dad. Most of the graduates move on to become quite successful. Who gave them these grounded roots? College? NO! Talk about a joke, college is an experiment with society not a learning venture. Our children will learn more about real life in those early years from your local elementary, middle and high schools. Those teachers deserve everything they get and more. I owe where I am at today to a high school teacher that taught me my trade. Along with a retired adviser that was in it just to help kids.

Teachers do not get the luxury of having a bad day, they have to be on point when the bell rings. They say children are our future... how do they learn?

Enough ranting, TEACHERS ARE OUR FUTURE! Keep inspiring great things from our children and thank you for the passion that you bring to school each and everyday.

Back in the 60's & 70's you rarely saw parents at the schools. Now they are there demanding everything from " my poor child can't be outside waiting for the bus if it is raining out" to asking a teacher with a 4 year degree, and a masters in special ed, if she fully understands what ADD is all about. Parents are the reason the schools cannot function properly, cause you always have someone whining about their child. Schools cater to parents first and that needs to stop. I was a teacher aide for 5 years in Aurora, I challenge anyone to go spend a day in a classroom. The whole time I was an aide I learned so much about how important it is to be consistent with a child. In fact I learned so much that I wish I would have taught in a school before I had my 2 children. Every parent needs to spend a week in a school before they start critizing teachers!

The same argument could be made for policemen/firemen. Have you ever tried doing it for one day?
But nobody forced me into this job.
When we start paying some of these professions the kind of money they are getting, we get ourselves into a jam.

There are arguments for both sides of the coin here. I had some of the greatest teachers in my life in high school. I know, on average, the incoming teachers get paid the lowest amount. It's like that in most industries ( except the Professional Sports of course). We can't just lump the teacher's union in with all other unions and classify them as a "bad" system. Are there corrupt unions out there? Absolutely. But it's not fair to attack the teacher when they are at the mercy of the union really when it comes to pay and benefits. Great teachers put in the extra time, extra effort, and care about the success of their students. But they don't do it for the money, they do it because the genuinely care about their profession and those students. Some teachers teach because they like the security of having a job no matter what the state of the economy, they like the regular pay structure, they like the insurance and pension benefits, or whatever. It's a thankless job a lot of the time when you can't really see a finished "product" at the end of the day. All we can hope for is that the good ones stay the course and the bad ones know when to get out.

Yay $50,000 after 8 years, with a BS and a Masters, that is just too much money to pay a teacher!

District 41 teachers received 24.5% pay increase over the past 3 years. I did an informal study of my friends and the highest pay increase I heard of in the private sector was 4% over the same time period. Do you know ANYONE who has received an increase approaching 24.5%? I have 4 nephews/nieces who recently graduated. The highest paying job one could find was $24,000. A freshly minted accountant starting at my company can plan on $26,000 w/ insurance, no vacation for 1 yr, 6 pd holidays, no pension, no 401(k). Makes the $37K for 3/4 year starting pay sound pretty generous. Of course there is work done after 3:00, but you can't think everyone else works their 8-5 and calls it a day. When Dist. 41 teachers need a "meeting", they send the kids home at 12:00. When private sector employees need to be at a meeting, it means they get to work at 7 a.m. or show up on Saturday.

Most teachers do a fine job, some excellent, though your 95% number is pulled right out of your tuckus. I believe the 95% figure is probably accurate for our little corner of exurbia, but what about large union-strong urban centers where there is apparently minimal accountability or recourse for poor performance (teacher OR student)? And when I think of education, I don't only think of Geneva. I think of the failing inner-city schools, and how unions fight tooth-and-nail against charter schools and voucher programs, and accountability for union members there.

And yes, I've presented to students at all levels and taught extensively at the junior college level, so don't threaten me with that.

Jeff, you knew the crazies would come out of the woodwork on this subject and boy did they! I changed careers at midlife and became a junior high school teacher many years ago and after two years I went back to my old job because of all the conditions that you describe. These people need to spend a few days in a classroom and get a dose of reality before they start spouting their foolishness!

I volunteer in my kids' school, and these teachers work their butts off. They arrive early & stay late; they spend a week or two after their year lets out wrapping up loose ends, and another month before school starts again planning, procuring, setting up, reviewing student files, taking enrichment and certification classes, to name but a pittance of the tasks they are accountable for. Many of the kids' days off are teacher WORK days.

Does anyone really think that your kid's first day of school is also the first day the teacher has stepped into their classroom since June? Seriously? And how many people who work at a bank or salt mine or anything in between are responsible for 30 energetic and curious -- and oftentimes, troublesome -- buzzing machines of nature for six hours at a stretch with no assistance and no chance to just close their eyes and reflect when the going gets tough? No one but a teacher. They are severely underpaid and under appreciated. And anyone who thinks a six-figure salary (which is nonsense, frankly, show me the paystubs) is too high for a classroom teacher and his experience, knowledge, constant problem solving, care and respect for our kids, etc. is blind and ignorant.
Spend one day in your kid’s classroom, including lunch and recess and specials, and your socks will be knocked off ten ways to Tuesday. Spend one day shadowing a teacher from sunup to sundown and you will be amazed and exhausted and you’ll cry for mercy and shut up.

Public schools are loathe to raise taxes. Yet, there is an untapped source that public colleges tap, as well as private schools from elementary to college: alumni contributions.

I have a number of friends who went to parochial schools, both elementary and high school. Assuming that the school is still open, they are regularly contacted for donations.

Anyone who has gone to college has dealt with telephone and mail solicitations for donations. Public universities like Illinois and Michigan have endowments in hundreds of millions, if not billions.

So, why don't public elementary and high schools try to do the same? If my elementary school district were to ask for a donation, citing lack of state funding, I'd write a check. I think I got a very good education.

I went to a public high school that, in my opinion, is better than most parochial high schools. It currently offers everything from Chinese to aviation technology. I would write a check in a New York minute.

Love your comment Taxpaper!!

I can only say thank you to Mrs. Bleck, Mrs. Mather, Mrs, Hayes, Mrs. Tusken, Mrs. Bieniak, Mrs. Finatri, Mrs. Farrar, Mr. Dierks, Mr. Foulkes, Mrs. Hepker, Mr. Nickelson, Mrs. Rizzo, Mr. Santo and so many others. My daughter is nearing the end of her years as a student in district 304, but she takes with her the teachings of these incredible teachers. I am forever grateful for the encouragement, the creativity and the passion they all share for making our kids the best they can be. I can't put a salary to what they do everyday, only my heartfelt gratitude.

Dear readers and contributors, I suggest you Google the Khan Academy...there you will discover the future classrooms. On-line interactive video learning! There will be an option for home schooling...we might be able to eliminate over half of the teachers and administrators in the country. And for sure it will eliminate most colleges. All students...In fact all people will have access to the best and brightest teachers in the world! We could cut real estate taxes in half. The cushy retirement packages will be history! This is called evolution and innovation and we should be demanding change right now! The technology is already available. Teachers would no longer need to lecture or grade papers or prepare for hours upon hours. They would be special monitors of the progress and be able to quite easily pinpoint those students that are having trouble with certain learning disabilities and re-direct to specific videos that will help....think of the possibilities! Bill Gates is currently funding this organization and his mission is to make learning free to all and to have access to the best teachers in the world! It's time to jump forward with a giant leap for Mankind!

Dear All: we fiscal conservatives are not crazy but we can't make public pensioners millionaires on our backs. Does this make sense to you? Is it fair to us in the private sector to have to foot the bill for those retiring in their early 50's enabling them to get another job in another public institution to double dip on another pension? what part of this don't you get?

I need to correct my last comment. The teachers received a 26.5% pay raise over the past four years, not the 24.5 I cited. Teachers pay from 12 to 30 percent of their insurance premiums. A single coverage HMO 2nd Advantage plan cost the teacher $60.74 monthly, for the $400 deductible plan. We cover the $445.45 balance.
I am not saying teachers do not work hard or have a tough job; but comparatively speaking, this package, along w/ total number of weeks worked, looks pretty darn good.

Jeff, if I were you I'd table the defense that teachers, and I quote, "pay 10% of their salary to TIA-CREF funds to get a decent pension". It doesn't help your story angle one bit, who wouldn't when you're guaranteed 80% of your salary in retirement? What you should write is blow up the pension system, put them on a 401K plan like most of us jamokes out here who aren't in a union and join the real world. Then people won't be pissed about a teacher who makes $100K a year. I'll live with that salary but not the "guaranteed" pension on top of that. I put in over 10% in my company 401K and I have no guarantee on what my retirement income will be (you'll argue it's all funded by the money contributed but that obviously isn't the case - it's seriously underfunded). And for the record, my wife is a teacher in SASED, so I do get it. She works hard but she's not working any harder than I do. I have to worry about my retirement while hers is guaranteed (well until the pension funds run out, which they will without reform).

Yeah, I know, "just teach in a classroom one day" - you come work at my job one day and see if a teachers job is any harder than mine. I get up a 5:00 AM, have to be at the office by 7:00 AM and work until 5:00 PM, 52 weeks out of the year. Plus we are required to work one weekend a month. We all work hard - do something that's actually productive and write about blowing up the pensions for teachers.

The Khan Academy people....Khan...Khan....Khan....Yes we can America....Yes we Khan!!
I have noticed that people are too angry to look towards the future. Please wake up America...we have been in a slumber for the past 25 years! Is anyone out there? The technology is here...the need is definitely here...let's get going and make a change for the better...let's make learning and knowledge available to everyone for free!!!

Hey Dillon64, hey Ed Thomas, hey Cecilia Ambutas, hey Ian Rahal, hey Marsha Engel, hey Martha Hanna, hey Jeff Ward, hey Kent Frederick, hey taxpayer, hey Janille Palmer Santa Ana, hey Patrick Sennet, hey Derek, hey John, hey Jason, hey Kathy and all the rest.....please check out "The Kahn Academy" and let me know what you think...it's the future of learning! We are currently in the Stone Ages....why don't we get it? Let's move forward and not dwell on the past....let's implement Video Interactive Learning! If this were to be adopted nation-wide, there would no longer be a need for the double income family structure that has resulted in a stress-filled world and dysfunctional children. A mom or dad could stay at home and help their children until they can help themselves. Schools will be devoted to extra-curricular activities that will enrich the character of the individual....there are endless possibilities!

Jeff, go to http://www.familytaxpayers.org/salary.php. look up District 87 Glenbard High Schools. Look at the many, many 6 figured teachers, let alone administrators. This is topped by a $160,000 drivers ed teacher.
Now, tell me about underpaid.
Granted, elementary teachers start lower than high school. But it varies. In Glen Ellyn District 41, this year a starting teacher gets $44,233. PLUS, 10 days sick leave(15 days starting year 3). PLUS, 2 days a year of personal leave. PLUS, association leave for delegates to go the IEA meetings(union) for 2 days. PLUS, bereavement leave, if neccessary, for up to 5 days. PLUS, some pay if on sabbatical leave.
Also, service credit for sick days not used could give up to 2 years of service credit making a 28 year teacher a 30 year pension credit. Service credit is also goven for sabbatical leave.
Teachers on sabbatical also get full medical benefits and get their ISRS paid.
Also, the insanely low percentage that they pay towards their medical benefit. 12% for single coverage with a $400 deductible? We pay the rest.
For teachers that move to Illinois, non Illinois service can be used to count toward Illinois pension.
Section 11.8 of the teachers current contract says that the board could even add service time on for a teacher to achieve participation in the retirement program.
This is all on top of the increases in the current contract, reached as high as almost 27% over 4 years.
Til now, I never mentioned the word TENURE.

Right on Jeff....now let's get on board with the Kahn Academy revolution! Free Video Interactive Learning from the best and brightest of all the teachers in the country! I'm talking Free! Does anyone hear me out there or are you all just interested in complaining and meanwhile doing nothing to get your complaints addressed and fixed?

Ran out of space.
Jeff, not all teachers make too much. But, when you tie in all these benefits that are shoved down the taxpayers throats by the IEA, IFT, and any other initials that represent them, it is too much. Mix in the school boards that appear to be accomplices for the unions desires.
Remember, Jeff, that the majority of those paying the property taxes that pay these salaries and benefits are people getting SS as their retirement. Maybe $20,000 ish a year starting in their later 60's. Not 3 to 6 times as much that might be starting 10 years earlier.
Jeff, look at the list from District 87. Then talk to me about underpaid. It will be a short conversation.

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Michael, I showed up at a couple of District 41 board meetings and voiced my opinions and handed out suggestions for the next contract. I was the ONLY non school affiliated person there. With contract negotiations underway, probably for another 4 year agreement, those that aren't happy with what has been need to show up and say so.

And I am not complaining about how much my teachers get paid. I think they are well worth the investment. Just tired of hearing the poor old teacher bit. Sorry its played out.

Yes...now you are getting the picture Ian. And yes, social interaction is a must...that's why I stated earlier, Schools should mainly act as a social gathering place where sports, music, theater, art, clubs of all kinds, tech labs, auto mechanics and all other various hands on learning experiences could occur!

Of course we can find the one, two or three examples that skew the curve - in any profession.

But I want to see you vociferous folks follow a teacher around for a week of 14 hour days. You'll be wetting your pants by the end of the week.

Jeff

to add insult to injury JC, our fellow Illinoisans need to be aware of the PHASE IN perpetrated by the past D41 Board and Supt. The District presented a levy for X amount of dollars. Levy was passed. 7 Days later after the levy passed the Supt marched into the County offices and "phased in the Levy" most secrety to collect an extra $4 million bucks per year EVERY year since 2001, an additional whopping $40 million to date and going higher. Other school districts in IL did the same thing but Hinsdale's district gave the money back basis their guilt trip. Now the rumor is D41 is looking to build a mega middle school with cost estimates ranging from 150-200 million dollars. It's like an arms race out there between school districts. I guarantee you that Ref will be shot down.

BTW, if anyone needs to know how a levy is "phased in" let me know. this clever little ploy on behalf of the school districts was uncovered by a very bright individual. As I said, the district has garnered an extra $40 million+ and around 4 million additional per year EVERY year going forward. Even D87 tried a phase in but we shot it down. Some people just don't learn. Now I hope some of you are wary of "oh woe is me" claims from the school districts in particular. Take note of the bad taste left in our throats.

Very little pay ? summers off, 4 weeks vacation during school year, pensions and health care that the TAXPAYER PAYS MOST OF
Tenure and public sector unions that make them impervious to review and merit compensation

When we focus on teachers I think that we get off on the wrong track. Instead, we need to be looking the system of education itself.

What we have today is a system based on theories and practices developed during the industrial revolution. While much has changed, at the heart of it our current system is still largely based on Piaget's era's theories, age grouping, assembly line teaching, conformity of all to a single standard, and more from the early 1900eds.

This is the problem and no matter how we try to modify it it will not serve the electronic, information age.

Most teachers that I know are as frustrated and stifled by the system as are their students. No one can do their best work in this system.

The Khan Academy shows us just a glimmer of what can be done but the changes in our philosophy and methods of education that we must undertake will create a system that is unrecognizable by today's structures, practices and standards.

We can't settle for more "tweaking" the system. It's time to trash it and start from scratch to build a new system that will actually prepare our kids for the new world.

Jeff,

How about walking in the shoes of a retail big box manager who has 200+ employee's to deal with? Is that easy? They are dealing with all sort of people from lazy to hard working. They work 10 to 12 hours a day for 260 days or more per year. Stop defending one profession over others. Everyone plays thier role in the human culture. That is life. If you dont like your job, quit.

You are all a bunch of, needless to say, Republicons fascist. Instead of envying and bashing teachers so much, why don’t you demand from your employer what is fair for dedicating part of your live to make them rich filthy rich? Stop running that rat’s wheel for someone else.
Don’t complain when the Republicans get you to work for $21 a month like they do in China; with no benefits. Now go and vote for Romney.

Just wait until Obama turns us into Greece and there is rioting in the streets because all the jobs are government jobs and then the money runs out and NO ONE gets paid. So go vote for Obama the community organizer.

and being labeled a "fascist" is OK to you JW ??? Always seems a double standard exists when it comes to the media.

Ah, behind every big-government liberal there is somebody feeding at the public trough.

Okay, I checked out the family taxpayers foundation website for district 181 teacher pay. Underpaid they definitely are not!

Stop fighting boys...How about all of you go work at a school for a week, you will be running back to your jobs!!! Trust me. Our government is great, and to serve our country is an honor. Can some government jobs be classified more as a "service to your country postition?" Service of your time without being compensated?

Turn us into Greece? Why don’t you say Germany? Who are doing very well, thank you very much. Or Sweden, or Norway…hmmmm… how about Finland?
You want me to say something? OK, first walk the walk. Work as a teacher and realize what poverty looks like in a classroom. Fix it. If you so much love the fetus, please learn how to love the child. Stop depriving children from social services.
Secondly, demand from your employer decent wages and support people in your community.
And last, for all the Merriam Webster’s Republicons (Yes, con, for con-artists) I am sorry for such a mistake, English is my second language; However, you should better learn how in your native. That would help! It’s people like you who are ruining this country.

You get what you pay for. My kid goes to Ben Franklin in Glen Ellyn, and almost all of her teachers have had a masters degree. Their training and experience shows- her education has been as good and in some ways better than her cousins, who attend extremely expensive private schools. Teachers shouldn't be paid for that? They would in any other job. Lousy compensation attracts lousy workers, same as any field. The real issue here is that people don't think teaching is worth the compensation (like nursing, another job still viewed primarily as "woman's work" that is undervalued). Personally, I think producing a well educated electorate and work force is very much worth the money.

My school has one of the most diverse populations in DuPage County and we do just fine. Yes...crazy...Even those poor minority kids can learn. who'd a thunk it!

BTW...My school is one of 438/4500 schools who won the states Academic Achievment Award this year. You don't hear our teachers bitchin about pay. They are true professionals. The school community via the PTA does our best to treat them like royalty too. Our teachers know they are loved and respected. They dont have to complain about thier salary or working conditions.

True public servants don't do a job for the money.

How about a full year's pay for a nine month job? Getting paid vacation days while working that nine month job? Getting those vacation and sick days paid out at their current daly rate after 30 years at retirement (see today's story about CPS)? How about the unions? Tenure? Really? And ... if you write for another 120 years, you won't begin to approach John Kass' talent!

Dear Anne/Ron: glad u r happy with deal. A little birdy told me that D41 will be floating a trial baloon with the intent of builiding a mega Jr. High on the Scripture Press property to the tune of $175 million dollars. Are you ready for another RE tax hike in our town in these trying times?? But after all, after the district has so deceitfully collected 4 million bucks per year every year since 2001 I guess you have to do something with that cash, no?? I think the D41 "treasury" has around $14 million in it. I do agree that some cash needs to be stacked away for a rainy day but not to the tune of this fortune.

Jeff, would you like some cheese with that WHINE? You're whining more than an actual teacher does! For Pete's sake, MILLIONS of people work long, hard hours. Did somebody put a gun to these people's heads, forcing them to choose to be a teacher?? Of course it's a tough job, but HELLO, life is tough. They chose it so STOP COMPLAINING. My dad was a farmer, he worked from dawn til dark-thirty, would come in the door exhausted but he took it in stride and had a smile on his face to greet his wife and eight children. Get over yourself.

U ROCK Lucy! Don't mess with those Farmer's daughters!
By the way JC, I was wondering if I missed something but you clarified that on your last post. thanks.

Teachers salaries are never the issues, its always about pension cost and worker rules. Once they get tenure they become vampires.

Most teachers are paid well, many earn well over $60,000 annually.

The fat union contracts of the past are bankrupting the state. Democrats pandered for votes and rewarded them with hefty pensions.

Republicans have little say in the matter since they lack political power and votes.

Blue states are the most polluted, most in debt and have highest amounts of crime and illegals filling up emergency rooms with people who will never pay for the services rendered.

Not to mention the cost of deporting them and incarceration.

Did I mention

I disagree with your assumption Jim. What is bankrupting this state and most states is the incredible job losses of the past ten years. We have lost our tax base with so many households going under that are either bankrupt or near bankruptcy! Those real estate taxes have been lost and continue to be lost every day piling up massive debt for the states. Yes we need to re-structure as everyone does these days but the initial fire started with outsourcing jobs overseas which also continues unabated! I believe we need to find ways to do without the traditional schools of the past and use modern technology to transition into a new dawn. Let's call it the Khan Revolution! If we implement The Khan Academy Interactive Video learning methods (funded by Bill Gates whose goal is to make learning free and available 24 hours a day) we will be on a road to recovery. We can cut our education costs in half or even more. We can make a college education free for all! And everyone will be on an even playing field. It will be up to the individual to take advantage of this phenomenon and to run with it. Bye bye fat cat pensions...hello 21st century!

Jeff, I usually agree with your articles but you are way off base on this one. I appreciate what teachers do they deserve to make a respectable salary but the benefit packages which double their salaries (or more) are absolutely rediculous. When I get my annual total compensation analysis from my employer, my total amount with benefits is about 15% more than my actual salary not double.

That would explain why I know a teacher 55 years old set to retire with 80% of their ending salary (a very good salary) for the rest of their life in annual pension.I on the other hand would have to work until I'm 80 and still would not come close to that kind of retirement (including Social Security) despite maxing out my 401K throughout my entire career, including catch-up contributions ever since I hit fifty.

Worse yet, they were able to massively increase their ending salary and therefore their lifetime pension (which will cost tax payers dearly for the next 30 or 40 years) by getting a Masters degree right at the end of their career. How did that Masters degree benefit any of their students when they got it just in time to leave the profession for a long retirement and life of leisure?

Colin....hope you scroll down to get this message because I cannot figure out how to respond to your response directly on this format. Yes, it is very very sad to see no response to this exciting new prospect of the Khan Academy. Seems like most people don't even want to hear about it or do any research on the topic. Very strange indeed! Very odd and twilight zone like. Are we in a parallel universe maybe? I do believe you are correct though in that it will eventually catch on because it is a necessity (an extremely urgent one). You would think that all of these people who are upset with the system as it stands now would be excited and join in to push this forward. But as usual there are only complaints and no solutions presented! I look forward to speaking with you again about the Khan Revolution. Hey, just a thought....maybe it's the name Khan that turns people off....just a thought.

Keep in mind- if it weren't for teachers - NONE of you would be able to read and write! Which means- NONE of would have been able to voice your complaints or compliments. Yes, parents do teach but teachers set you up for life! Is there a price on that?

MJ, your posts about Khan Academy are billiant but good luck taking on the AFT. Let me know where I can help.
As many of you probably don't know it was IRATE fiscal responsibility, a grass roots group here in GE that created the tax cap as it relates to real estate levies in IL. Mr. Ward, we have been enlightening the tax paying public here in GE for the better part of 20+ years. Local Bulletin Boards (BB's) like this has been key in disseminating the truth to the eager public looking for answers every time they get their RE tax bill.

Have a nice weekend everyone. And by the way, don't bash the farmers. I hope you were kidding.

Jeff - wake up and smell the coffee. Teachers are overpaid!!! In addition, their pensions are high as well as their benefits. In La Grange my son's teacher took a four month maternity leave (will work another two months and then have her three month summer vacation). I AM TIRED OF PAYING FOR THEIR HIGH SALARIES AND BENEFITS!!! And everyone who reads this - you are paying for these high salaries and pensions also.

Anyone can teach. People homeschool their children every day. In addition, in La Grange the school district purchases Math programs from the University of Chicago which basically means the teachers don't develop a lesson plan. They make copies.

I am a critical care nurse. I care for your mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, sons and daughters during life-threatening illnesses. I have specialized skills that even other nurses do not have. I keep you alive. Even so I do not get the pay and benefits given to teachers. I deal on a daily basis with confused and combative patients who
hit, kick. and spit. I also can be sued if I do not perform my job. What accountability do teachers have to the parents and their students, Jeff?

FYI - teacher salaries can be found on champion.com

I can't believe all of this craziness, Jeff Ward is writing a column stating his opinion. It's not the be all and end of all of the world. It's one man's thoughts. Ian, Ron; you both should run for school board, senate, congress; you don't like anything you've been reading, then instead of sitting at your computers all day complaining to a columnist, act upon your beliefs, don't just be angry at everyone else. Ian, I'm from Glen Ellyn and very familiar with your family name, put it to good use instead of spending half your day on a website newspaper. Get out in front of the people, run for office, let your voice be heard to the masses if you feel so strongly about what our teachers are earning. No offense to Jeff or any others involved on Patch.
I am a retired teacher.

Hello all, I am a special education teacher at a private school. We don't have a union, and I don't earn a pension. That being said, I make $35,000. My salary has been frozen since I started over 2 years ago. My school does not have the funds for curriculum...the children learn from the money I spend on hands-on materials and subscriptions to teacher websites.
My contract hours are 7:15-3:15, though I am always there much later than 3:15. If I do have the luxury of leaving at 3:15, I am always dragging a bag home with me to work on lesson plans and/or grading.
The way parents feel about teachers depends on how their child is performing. If the child is doing well, the parents are extremely thankful and can't be complimentary enough. However, if the child is reprimanded at school, it is either A.) another child's fault or B.) my fault. Parents enable their kids way too much these days.
Now, I know that I chose to go to school to become a special educator. However, a girl has got to make a living!!! Try living on $35,000 a year. Now, for the ignorant folks on here who said "well you just don't want to go back to school." Are you freaking kidding me??! I would LOVE to go back to school. However, I can't afford it. But aren't there grants? Yes! BUT, if I go back to school and earn my Master's degree, no school will hire me with as little experience as I have because it will cost too much to hire me!!! It is a complete Catch22.

Dear CC: one can serve the public in many ways. Our grassroot group in GE has been fundamental in educating the taxpayers of GE of the excesses of the school system, such as the phase in as just a start so rest it. Our group has also been key to place fiscal responsible board members on such school boards instead of bobble heads caving into the unions at every turn. The negotiating teams employed by the unions come contract time are very formidable indeed. Just because you don't like what we say it must be heard, even though it is contrary to your beliefs. I am responding to Mr. Wards contention that teachers are underpaid. As u can see from the comments posted on this board, a great many of us do not. It usually comes down to referendum time for reality to sink in. The Patch reach's many people in many towns so just maybe, they want to hear what's going on in Glen Ellyn and compare to their own communitites. In the "old days" teachers were mostly women, 2nd income earners. Good way to make ends meet while being near their children in neighborhood schools. A lot of that changed with the Viet Nam war as more men sought civil service to evade the draft. Today, teaching is very well compensated and more & more college grads are becoming teachers as someone already pointed out on this board. I'm sorry if the truth hurts.

Note income data for Dupage Cty: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illinois_locations_by_per_capita_income
As you can see, our teachers/admins do VERY well and are fairly compensated despite Mr. Wards belief of "very little pay". One must also note that my observations are based off of conversations with my family members that included 3 teachers and 1 Jr. High Principle in Florida out of the Ft Myers area. My principle family member said to me the kids are easy to handle, it's the teachers that's the chore!

Ian,

Have you made plans to teach for a day at your local high school yet?

If not, even I know when to stop with the comments.

Jeff

Good question JW: knew a long time retired bond/stock broker. Wanted to teach an economics class @ GW. they wouldn't let him, no teacher's cert. Guy was brilliant. I'm sure he would have made a great teacher. Personally, I'm a history buff. Civil war, formation of the nation states, WW1 and WW2, post WW2 globalization and free trade. Invite me to your school, I'll teach for a day! Then, you can come to my office and trade commodities and see how u do? Deal???

If we ever want to get America back on track, there will be a point when the need to constantly have "lowest Cost" is replaced with choosing to have "HIghest Quality". Education is the backbone to our nation's recovery, and to our place in the geo-political world , and it starts with the systems in place.

Rather than begrudge salaries and pay, which are really diversionary arguments that ignore systemic issues, I suggest that we focus on the systemic issues: How to prepare people for the issues at hand in the modern world, using modern teaching, technology, and introducing more practical apprentice-type programs that offer life skills,ability to cross-train for multi-career paths, and I encourage dicussion about how to make the education process less about "Teaching how to pass a test "(No Child Left Behind) and more about Learning How To Learn...

We could reduce teachers salaries to $0 and it would not help... Teachers are professionals, and deserve the pay of professionals... the education system is in need of restucturing....

Personally, I'd like to see more labs, more apprentice programs, a trimester approach, and worry less about the current pay, but focus more on making the output be considered the highest quality in the world, bar none.

Don't disagree with u 1 bit Ken. Spell check does not help a student to spell. Calculators do not enalbe a student to learn long addition, division, multiplication. Scan tron tests should be banned IMO. How can a student take home a sub-standard test to review at home with their parents or themselves? Only by coming to school prior to or at the end of the day can they review with a teacher but then again, what if such student has extra-curricular activities or a JOB of some sort that my may not allow such student to review to the extent needed? Never have I said that good teachers in core subjects do not merit good pay. See my posts from the defunct GEBB if you will. But I want results for the investment paid in and I don't see it basis the test data statistics out there and I'm not referring to NCLB.
Please note the following info that dispells many misconceptions:
http://mat.usc.edu/u-s-education-versus-the-world-infographic/
The money is there, we just have to do better. Again, I have the right to disagree with Mr. Ward. If I am wrong, "I'm from Missouri, Show Me".
Declining home values, higher taxes, iffy jobs market. Things are tough for all of us right now.

Ian,
I am a public school teacher of 20 plus years. In those years I have never complained or felt that I was underpaid and I have never worked with a fellow teacher who felt that way either. I chose the profession back when I was an 18 year old college freshman because I felt that I would be good at it and it would be an intrinsically rewarding way to make a living. I love my chosen profession and truly feel that I have made a difference in my students lives. Having said that I, understand the frustration that you and others feel about teacher pay and benefits. What I don't understand is the need to demonize and devalue the profession and those who have chosen it in order to make your argument. To imply in some comments that teaching is a profession of draft dodgers and housewives and that it is so simple that anyone can do it hurts your credibility. You dilute what can be very powerful fiscal arguments of sustainability with immature finger pointing and name calling. You might want to take a page out of the playbook of your Geneva counterpart, Bob Mcquillan who has done a nice job, so far, of drawing attention to the needs of the taxpayers without demonizing teachers.

Dear Thomas: i accept your criticism and can see your point. However, Patch rules mandate that complete names must be noted on all comments. Mr. Ward, please note this to your colleagues at the Patch.
I applaud your dedication to your profession and I have no issues, like I said, to paying a fair salary and fair bene package. I am not demonizing but laying out the facts though they may be hard to swallow by some. You must remember, the antics of the GEA here in GE have been the catalyst for such "wariness" should I say for the MAJORITY of the residents in our town. the Phase In was the icing on the cake. It is a fact that post korean war more males entered the profession. see for yourself. Not sure how hold u are but one has only have to look at the gender ratio now vs say, the 1960's???? Again, to Mr. Ward's point, you can make a nice living being a teacher which is great, have no issues with that as you point out. I'm merely pointing out that most teachers back when were of the female gender and contibuted to their household a 2nd income. Quite frankly, the teachers in D41 way back when were ALL women. I can tell you some were tough as nails and needed to be with us hellions! One lady teacher could grip your neck that would make Mr. Spock proud of her technique! Too bad u can't do that anymore.
I'll leave u with this: http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2003-09-16-education-comparison_x.htm

What on earth makes teachers better than any one else!?!? You depend on the truck driver to get the stuff to the store, the manager of that store to be sure that they are open and well stocked, the police and fireman to keep us all safe, the garbage man so we do\n't die in our own filth, and the mom to be sure her little ones are ready for school each morning!?!?! I am saying that teachers are not important, but they choose that field!

I just like to say shut your yapper! LOL Great line from a great movie!!

Teachers are underpaid, they're more important than truck drivers and if any of the naysayers on this board tried it for even one week, they'd end up wetting their pants.

As usual, I'm right, and the fact that a vocal minority disagrees don't mean bleep!

You can count on death, taxes and me writing five columns a week!

Jeff

^typical union shill

Jeff,
You seem to have a thing about a pants wetting incident, possibly from your past? Just because you apparently had an accident when you followed a teacher around for a day doesn't mean that everybody else would find it nearly so traumatic. Do you have a fear of being in front of people or something? Honestly your posts on this subject just keep getting more and more humorous. I have taught Sunday school, coached sports teams and led scout troops and found all to be quite enjoyable and fulfilling. No, I have not taught in a public school but I have taught groups just as large as your typical public school classroom in those previously mentioned forums and it's really not that big of a deal.

I removed a comment. If you call Jeff names, try not to use vulgar ones.

Notice nobody criticizes superintendents, nobody says anything about principals! This is the way. Divide and conquer. People against people. Why don't you talk about CEOs of insurance companies, why FOX doesn't tell you about the Monsanto's CEO, or any of these monsters from Wall Street that you are just about to vote for.
Farmers? Farmers are super screwed up! Unless you are afiliated to any of the big corporations that rule the fields making the polluted round-up sprayed junk we all eat, full of corn fructose.
Wake up people. What do you want? Teachers to get minimum wage, living in shanty towns, so they look like charity workers? Should they be beggers or monks, so you can look at them with disdain as you pass them by?
You are all such good Christians! I bet you all go to church on Sunday and free yourself of sins, and get ready on Monday to screw everybody. Wake up poeple. Stop being puppets!

Why don't we talk about pooling the money from all different districts and provide the same budget per student across the state, and even the nation? So the education of a child does not depend solely on a zip code.This way the kids going to school in East St. Louis, Bloomington, Chicago, etc, can receive the same type of education that the students of La Grange public schools receive.
Teachers out of college in the Chicago area start at about 34K. All those salaries nearing the 6 digits are people who have 1 or 2 master's degrees, or even doctorals.Plus they also have been working for at least 20 years.
The average retired teacher receives around 40K; these are facts. Education is also very expensive, and districts do not reimburse all type of courses but only very specific ones, according to their needs. When they do reimburse is not 100%.
Support your teachers! Go after the banksters that brought our economy down in 2008. Go against the people poisoning your water, radiating and spraying the food your kids eat.GEt yourself out of this numbness from watching sports crap on tv year after year as if you knew these people playing in the name of your state, and go after the real issues.
There is no money for teachers, firefighters, and police officers but there are limitless tons of money to drop bombs and kill people around the world where there is no even water?

Miguel said "Why don't we talk about pooling the money from all different districts and provide the same budget per student across the state, and even the nation? So the education of a child does not depend solely on a zip code.This way the kids going to school in East St. Louis, Bloomington, Chicago, etc, can receive the same type of education that the students of La Grange public schools receive. "

Actually, if you look it up - http://iirc.niu.edu/ - the spending per pupil is actually HIGHER in East St. Louis than it is in LaGrange or Geneva. Just goes to show, money doesn't educate children, parents educate children.

I think it is a combined effort. I can tell you are a very involved parent in the education process of your children (Or were in the past), by just acknowledging your active role as a parent.
East St. Louis is a very particyular case. If you just drive by their schools and look at them, you will not believe there are schools like that in the U.S.
I will have to check the site. But I can assure you those schools do not get what ours get around here. Thanks for the link!

If you drive through east St.Louis, you either have a death wish or you better hope you make it out alive...its an armpit and shows what happens when all you do is complain about taxes.

Nice post Pete. Finally someone who gets it.

This article says it all. This is how education should be.

http://www.dennisprager.com/columns.aspx?g=07f08515-be95-4197-955e-327f6a0b98f8

No...it is an armpit. Race and gender neutral armpit.

Not hardly Ken. According to the 2010 census info that town is 98% Black. How is that race neutral sir?

http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/17/1722255.html

Downers Grove has a 95.5% graduation rate according to the census. Nice to know our teachers are doing a great job and I dont hear them complaining about thier pay. Nice job teachers of Downers Grove. Thanks for all you do.

More troublesome is the 50% college graduation rate for Downers and the 30% college graduation rate for the state of IL! Why are we creating college degree'd jobs again???

Teachers:
Huge pension. 3 monthes off. Virtually no performance review. (BTW-Thankyou Springfield for buying Union votes every year). What job in the private sector allows this? None. If you think people like me will remain in this state to have my tax money pay for underperforming public servants, I can assure you it wont happen. Read some of the responses here.To the writer, I'd suggest you tell your wife to consider herself lucky to not only have a job but to have one with all the percs.

The average pension is 45,000 for teachers in IL. Teachers are professionals and are not "servants" and should be respected for the work that they do and the parents that they put up with. The writer's wife is student teaching, not a full time teacher, and does not even receive a stipend for her efforts. No percs there.

Not too shabby If it is there for them at all/