Halloween Canceled: Bush to blame!

[MacManNM]

This is the response I got form my kids elementary school principal on the rumor that they are canceling all Halloween festivities.


Dear Mr. Bod,

Since Halloween falls on a teacher in - service day the staff is considering the possibility of not having the usual celebration. The only place it has been mentioned is in the staff newsletter and we intend to publish the decision in the Roadrunner family newsletter next week. I am not sure how students have gotten their infomration.

We are charged by the state and the federal "No Child Left Behind" law with delivering a staggering amount of curriculum to students each year. It is rare that even the most organized teacher can cover all that is required. As we carefully examine our practice, time is precious. No where in our standards can we find a way to justify parties and parades. We certainly realize the fun and tradition
that they represent. I willl party with my grandchildren and I am looking forward to it. We are torn bewteen hard choices. We enjoy children and the celebrations that are such fun, but we have a huge task to deliver the material to students. TIme away from instruction must be weighed very carefully.

We are also concerned as a staff about the effect that the sweets parents like to send to parties has on students. Childhood obesity and related heatlh issues are mushrooming. When we have requested healthy snacks we have not gotten a positive response..

I enjoy Halloween. It is a question of the good vs. the best. We want the best for our students. The final staff decision will be in the next edition of the Roadrunner. Thanks you for your input. I would love to hear any other thoughts you might have.

Sincerely,
Nancy Ledford


john bod wrote:

Mrs. Ledford,



I am the stepfather of Rain and Alex. The other day they came home from school and informed us that there would be no Halloween festivities, namely a “dress up” day. Can you please verify to me that this is true? If it is true, why has the policy been changed, and why has there been no official declaration by the school of this?



Thank you for your time.



Sincerely,

John M. Bod



Now, these teachers get 3 months off in the summer, all federal holidays, and several of these in-service days a year off. This equates to 4 months off a year. I guess these in-service days are for curriculum review and planning. What do they need these days for? Don’t they have 3.7 months throughout the year to do this? To blame the installation of higher standards is pathetic. These teachers are making the kids suffer to promote their political agendas. What is wrong with working for a living? I guess it’s true, “those who can’t, teach”

 

[JohnA]

And this has to do with Bush how???

 

[MacManNM]

And this has to do with Bush how???

The same way the huricane, oil prices, and the economy are his fault.

 

[MDS]

Presumably because Bush is promoting the No Child Left Behind program.

While the teachers do get ~4 months per year off, they don't get paid for that time. Only a truly dedicated teacher would use their free time to prepare for the school year.

 

[JohnA]

Only a truly dedicated teacher would use their free time to prepare for the school year.

How true that is...a close friend of mine is a 4th grade teacher, he spends at least 1 month (if not more) before school starts to get prepared and prep the course work, and does he get paid for it...nope. Being a teacher is not as "easy" as some would think.

 

[MacManNM]

Presumably because Bush is promoting the No Child Left Behind program.

While the teachers do get ~4 months per year off, they don't get paid for that time. Only a truly dedicated teacher would use their free time to prepare for the school year.

Please! The average teacher salary is $45,771, for 8 months worth of work. That is good money. Heaven forbid they put in a few extra days. Plus the fact that they have 3 straight months off that they could get a temp job.

 

[j_garcia]

Even when they ARE at work, they aren't exactly pulling down the big $$$ for what they do.

$45,771 is good money? Not in THIS state, unless you are a dual income family and the other income is a lot higher than that...

 

[JohnA]

The same way the huricane, oil prices, and the economy are his fault.

So Bush is in control of the weather?

Oil prices...while they are higher, you must factor in the fact that the hurricane stopped production of the US oil rigs...less supply...more demand...price go up...sounds like the law of supply and demand to me.

The economy seems to be going along just fine...people are still buying cars, homes, AV equipment, etc... So what is wrong with it and how is Bush the cause of it?

 

[MacManNM]

Even when they ARE at work, they aren't exactly pulling down the big $$$ for what they do.

If they were to work 12 months, even with their holiday time off, it comes to $68k/yr. That’s terrible money.

 

[MacManNM]

So Bush is in control of the weather?

Oil prices...while they are higher, you must factor in the fact that the hurricane stopped production of the US oil rigs...less supply...more demand...price go up...sounds like the law of supply and demand to me.

The economy seems to be going along just fine...people are still buying cars, homes, AV equipment, etc... So what is wrong with it and how is Bush the cause of it?

Do you watch the news, or read the papers? Every lib in the country is blaming Bush for all the above.

 

[j_garcia]

My best friend is a high school teacher. He actually works more now that he is a teacher than he did at a desk job, AND gets paid less. He likes doing it though.

 

[JohnA]

$45,771 is good money? Not in THIS state, unless you are a dual income family and the other income is a lot higher than that...

Man, I wish I was making $45,000, even for 12 months (which teachers are because it is a "fixed" income.

 

[JohnA]

My best friend is a high school teacher. He actually works more now that he is a teacher than he did at a desk job, AND gets paid less. He likes doing it though.

I thought about being a teacher, but they put in longer hours then me, and have to put up with the crap from the "unruly" kids. No thanks.

 

[j_garcia]

Man, I wish I was making $45,000, even for 12 months (which teachers are because it is a "fixed" income.

It's not that it isn't enough money, it's just that housing is so damn expensive here. $45K alone isn't going to afford a decent house in the area.

 

[jaxvon]

Unlike most office jobs (not couting you Mac, as I know you do work at home), Teachers put in a lot of overtime at home that never gets recorded. Sure they make $45k per year, but for the amount of hours they put in, as well as the responsibilities they hold, the crap they put up with from parents, students, etc, that's underpaid in my book.

 

[MDS]

Veering off topic re Bush

Bush is the president. That's why he gets blamed for all things that go wrong and gets credit for all things that go right - regardless of whether or not he actually had anything to do with it. Same for CEOs.

Oil prices were rising far before hurricane Katrina but it is easier to blame a current event for our woes rather than recognize that our problems, of which oil is just one, have been steadily growing. As far as I can remember, every presidential candidate over the last several election cycles has promised to reduce our dependence on foreign oil. Have any steps been take towards that goal? Nope - and it won't be done unless it becomes a crisis. Just like Social Security won't be fixed (ie, STOP spending the surplus and actuallly save it for its intended purpose) until that becomes a crisis.

 

[Rock&Roll Ninja]

if they were to work 12 months, even with their holiday time off, it comes to $68k/yr. That’s terrible money.

Believe it or not, most of the country will be making much less than that this year. The average household is only $42,000. Roughly 1 outa 12 will make under $15,000 this year working full-time. $68k is a goddamned king's ransom for most of the world, even in this country. If thats 'terrible" money for you, well, congratualtions, you've won the game of life that most people die playing.

 

[MacManNM]

Believe it or not, most of the country will be making much less than that this year. The average household is only $42,000. Roughly 1 outa 12 will make under $15,000 this year working full-time. $68k is a goddamned king's ransom for most of the world, even in this country. If thats 'terrible" money for you, well, congratualtions, you've won the game of life that most people die playing.

It's called sarcasm

 

[MacManNM]

Unlike most office jobs (not couting you Mac, as I know you do work at home), Teachers put in a lot of overtime at home that never gets recorded. Sure they make $45k per year, but for the amount of hours they put in, as well as the responsibilities they hold, the crap they put up with from parents, students, etc, that's underpaid in my book.

It's only overtime if they work more than 2080 hrs a year. They don't

 

[j_garcia]

It's only overtime if they work more than 2080 hrs a year. They don't

How's that? He said it was not recorded OT, so it's hours that aren't put down on a timecard somewhere and are unpaid, but they still work them. I figure my buddy puts in 12-14hrs, which means 3-4hrs outside of the school, a day and gets paid for 8. That's what I believe he's talking about, and that IS overtime in my book.

Ca. law says OT is anything over 40hrs in a week for any regular, full time employee (including contract workers), which of course, does not apply if you are a salaried employee.