I have written to you on several occasions for help and advice. You are calm (I am not) and sensible and I appreciate your input. I have a huge problem with my principal and really could use some help. I have a fairly inept union rep so I need outside advice.
I teach elementary and have a co-worker who is mentally unstable. She is a pathological liar, and when she gets upset, she makes up horrible stories. My principal's response to this problem is, and I quote, "Everyone knows it's not true, so it is not a big deal." As you might imagine, this is not the answer or help I was looking for.
For next year, the principal has left me with this problem teacher and at our grade level. I asked my principal for the following: Either move the problem teacher, give me a partner teacher at the grade level, or move me to another grade. He said no to all requests with the statement, "I have my reasons." I am afraid of this woman. All she would have to do is lie and my career would be over. What can I do? I was at this school long before this principal came and I do not want to leave. It is my home. I am a really hard worker and a good teacher. I have been crying for days. Please help.

(My answer) You could ask for another meeting with your principal to discuss your concerns over working with this woman. Be clear, be honest, and be direct about not wanting to work with this person, not trusting this person, and not wanting to be near her, essentially. If he will not move you after you are clear that you do not want to work with this woman, ask if there are any other schools available. You may not want to move schools, but this request will make your passion known to the principal and you might want to get out of there any way if you are this afraid of another teacher.

I must say, it is odd to be this afraid of working with another teacher, no matter how weird she is. It is not true that your career would be over if she lied. You are giving her an awful lot of power over you. She sounds like she has a reputation for being "out there" so steer clear of her. Tell your principal you will not work with her or plan with her or in any way associate with her at the grade level because of your fear and mistrust for her professional ethics.

Don't stress over this anymore. If you are crying about it, make a change. Most likely you will have to move to another grade level or school. Or, just decide to ignore this person and maybe even tell her that you would like some distance from her since you are so different professionally and leave it at that. Be happy, teach, and do not let her get in your way.

How far back will the lay offs go this year?

How far back will the layoffs go this year in Orange County? Are the districts making any comments yet?

Districts have only said that all items are on the table. We are in the business of educating children, so I think it is better not to start guessing at rumors because it raises the levels of stress for our teachers. Districts do not know the full extent of what is going to happen this year and next. They do not know if there is any room to hope for an improvement from the rather bleak picture currently being painted. All of Orange County districts are on notice from our Department of Education that they need to halt all unnecessary expenditures and save as much as possible in preparation for mid year cuts. Districts have to send out layoff notices to show they will be able to balance their budgets in the worst case scenarios. Layoff notification must begin in March, according to California Education Code, so we will know soon enough how far back each district decides to notify.

LAUSD Will not be laying off???

Did you see that LAUSD announced there will be no layoffs? Is the news getting better?

Eyes were on LAUSD because they had permission to begin significant teacher layoffs next month. They announced there will be no layoffs before the end of the year. The whole statement released to the press included preminitions that layoffs will occur for next year, but they want to see what money comes in the Stimulus Package. There could be significant relief and Sacramento is due to release its budget package in Feb. Everyone is watching each other unsure of what is to come. There are avenues of hope, but also significant fears out there. The news got better for the students of LAUSD, however, alongside the teachers. The kids' classrooms would have been significantly interrupted had they followed through with mid year layoffs. Students would have been moved and services stopped. It is good news for LAUSD, but even they warn the news is not expected to be good for next year.

Will teachers get laid off before the end of this year, 2009?

Will teachers get laid off before the end of this year, 2009?
LAUSD is starting the lay off process and other districts in Orange County will have to prepare to make cuts as well. Anyone looking at the state budget knows cuts will come.

There have to be special circumstances to start the lay off process early, and this budget crisis qualifies as a special circumstance.

I will address this topic in my column next week in the Orange County Register's Local section, page 2. Feel free to post comments or questions here or email me directly to goasktheteacher@yahoo.com

Teachers Should NOT be paid more

I am a compensation expert and you seem to be a nice well meaning person. But please stop the myth of teacher salaries in comparison to anything. I'm sure that you misspoke when you said salaries are less than the rate of inflation. The comp would be rates of increase and rates of inflation. I doubt your3.9 number for inflation and quoting an increase on the "average" pay hides too many issues. Compare the 5year step with someone in industry in their position for 5years and increase the teacher pay by 20% (number of days worked less than industry). In that case 70k becomes 84k, etc. Add to that a benefits package that no one in a profit making world could afford and a work day that is usually less than 8 hours and one sees a lucrative job. The real test of wages is supply and demand and it would seem that there are more people available for gov't jobs like teachers and firefighters than ever.

There are no teachers in OC quitting because of pay.

I'd be happy to continue the point if you wish

I am a nice, well meaning person. We just disagree. I said the average increase in teachers’ salaries was below the rate of inflation. That number was presented by the National Education Association. Our salaries are not increasing at an astronomical rate and other industries have seen much sharper increases in a 5 year period than the increases teachers have seen.

Even putting that point aside, your representation of what teachers are paid is unfair. Many people looking at the teaching profession from the outside use the argument that teachers should really consider their salary what they make plus 20% more since there is that much vacation time built into a regular school year. That makes no sense to me. If I decide to be a teacher, I understand that I am taking a salary that is less but that I also get vacation time as a benefit to consider. I cannot, however, consider my salary of $57,000 really a salary of $68,400. Would I pull that money out of thin air? How would I pay my rent with that figure I am not receiving?

Some have said that we should get additional jobs in our time off, and many teachers do work during vacations in order to support their families. These jobs do not pay the additional 20%. Again, if you decide to be a teacher you understand what you are accepting and looking for a summer job will more than likely not give you the additional $11,400. There are not many industries that will hire a teacher just for 2 months and pay them this type of salary. That would mean working your 8 weeks off, at 40 hours a week, earning over $35 an hour. If you know of such a job, tell me and I will let other teachers know because many seek summer employment.

Many male teachers are becoming unable to support a family on a teacher’s salary alone anymore, and I consider that a shame and a reason we are seeing less male teachers enter the teaching profession. On top of that, you might have an unrealistic view of the types of benefit packages teachers are now offered.

As for the age-old argument that teachers work less than an eight hour day, that is so untrue. We are with the children for 6-7 hours a day, depending on the school schedule. That is the time we are in front of the students. Let me take a moment to say that this is the most precious and important part of our day and the part I most enjoy. If I am in front of the children, I had better have spent my time outside of the school day preparing for what I will do with them. I have to have my materials prepared, my lessons planned, schoolwork corrected so I know who needs to review or move on, not to mention the time we spend thinking about the children and what they need or ways to adapt to their changing needs throughout the year. We spend hours, and much of our own income on preparing the day for the children. Go to any school 2-4 hours after the children have left and even on weekends and you will find countless teachers. Plus, ask our families how much work we bring home.

It may sound boastful, but I feel like I am a really good teacher. I have a good heart, great intentions, and I spend time creating meaningful lessons often tailored to 20 different little people’s needs. I will not say that teaching is not a rewarding and emotionally fulfilling career, it is. To say that we should not be paid more is silly. I cannot foresee a time when we will be paid more, districts don’t have the means and our government does not seem to agree with this sentiment, but if it is a question of ‘should,’ we definitely should be paid more.