Hi Charles,
CB>I'm sorry to hear about the problems going on in Ontario.  Seems to
  >be the newest fad to trash education.  I'm sure the process will go
  >in cycles - when the educational system gets worse and the economies
  >decline, there will be a new push to spend more on education.  Seems
  >the teachers in many places are making more than the average blue
  >collar worker so it's time to bring them down a peg-or-two.
I always get confused in what a blue collar worker is. But I think that
is not an office type worker, would I be right? If so how can they
compare the two? Think of what the average plumber can make an hour - we
could make a fortune at those rates! Also most teachers have years of
education, etc. I don't see them comparing our wages to that of doctors'
do you? Of course in the U.S.  your doctors are not paid by the state so
that might make a difference in thinking.
What kind of wages do teachers get over there - where you are? Here I
can make about $38 000 as a first year teacher but that is only because
I have 9 + years of post secondary education - I'm in the top category
for a teacher but at the bottom of the "grid"(ladder) in experience. I
seem to remember my friend making about $8 000 less as a first year
teacher as she was two categories below me.
If figures seem high remember that we have a much lower dollar than you
do and an extremely high cost of living index. You would be horrified if
I told you what we have to pay for some things here in Metro Toronto -
and in most places in Ontario or even Canada.
CB>RL>But small businesses fail at the rate of 50% a year.  Do we
  >RL>really want our schools to be run like small businesses?  Can we
  >RL>afford that kind of failure rate for our kids?
CB>The quote belongs to Al Shanker, President of the American
  >Federation of Teachers.  I'm sure you'd have his permission to quote
  >him as long as you mention that it is his.
I already sent this as I realized that it was something printed in a
journal and thus quotable if referenced - which I did. I only had one
person comment on it though. :( But that person thanked me for adding
ammunition in our fight for quality education here in Scarborough/Metro
Toronto/Ontario.
                -Ruth
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 þ QMPro 1.53 þ ..The school of hard knocks is an accelerated curriculum.
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