Let your voice be heard! Submit an anonymous form to share your views. |
hear our voices
11-4-2013
I told the teachers in my school to work with Hear Our Public Emplotees (H.O.P.E.) to overturn the "Right to Work Law." They were too afraid. I relocated to NC as a retired soldier. I have never seen a place like this. A law can be CHANGED, people. It is whatever is the will of the PEOPLE. Do you recall that slavery was a LAW? Now teachers have lost their TENURE!!! I saw the writing on the wall. I retired because I was sick of the dictatorship that that exists her in NC. NC, you lost a GREAT, National Bd. Certified Teacher! God Bless America!!! God Help NC. -Teacher Fayetteville 11-3-2013 I retired July 1, 2012 because for four, count them, ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, YEARS, I worked WITHOUT a pay raise while Gov. McCrory had the audacity to GIVE, yes, that's right, I said it, GIVE, his two 24 year-old former campaign workers EIGHTY-FOUR and EIGHTY-FIVE THOUSAND-DOLLAR-A-YEAR JOBS with the State Health Dept.! These BOYS didn't even qualify for ENTRY-LEVEL positions and these were SENIOR-LEVEL positions!!! That's more than I made after almost 15 YEARS of teaching! I QUIT!!! My retirement pay + SS + MILPAY Ret is more than I made as a teacher. YOU DO THE MATH. There was NO incentive to stay and be HUMILIATED AND DISRESPECTED. I am the BOSS of ME!!! Phil Berger and Thom Tillis, your plan for teachers didn't work in my household. And, by the way, now I'm free to fight for teachers ALL DAY LONG!!! I'll see you in YOUR HOUSE, maybe in your SEAT!!! -Teacher Fayetteville, NC 11-2-2013 SICK as a dog. Literally. Not a political ploy, but the reality of working in this educational environment. NC voters wake up! RED for ED was done--first day of school. Kick it up a notch. -Teacher Raeford 10-31-2013 We must act now! -Teacher Graham, NC 10-31-2013 Why should we pay more for a Master's Degree? What is learned in the Master's program that instructs teachers how to better teach a curriculum that is spelled out for them by the school system? -Concerned Citizen Raleigh 10-31-2013 I fully support paying teachers enough to earn a decent, living wage. I do not think that they get enough credit for what they do these days in what can only be considered a combat zone, in many cases. Having said that, I do not believe that tenure is beneficial to education. Keeping teachers who have stopped caring about anything except their paychecks and pensions helps no one. My child will not be wearing RED on 11/4 and I feel that the Republicans have not been given a fair chance to show what their ideas can do. No one complained when the Democrats controlled things for decades and wages were low. I understand why teachers are upset, but no one else in state government receives that perk. Let's get back to the business of teaching. As hard as jobs are to find these days, a Master's Degree should help someone stand out from the crowd, but not demand extra wages, unless it is a requirement of the position. Thank you. -Parent Raleigh 10-30-2013 Isn't it funny that during the decades of Democrat controlled NC politics, nobody ever threw a pebble in the pond and caused ripples. Salaries were low, hours were long, and tenure was the reward for putting up with rude students and being the only parent-figure some children had. -Parent Raleigh 10-30-2013 Now that the Republicans have gotten elected, teachers' salaries have not been decreased. Getting rid of tenure means that people are not guaranteed a position just because they have been employed a long time. There is a difference between 10 years of experience and 1 year of experience 10 times. Teachers who have 10 years of experience have nothing to worry about- they will continue to have jobs. We also have less money for students and teachers because we have so many children in schools whose parents are here illegally. How many extra seats in classrooms have been filled by these children? How many buildings have been built to accommodate these higher numbers? Buses? I would love to see the teachers make more money, the children learn as much as I did when I was in public schools years ago, and the buildings all be maintained. Let's give the Republicans a chance to fix what is broken. They inherited a mess from decades of Democrats. If their plan does not work after a couple of years, then we can revisit what needs to happen. Until then, give the people a chance to do what is best for our children. 10-28-2013 My friends! I must Speak Out against the change that your leaders have made. Whatever this Walk In is suppose to do, it is only a ploy to mute you all, indeed to mute the voices of suffering of all of us. While not a teacher myself, I have personally seen the suffering of many teachers and I know your struggles. In fact your struggles are nothing more then the struggles of all the working people. Yes, we risk the wrath of the elites of our society when we speak out against them! But the more they hate us the more good we do! I imagine this change has happened because of fear, the fear of lost jobs, the fear of arrest. Let me tell you something, the movement of true equality and the removal of class, the socialist movement, which once thrived in America before World War 2 collapsed because people would not raise their voices and RISK for a better world. Is life in Slavery better then no life at all? This is the question. Is it worth living 80 years as a slave, only to die? Or is it better to cease the chance for a new and better world? The efforts of our socialist forefathers have be taken away before our vary eyes. The 8 hour work day is a joke, it no longer exists. I know many of you work many hours at home in order simply to fulfill your jobs. Where is the legally required over time pay? The Administrations of many schools do not benefit the students in the desire to bend over for the wealthy and influential parent. In these schools the true TEACHER is punished, and your noble profession is degraded to being rubber-stampers and baby sitters. I know the high ideals that lead most of you to become teachers in the first place. But I have seen time after time how the system has broken so many of you! ENOUGH! I Say a life as a Slave is no life at all! Fight for your rights, fight for the right to be a human and not a machine! Fight for the future of America, for the children you teach! You only hurt them by not standing up for yourselves. Lead the way and show the world once again that the voices of the productive members of society will not be silenced! Now is the Time! I stand with You! -Descending -Concerned Citizen Wake County 10-26-2013 Walk-in? The whole point of this "walk-out" was to force our representatives to realize they have no idea how to run public schools. Now we're just going to give in and let NCAE have a say? This is exactly why our state reps continue to walk all over us...they expect us to be weak and roll over. I expected more from this "movement". I for one will still be "sick" on this day. I hope everyone else will be too. We've "talked" for years and look what we've gotten. Stay strong and be "sick" on November 4th. -Disgusted Teacher in Raleigh 10-25-2013 You have done more harm than good. The powers to be now know that we are completely impotent. Do you really think they care what color clothes we wear? As a NC teacher I am disgusted and even more motivated to leave this BS profession and this state. I do love the kids, but at what cost? -Teacher Willow Springs 10/24/2013 Are we going to wait for someone else to do something? Now is the time to push for the change we need. Not just WE need, but our children need! -Teacher Guilford County 10/23/2013 Our district is citing the law spelled out at the website below telling us that it is illegal and we will lose our jobs. We're frightened and SICK of this treatment. If history serves me correctly, civil disobedience has served as a political change-agent for decades in American history. -Teacher Mooresville, NC 10/10/2013 Movements like this HAVE to happen or education will never be prioritized in North Carolina. It is too easy for legislators to take advantage of the tenderhearted in our profession, to say nothing of the thousands who are in the unfortunate situation of knowing a poorly paying career is better than no career -Teacher Snow Hill, NC 10/7/2013 I implore the organizers of this event to change the wording from "walkout" to "SICK-OUT". Here's why: Because we are SICK of being underappreciated, understaffed, underpaid, and so on... Also, By making it a "sick-out", teachers can call in sick and still be in accordance with NC's laws on striking. We need to send the message to parents and the community we are NOT walking out on education, instead, WE ARE SICK OF THE Government treating PUBLIC EDUCATION as not important in NC!!!! Keep your eyes on Asheville news for more info on the Nov. 4 SICK-OUT. THANKS! Sincerely, Mr. I.M. Sick! 10/7/2013 Movements like this HAVE to happen or education will never be prioritized in North Carolina. It is too easy for legislators to take advantage of the tenderhearted in our profession, to say nothing of the thousands who are in the unfortunate situation of knowing a poorly paying career is better than no career. -Teacher Snow Hill, NC 10/5/2013 I totally support this teacher walkout. Something has to be done and if it takes a full strike I say go for it. I certainly don't want my kids missing school but if it makes the teachers and schools better in the long run it must be done. Total lack of respect for our teachers and what they do! They are being taken advantage of because of their love for the children. How is that right? -Parent Apex, NC 10/3/2013 Why do our politicians believe they can fix the schools? They have no expertise! Why do our parents trust them to fix out schools? What is happening now is the beginning of a downward spiral of schools and professionals! I call out to parents everywhere in our state, stop the madness! Let the experts handle your schools, not the politicians! The level of experienced and qualified teachers will diminish greatly under present conditions! Children will suffer in the end! Politicians just want votes not solutions! Teacher Raleigh, NC 10/3/2013 My principal just came to talk to me about why I am taking the day off for November 4th. She asked what difference one day will make. Are there not other avenues we can explore? I am not at all an activist, and I consider myself to be pretty uninvolved when it comes to politics. Something about this day and this event has changed me and made me want to speak up and make a difference even if it doesn’t really matter that it’s just one day. Just one day? It does not have to be just one day. We have been working on this for a while and each day we build momentum. This “one day” is making a difference. It is being heard across our state and it is worrying our administrators and our counties and hopefully our politicians. Good! That’s the whole point! One day obviously will not make any kind of difference in the grand scheme of things. To have any real impact, the word has got to continue to spread so that our families and our communities can see what is going on and how it will in turn impact all of us. If we continue to push our teachers out, consider them to be replaceable and unimportant, not worthy of pay increases to even make ends meet, and do not appreciate their efforts and applaud their desire to continue their education, then what message are we sending forward to future generations? We push these kids harder and harder and push their teachers harder and harder. Something has got to give. We are strong and what are supportive of our students but if you push hard enough for long enough, there will be breaks in the system. We are already seeing these breaks. One of my students just asked me why two of her teachers were leaving. What was going on? She is a second grader and her teacher quit after only a few months. Why? Because it is just too much. Her teacher can make more at a car dealership than she can shaping minds in a school. Her other teacher is also leaving next week because he too is tired of the lack of compensation and the continual pressures and demands put on teachers. He can now make more in one day than in an entire month of teaching. That is just sad. I am not a classroom teacher any longer and I do not have all the demands that classroom teachers have with the constant assessments and grading and new programs that do not work. I go to work each day because I love what I do. I love my kids, my families, my staff, and my community. Days like today make me question it all. It scared me thinking about my son coming to school next year. I met with a kindergarten teacher last night and she was showing me raw data on how much testing occurs with these five year olds. For the average class in kindergarten in our county, a teacher spends 18.4 DAYS of testing in just the first quarter alone! A quarter is 45 days of instruction. Over a third of the time is spent just testing! When do you have time to teach if all you do is test? I know the numbers in 3rd grade are even more staggering. It is making me think twice about whether I will bring my son to my school that I love. Can I bear to stifle him and his teachers when I know it is wrong? What difference will it make? Maybe none. But maybe it will make a difference if we all keep talking about this and getting the news involved. Don’t back down just because you are afraid or you don’t want to rock the boat. Believe me- I am hardly one for confrontations or speaking up, but if I don’t, who will? We cannot just sit by idly and complain and NOT stand up if we expect anything to change. What bothers me most and has me most upset is the negative spin and perspective even my principal just expressed to me. She asked why I was walking out on my school, my responsibilities, and hurting the kids and the school. Hurting them? NEVER is that the intention of any of us. That’s why myself and many others have been proactive by submitting leave and attempting to get a sub. Maybe, just maybe, if enough of us do step forward and take that day off, maybe it will cause the break that is needed to make a change. None of us wants to hurt our schools or our students or make our administrators look bad or cause our co-workers to be burdened. Sometimes, though, that’s what it takes to make a difference. For just one day. -North Carolina Teacher 10/2/2013 I love teaching and love being with my students. However, I cannot support a family on a teacher salary. I have been teaching 6 years, I have my Master's, and have come to the sad conclusion that I cannot raise a family on $30,000 a year when 1/3 of that would go towards insurance. I don't live a lavish lifestyle or drive a fancy car, but the fact I cannot live my simple life on a teacher salary is depressing. The representatives and politicians in Raleigh have crushed my dreams of teaching and have forced me to find occupation elsewhere. Thank you for ruining my professional career with your greed. -Teacher Cleveland County, NC 9/30/2013 Our leaders have no clue what it takes to manage laws and politics much less how to manage a classroom. Our board members keep getting raises, our county commissioners keep getting raises, while all we see are bread crumbs. -Teacher Duplin County, NC 9/29/2013 I am a mom and I hold an NC teaching certificate. While I am not in the classroom right now…I support you 100%! Maybe more parents will take note when their kids are home all day and get behind you to support you. Good luck! -Mother 9/29/2013 My first year teaching I walked into a room with NO books or resources a week before school started (and I was teaching kindergarten!). I was given no money to purchase materials, so everything I got came out of my lousy first year teacher's salary. It's ridiculous. I am a fifth year teacher still being paid that lousy first year teacher's salary. I get 40 minutes a day to 'plan' (read: use the restroom, make copies, set up for the next lesson and MAYBE grade a few papers). I am in charge of my students for lunch and recess...so I only have those 40 minutes to myself each day. All planning and grading happens on my own time after my scheduled working hours are over. I can't afford to start my own family because teachers are not paid adequately for all they do here in NC. We NEED this walkout. Something has to change soon if NC expects to keep any skilled educators it this beautiful state... -Teacher Winston-Salem, NC I have seen firsthand at my school, three excellent professional veteran teachers leave the classroom/teaching profession this year. Their reason-enough is enough. They no longer had it in them to continue to give only to be continually knocked down by our state. I am afraid this is only the tip of the iceberg with the amount of veteran teachers we will see leave the teaching profession in North Carolina. -Teacher Holly Springs, NC Summer 2013 (from a letter written to our local Representative)- No Response Received Dear Paul Stam, I am an educator here in Wake County. Would you please be so kind to explain the Merit Pay system you are referring to in the ABC 11 article posted online today July 31, 2013. Quote from article: “Republican Rep. Paul Stam says the budget he voted for, and the one that Gov. Pat McCrory signed includes merit pay for the best teachers, albeit $500, and added money to the overall k-12 pot, which is about $200 million more than last year.” Since you voted for this budget and merit pay I would assume you know exactly how the “best teachers” will be selected. I have heard mention of the top 25%? Is this per school? Per county? What happens if there is more than 25% of “best teachers” in a school? I would hope as an informed legislator you are fully knowledgeable regarding the bills that you sign. I look forward to hearing back from you. 9/25/2013 I am a 26 year veteran teacher. I have had it with NC politics. I work at least ten hour days, work on weekends, and spend a great deal of my money on things I use in the classroom. I have a Master's degree and National Board Certification and I feel like my state does not treat me like the hard working professional I am. I have given 26 years of blood, sweat and tears to my county and resent how we have been treated. I want to be compensated for the expertise I bring to the classroom. I will walk out Nov. 4th with my brothers and sisters in education! -Teacher Fayetteville, NC 9/23/2013 I am a teacher and a parent. I am concerned for my future and for my childrens'. I see morale down; I see teachers' at their saturation point. I moved here expecting to be following the salary schedule that is promoted on the dpi website, as well as, the county's website. I bought a home based on those figures. I have only brought home less and less money each year that I have worked here. I don't know how much longer I can stay, in this state, in this profession. I don't know how much longer I want my children in this failing education system. -Parent/Teacher Raleigh, NC 9/23/2013 I originally went to college to be a high school history teacher and ended up sticking it out at UPS instead. It's a crying shame I make more money slinging cardboard (comparatively) around a warehouse than I would as a first year teacher in NC. We trust these folks with our children's futures and we continue to screw them, year after year. Priorities, much? Greensboro, NC 9/23/2013 I am a former teacher (now parent) who was going to go back...why would I now? I would not put myself through the disrespect, degradation, and mistreatment and it pains me because I love to help children become life long learners. No way can I do that now. It is time to stand up and make some changes for the better! -Parent and Former Teacher 9/23/2013 As a parent, I support this 100%!! I hope every single teacher in NC participates because standing up to the "suits" in Raleigh will benefit teachers, students and our future. The morale and enthusiasm that my children's teachers once had, is gone because they are worn slam out. More students, more responsibilities yet no assistants and no pay raises??? Makes no sense whatsoever. It's absolutely absurd!! If the idiots in Raleigh that are lounging in their plush offices think teacher's assistants, salaries and job positions are the ideal way to save money, then they need to be in the schools running copies and taking children to the bathroom and anything else that needs to be done! I am so sick of watching my children, as well as the rest of the children in NC, suffer because their teacher is being stretched so thin, while these {explitive} in Raleigh are making six figures. As a parent, I thank you all very much for everything you do everyday (and I know it's a lot) and I encourage you to participate in this for your sake, the student's sake and for the future of our state. -Parent Dortches, NC 9/22/2013 It has taken a while....I think every public school teacher is 'finally getting it'. In this political climate NOTHING will be given or bestowed or 'awarded to you'....You must EACH GET IN THE GAME, IN THE PROTEST-SPEAK OUT trenches. The McCrory-Tillis-Art Pope-Koch Brothers cynical machine intends to reduce your power to ZERO. Pick up the phone, the pen, go to your keyboard and STAND UP. Concord, NC |