NYC Educator: Denver--The Teachers vs. the Morally Bankrupt

NYC Educator: Denver--The Teachers vs. the Morally Bankrupt

Denver--The Teachers vs. the Morally Bankrupt

Denver teachers were set to strike today, but it looks like they may be delayed for a while. But don't worry. The people who staff the schools are gonna take care of everything. They plan to  fill schools up, evidently, with just about anyone they can get to sub.

It's very tough to be a sub, as far as I'm concerned. One of my least favorite things is getting called each semester for my freebie. I don't know any of the kids, and I likely as not don't know the subject either. There are a whole lot of subjects I'm not good at, and I've subbed in each and every one of them. Sometimes kids are reasonable and cooperative. Other times they aren't.

I have things I use in my classes to make things go better. They work because the students know me and I know them. Sometimes we respect each other. Sometimes they know that I'll call their homes, report them to their coach, go to a teacher they really respect, or find some other way to make behavior inconvenient. When I sub, it's different. I just call the dean and get a kid or two removed. Hopefully that looks inconvenient enough to the rest of the class, and they will be reasonable.

You never know, though. Now I'm certain there are subs who are better than I am, because I'm really not good at all. So on that basis alone, I have to respect people who come in and do this on a regular basis, or even an irregular basis.

Still, I'm not sure the best sub on God's green earth could do what they're asking out in Denver. Let's just imagine you're a sub, walking into a school with not one teacher who's usually there, and having to deal with kids who know all their teachers are outside walking a picket line. I'm supposing their best hope would be that the students cut en masse.

But it's scab ahoy over at DPS recruitment:

DPS officials have said that, in the event of a strike, they will pay regular substitutes double the daily rate, or $212 a day, and “super subs” — retired teachers — $250 a day.

DPS is full of fine people. In fact, they even apologized after they threatened striking teachers with deportation. What more could anyone ask in terms of role models? As for budget, they're certainly focused on saving money, what with instigating a strike that will preclude paying any full-time teachers. I sure wouldn't want to be one of those "super subs," crossing a picket line consisting of my brother and sister teachers. Some people need the money.

Douglas County resident Tom Shor saw substitute teaching as a way to supplement his income as the owner of a hot dog stand during the offseason. Shor said he used to substitute teach years ago, noting that the district was “offering a decent salary.”

I don't know how much money you make selling hot dogs in Denver, but I guess when the dogs aren't moving, you stab unionists in the back and save the money to invest in CONTINUE READING: NYC Educator: Denver--The Teachers vs. the Morally Bankrupt