Really JTR !?! Um let's see here Half of June, July, August, Christmas break, spring break. That pretty much adds up to 3 months plus of days off. I know you think I'm not that educated but I think my math adds up just fine. As far as the weekend comment I can think of lots of professionals that work weekends. I can go to any store/mall/factory/car dealership/etc. that is open on a Saturday and ask for a manager. Next time I go and see one should I stop and tell them that their job is a sham and not professional? How about this instead - just keep your silly personal swipes to yourself and keep your hand out of my wallet. OK?

bignik,
you are correct. I worked on the line at GM for 15 years. Took the buyout and then the free college opportunities offered while collecting unemployment, went to school at night while working my cash construction job and slipped right in at the school district just about the time my benefits ran out. Pretty good deal. To bad some of you others (not GMers persay) didn't do the same.

exFIB - You said " Nobody else has it any better right now, why should you be different?"

Really, nobody has it better right now? I work in the private sector and my pay and bonuses have both gone up in the last two years. Just because unemployment is high doesn't mean that everyone is suffering.

Also, what school district are you referring to that give their teachers 3 plus months of vacation? As far as weekends are concerned, I'm not aware of any professional careers that require employees to work weekends. Most professionals do work nights and weekends (teachers included) but I highly doubt it states that you have to work those extra hours in your contract.

I understand that you are frustrated, but please don't make things up just to try to make your point look better. I can see from this post and past posts of yours that you are not very educated and could never have gone to school to become a teacher, but don't be bitter against those who could.

Does this mean all that talk between Schulte and the School Board about a 2-4-6% tax levy increase was a bunch of smoke screen hooey?

The problem with Teachers is that they never look at the big picture when it comes to their compensation package. 50k a year, taxpayer funded pension, taxpayer funded healthcare, 3+ months vacation, weekends off, no accountability for the job you do, and no way to get fired unless you say "wiener". That sounds like a pretty sweet gig to me. No wonder nobody has any respect for that profession anymore. Time to quit worrying about yourselves and your union and focus on the thing you forgot about - THE KIDS!!! Nobody else has it any better right now, why should you be different?

Realist- Are you still angry you lost your GM job and had to go to work for the School District of Janesville as a teacher? Sure sounds like it.....

just quit your overworked and underpaid teaching position and find something else. It's that easy. You'll find lots of examples, and you'll learn them better if you go thru the experience yourself.

hypocrit, I mean zdog
Who's doing the whining. Sounds like you are doing your share. "only start at 30K? whaaaaaaaa. lots of professionals with graduate degrees start at that too or less sometimes and it sure isn't rocket science to become a teacher." Still waiting for your examples.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH ZDOG!!!! Well said! (By the way, I am not whining about my $18,000 a year job. It is a means for survival!)

i love all the complaining. If you're a teacher, get a different job if things are so bad. Underpaid?? yeah, try your hand at something else, then get back to me. Whine, whine, whine. They average almost 50K the poor poor underpaid teachers. And they're doing such a bang up job. Janesville has the best educated in America I think.

only start at 30K? whaaaaaaaa. lots of professionals with graduate degrees start at that too or less sometimes and it sure isn't rocket science to become a teacher. I know plenty of them and went to school with even more, so I understand the "rigors" of that program. and they aren't the only other ones that need to pay for more school, or take continuing ed or any of the other stuff they so often like to complain about.

Suck it up, or move along

The fund is basically there because of the general health of the JEA. They make money on the educators, thats why i was glad to see a contract done without too much push and shove, this time. Although the teachers did accept a pay freeze. Even though you might not read about it, they get no retroactive pay for the year they had no contract, so the yr 2009 was a freeze year. will that satisfy all of yoou tax-savers that always whine about teachers pay?

The "rainy day" fund was created by the district taking insurance holidays. Not paying premiums and banking the mony. Basically making money on the backs of the educators. I too am sick of the money arguement. Teachers are UNDERPAID. Cite whatever avg you want, young teachers start at 30,000 or sometimes less. Is that enough to even live on? I have witnessed first hand that it is not. Th teachers that make more are trhe ones that have paid more money for more education, to advance their own education, and careers. Shouldnt a teacher with better qualifications be paid more? There is a lot of tax dollars being watsed out there, edycators salaries are not a waste, or anything close. Talk to the city of Janesville about wasting your tax dollars, (ice arena, new softball fields, bike tunnels) to the tune of 4-5 million dollars.

a 27,000,000 rainy day fund? that is not the way it is suppose to work.

I don't think there is a question on what to do. Of course the answer is cut and I would start with teachers and their expensive payroll. I would try to obtain a ratio of 20 to one student to teacher. Then administration would follow.

teachers don't get paid squat??? ok, they average just under 50K in janesville, hardly squat in this town.

I wish they would all just quit, quit whining and complaining and then just quit. I bet it would take no time at all to fill those vacancies with people willing to work instead of complain and actually appreciate what they have.

Stubby, it is not a "rainy day" fund, it is similar to a checking account which goes up and down during the month. Money has to be in there to pay the bills.

A $27,000,000 "rainy day" fund? Last I looked, it's pouring!

Teachers are not city employees

Schools are for education. Not recreation. Teachers don't get squat for what they deal with. There is no reason that kids have to share text books while the extra curricular activities get millions in funding. Besides the fact that the district has $27 million in the bank. Where are these peoples ethics? All city employees should have the same benefits packages too.
Astonishing, no wonder Amurica is falling behind the rest of the world in edumacation!

Here we go again more money, more money, more money. Does this ever stop. Hey I know lets give all city workers a big pay raise and even better benefits. The rest of us continually cut back because of no money but the city does not want to cut back on anything. See this place later cause I am moving in October and stuff like this help play a big part in this. Have fun my house is going to sit empty and I am leaving it behind so there goes some property taxes, and any other taxes that I use to pay through buying things!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!