Schools continue to award bonuses

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Correction Norman - 2009-12-30 09:41:52

I believe the economy was down the tubes as you say years before our President took office. Misdirection only works with people who want to be misdirected.

Janitors who get bonuses for showing up to work?

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Anthony Forrest - crownsville, MD - Karma: Excellent

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Teacher pay raises - 2009-12-30 09:05:03

At a time when the economy is down the tubes since Obama has been in office, the teachers and custodians get "incentive" bonuses for showing up for work, and the paid fire fighter get laid off. Priorities anyone?

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Norman Cutsail - Baltimore (AACO.), Md - Karma: Neutral

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Just to be correct... - 2009-12-29 01:24:00

Mr. Marcus,
While I agree with you that new teachers should not be forced into being a member of TAAAC, teachers are evaluated on implementation of the pacing guide of each subject area.
There is no time (and I do agree, there should be no place) for the "political agenda to be taught in the classrooms".

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J D - severna park, md - Karma: Good

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TAAAC (association) - 2009-12-28 18:35:22

Why so sensitive about calling the TAAAC a union? The TAAAC charges teachers whether or not they are members and the web site states the TAAAC represents 6,000+ individuals?
You're a great American!

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Ted Anderson - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Neutral

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Just to be clear - 2009-12-28 16:09:57

My post was to support Ted's idea that the the Teachers Unions (or Associations)have way too much influence in County and State Politics. I believe in general teaching is a honorable profession as well. Their association works harder at making sure their political agenda is taught in the classrooms than making sure that the members they represent receive fair and equitable pay. This is really off-topic for this article, so I will keep it for another day.

Fred, not sure if your comment was directed personally towards myself, but I am certainly not a bitter right winger streaming Fox News 24 hours a day. SO, if it was, please refrain from making gratuitous statements about posters. Even if it wasn't, a logical man should know better.

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Rob Marcus - Riva, MD - Karma: Excellent

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Bonuses - 2009-12-28 16:00:25

The Capital needs a follow up on this article with additional breakouts of who received what. A quick review of Davidsonville Elementary shows: Teacher Reading $5,000, Teacher Elementary $5,000, Principal $2,348, Custodian I $1,050, Custodian I $325, Speech Pathologist $300, Custodian V $275, Food Service Worker $250, Food Service Worker $150, Custodian I $75. Can understand the $5k teacher bonuses the other bonuses are interesting given their amounts. Eessentially, what is the point of a $75 bonus?

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Nick Wallace - Davidsonville, MD - Karma: Excellent

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thank you Mary ann - 2009-12-28 12:45:53

I appreciate you constructive criticism, really. I am lucky enough to have an editor who takes care of my oversights when I write to certain audiences. My grammar skills are fine as is my spelling, but my great ideas and refined critical thinking are well beyond my ability to type.

again, thank you

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Fred Shubbie - annapolis , md - Karma: Terrible

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Shubbie - 2009-12-28 11:53:05

Maybe you could use some of your riches to pay and under paid teacher for some spelling & grammar tutoring.

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Mary Ann Donnell - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Excellent

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"Fat" bonuses???? - 2009-12-28 10:02:34

Again, an inflammatory article from the Capital! I am one one the many teachers here in AAC that is not only not receiving a bonus, but working for less this year than last! We were not given our previously negotiated step increases and were furloughed...every paycheck has a special little column for that furlough deduction. (By the way, for all you grammatically and factually incorrect people, we do NOT have a teacher's union, we have an association) I understand times are tight, we have to suffer along with everyone else. I don't necessarily agree with bonus pay in all cases, however as someone who is fortunate enough to teach at Broadneck High School, I think that the working conditions and challenges presented to some teachers in other schools more than justify the bonuses. As far as bonuses for achieving National Board Certification, these are well earned. The process is rigorous and intense, requiring over 200 hours of work; portfolio preparation, documentation, etc. School systems all over the country reward teachers for NBC in an effort to attract and maintain high quality teachers. Believe me, I am not often in favor of the way the County allocates spending--reducing class size is far more important than many of the ways the county spends money--but the perception that we are all getting "fat" bonuses and we shouldn't complain about class sizes(by the way I have 37 in one of my classes)is perpetuated by the tone of this divisive article. I saw the headline on a paper in the store, however I am reading this online, I will never subscribe to this paper; as an English and writing teacher I teach my students about objectivism in journalistic writing--something your paper sadly lacks.

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Maureen Thomas - arnold, md - Karma: Neutral

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Unionized Professionals - 2009-12-27 23:27:55

Pilots have a Union, I think the correct term is uniom member not unionist. Where did that term come from, is a unionist a faux infalmmatory term made up the right wing media talking heads ? Teachers deserve whatever they can get and to deny anyone anything they can legally obtain is anti-american and will aid the terrorists. That statement I just made is about as logical as the one Rob MArcus made. But seriously why fault a teacher for doing whatever he can to get ahead ? I surely don't. I raise the fact of my well-heeled status in an effort to show the bitter right-wingers that those of us that have arrived, those of us that do not believe we must deny others in order to feel good, are happier than those that blame their lack of success on the success of others. I am rich, filthy rich really, and I know that most people will never be able obtain my level of economic security and comfort no matter how mush they believe in Reaganism and the republican lies. Perhaps I suffer from a case of Noblese Oblige but I see teaching as a honorable profession and truly believe they deserve much more than they are given. Just as the elite bankers and CEO's work together to dominate the weak, the Unions members like fingers that make a fist, come together to fight explotation. Why does the latter and not the former infeuriate my right-wing friends ?

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Fred Shubbie - annapolis , md - Karma: Terrible

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Professional school counselors - 2009-12-27 22:24:16

As a professional school counselor, Mr. Durden, I would love for you to job shadow me for just one day at an at-risk middle school. We are held accountable for job performance, and are Unit I members, just like teachers. I have known counselors to be put on a plan of action for poor job performance. Unless you have been in every single school in the county, I cannot agree with your generalization. If you have done the job of a school counselor, I could then feel we could have a discussion. Until then, YOU are the one with the judgmental tone.

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J D - severna park, md - Karma: Good

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I agree w/Ted - 2009-12-27 21:42:48

Fred Shubbie-"I am not forced to work, I am rather rich and live a life of leisure"

Fred we really do not care about your level of financial ability. This statement was not required to make any relevant point.

Also, you have it backwards, the teachers unions use their power to force THEIR political will upon us.The Unions have created a work environment that provides lifetime tenure, outrageously rich benefits and pensions, equal pay simultaneously to the best and worst teachers while resisting accountability and making the removal of bad teachers nearly impossible. In the end, public school teachers cannot have it both ways - they are either professionals or they are unionists.

Unions are all about money and power-that's the reality!

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Rob Marcus - Riva, MD - Karma: Excellent

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Hey Folks - 2009-12-27 17:10:00

They unions have nothing to do with this. Also, the teaching profession has been an under paid job as long as I can remember. Don't folks know what they will be making before they decide on teaching as their profession. Lastly, what about janitors getting bonus "to prevent truancy". I don't think they should get a bonus for showing up at work. That is what their paycheck if for. If they need to improve their attendance then maybe they need to find another job.

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Fay Hall - Severna Park, md - Karma: Excellent

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Your the man, Fred! - 2009-12-27 15:18:00

I'm not bitter, really. Ok, maybe I'm a little jealous of that lifetime pension. But it is what it is and if I were a teacher I would take what they were giving. I do have a problem with the "work to the rule" as the teachers did 5 years ago.

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Ted Anderson - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Neutral

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Teachers - 2009-12-27 14:34:49

The last poster seems to be bitter that teachers are unionized and have real bargaining power. Obviously since teachers are subjected to the political whims of moment they need to protect themselves ( as do all workers).
And with regard for pensions teachers are underpaid given the cost of their education and commitment level and I personally would rather see them get a good retirement than I would some temporary political appointee.
I am not forced to work, I am rather rich and live a life f leisure and I do not fault anyone for doing well for themselves and support unions and fat pension checks for teachers.

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Fred Shubbie - annapolis , md - Karma: Terrible

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let's face the fact - 2009-12-27 13:57:33

The unions own this county and state. Nothing the tax payers can do about it expect sell your house. I have nothing against getting all you can and would expect nothing less from the unions. The real issue is the pensions. If current trends hold, we will be paying 3.4 retired teachers to play golf in Naples for every teacher in the class room.

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Ted Anderson - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Neutral

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"shut up"? - 2009-12-27 13:51:08

The "fat bonus" is not so they will shut up and accept tough conditions. It is for their effort and dedication to improving instruction. I teach. If you offered me an extra $5K to teach classes of 33 instead of 28 I would say no. Those extra 5 kids make a huge difference. If I earned that $5K bonus for getting additional certification as part of the deal offered by the county I would expect it with no additional strings such as "don't complain about larger classes". Teachers and parents have every right to complain about class size as it makes a huge difference in the quality of instruction. I know this because I have been teaching for 17 years.

"So what" - if some of the bonuses overlap and good for that guidance councilor who EARNED some above her salary.

I don't want to hear any teacher complaining about larger class sizes next year if the put a fat bonus in their pocket in lieu of strengthening their workforce.

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aaron gray - crofton, md - Karma: Neutral

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not a good year for bonuses - 2009-12-27 12:31:57

if teachers as well as state employees are required to have furlough days when no one gets paid - should they really be giving out bonuses?

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jane smith - annapolis, md - Karma: Good

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School Bonuses - 2009-12-27 10:16:28

That's just the mentality we'd expect from a narrow-minded liberal, Tyler. If you were really in the know, you'd have read the article Elisabeth wrote on December 17th entitled, 'Schools don't have money to hire new teachers'. Don't you think that 7.8 million earmarked for bonuses, or whatever the amount is for this year, would go a long way toward hiring some? Probably not, since all liberals believe EVERYONE is overworked and underpaid. Teachers are no different than anyone else in this tough economic time. Concessions must be made. I don't want to hear any teacher complaining about larger class sizes next year if the put a fat bonus in their pocket in lieu of strengthening their workforce.

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Mark Praschak - Chester, MD - Karma: Neutral

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no slant in this article - 2009-12-27 08:49:59

Hey Elisabeth Hulette - you have a bright future at Fox Noise Channel given the judgmental tone of your article. Why don't you just say that you think the bonuses are a waste?

Bonuses or not, teachers in general are underpaid for what they do and the crap that they have to put up with, with the exception of guidance counselors - what a racket.

If you want a cushy job with a gubmint pension and little repercussion for your poor job performance, that is the way to go. Funny that guidance counselors never recommend to students to become guidance counselors - they want to keep that secret all to themselves...

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Tyler Durden - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Excellent