Re:The Teachers’ Unions’ Last Stand
by patio11 on Sunday May 23, 2010 @12:21PM
(#1372508)
Substitute "programmer" for "teacher" and tell me if this sounds that compelling to you.
Compensation issues are never strictly rational.
What do you think it would do for morale at your favorite tech company if all salaries conformed exactly to a published table, and advancement on that table was based solely on years of service and number of Microsoft certifications earned? Rockstar or plodding clockpuncher, makes no difference: you get paid what the scale says. The company gradually attracts folks for whom this makes sense, and the whole culture becomes worshiping that table. One of the most common topics of discussion is how many years you have to retirement (highlighted in bold at the top of the table), how much you'll make in retirement, and what you'll do after retirement.
Somebody in accounting felt up the receptionist three years ago and was placed on administrative leave, but he's still collecting paychecks exactly as the table mandates. He comes in at 9, checks into an office specially prepared for misfits, leaves at 2:57 and 30 seconds, and earns 240% of what you do due to his seniority.
A friend of mine -- a Democrat whose eyes burned with missionary zeal when he talked about the responsibility we have to educate the poor -- was very disappointed with me when I abandoned my career plans as an educator, and took up with Teach for America at one of the worst schools in NYC. They broke him.
I don't say this lightly: there is a sickness of the soul in public education.
Compensation issues are never strictly rational.
What do you think it would do for morale at your favorite tech company if all salaries conformed exactly to a published table, and advancement on that table was based solely on years of service and number of Microsoft certifications earned? Rockstar or plodding clockpuncher, makes no difference: you get paid what the scale says. The company gradually attracts folks for whom this makes sense, and the whole culture becomes worshiping that table. One of the most common topics of discussion is how many years you have to retirement (highlighted in bold at the top of the table), how much you'll make in retirement, and what you'll do after retirement.
Somebody in accounting felt up the receptionist three years ago and was placed on administrative leave, but he's still collecting paychecks exactly as the table mandates. He comes in at 9, checks into an office specially prepared for misfits, leaves at 2:57 and 30 seconds, and earns 240% of what you do due to his seniority.
A friend of mine -- a Democrat whose eyes burned with missionary zeal when he talked about the responsibility we have to educate the poor -- was very disappointed with me when I abandoned my career plans as an educator, and took up with Teach for America at one of the worst schools in NYC. They broke him.
I don't say this lightly: there is a sickness of the soul in public education.