Re:Don't worry about global population collapse
by lumost on Sunday October 01, 2023 @07:01PM
(#37731860)
I’m curious, in the US - k-12 educators are not known to be paid well. In many cases they simply can not afford market rate housing in 2023. Assuredly this contributes to the high cost of childcare in the US.
Is the situation similar in Germany? It strikes me that if a teacher can’t afford a reasonable life with their own family, then it’s unlikely the education system is sustainable.
Re:Don't worry about global population collapse
by lqet on Monday October 02, 2023 @03:26AM
(#37734942)
Housing is a substantial part of the problem. We have observed a common pattern: educators apply for a job here, interview goes well, both parties are happy, contract is signed, and after months and months of unsuccessfully searching for an apartment, the educator cancels the contract because the money is not enough to live in a hotel full-time. But the problem isn't so much that of affordable apartments our houses, although politicians often frame it that way. There simple aren't enough apartments / houses available, in any price range. We competed with 100s of people for our current apartment. We recently wanted to buy a house and competed with 50 people. Last year, our local government started to actively search, buy or rent apartments which they can rent / sublet exclusively to kindergarten teachers.
I wish the problem was money. We have been looking for a kindergarten for our daughter (5 years old) for 2 years now in southwestern Germany. At one point we sued the local district as children are legally entitled to a place in the kindergarten. We settled out of court and the district now pays us ~300 EUR/month for a nanny who sometimes watches her together with 5 other kids (very unreliable, and the children are all under 3 years old, so hardly suitable playing partners). Winning the case wouldn't have made any difference, there simply aren't enough kindergarten teachers available. In our village alone, there are around 120 children in kindergarten age, and the waiting list has over 50 children on it. We have pretty much given up at this point, and my wife stopped working.