Fed Up Teacher wrote on November 25, 2008 09:02 AM: Isn't it interesting that the cuts affecting administration and positions with teachers on special assignment amounts to 67 million while cuts that directly affect students amounts to 172 million.

Okay, School Board and Superintendent Rulffes - I believe you when you say you put children first. I guess you believe actions DON'T speak louder than words.

LV Teacher wrote on November 24, 2008 07:27 PM: :IMA CONCERNED MOM wrote on November 20, 2008 02:42 PM: "Yes, LV Teacher $37,000 to START. Can't you read? Do some teacher make anything above that after being there for a few years? Probably not."

Obviously you're the one with the reading problems. Starting salary is $35,083.
http://ccsd.net/jobs/LLPsalary.htm

By the way, I'm a TAXPAYER too. And FYI, capslock is not cruise control for cool.

Art teacher wrote on November 23, 2008 11:18 PM: I just performed my interview for CCSD Friday, Nov 21st; it was probably the proudest day of my life. I don't care about the so called "low salaries" that teachers receive, I am going into this position to make a positive difference. With regard to these budget cuts, it looks as if it is going to be pretty grim for me to obtain a job at all. I don't mean to sound rude or negative, but for those of you who are teachers and who are vested in the district, take a good look at yourself and feel lucky that you have a job and that you are hopefully doing something that you enjoy. I will be taking a $6000 dollar annual cut in pay from my current job that I am currently on LOA with,by accepting a job as a teacher in the district, if I am lucky enough to be offered a teaching position. I am tired of hearing teachers complain about their pay; yes, it can be a tough job, but the benefits are fantastic, you are guaranteed a %2 raise every year and you receive great retirement benefits, not to mention all of the vacation time and holiday time that you receive through out the school year. Long story short, I just want to be in the classroom, I want to propel student success and make a POSITIVE difference in my classroom!

boo hoo boo hoo wrote on November 22, 2008 08:54 AM: Don't kill the messenger,
Stop whining, crybaby. "I'm not going to let it go." You sound like the imbecile that your mother must've raised.

You don't have to give it up, it's history.(Obama's president) So, do the us all a favor and try not to speak out loud. Because you are sounding like the loser you really are. Blaming someone else for your problems.

Whatever, happen to personal responsibility. Oh, I guess you were educated at a CCSD school.

Brad Gore wrote on November 20, 2008 10:33 PM: I am so glad I recieved a decent education and was able to go on to finish college. I posted earlier.. thinking there may be some folks out there who are also able to read and who can look at this proplem and (simply) solve for x. It seems that there are plenty of people in our community with the mental and moral fiber to solve these community problems. I encourage all of you who truly seek a better community and better schools for our children to ignore the present powers that be(current local government).These boards/districts and committees are really no longer of any use. We simply need to get good people into local government. Our country is changing and if we all take the time and exert the effort and get involved we can REALLY do this. Do not let the stale and expired local government anger you. Look at it this way: they do not know any better. We can have empathy for them and perhaps shed a tear of joy when the last one climbs into Oscars boozemobile and they all head towards the sea. Be inspired by what is happening and get involved. Clark County will be getting an extreme makeover in the elections to come.

teacher wrote on November 20, 2008 07:07 PM: There's another culprit in this scenario: attorneys.

Crazy lawsuits are a huge force behind what's happening in public schools. Who knows how much schools spend to defend or settle absurd lawsuits?

You'd think a parent whose kid can't read might buy a book once in a while, or take the kid to the library. But, trust me, there are a bunch out there who will sue the school district instead.

My kid got sent to the dean? Got yelled at? Got a bad grade? I'll threaten to bring in a lawyer, or better yet, I'll go ahead and bring a lawyer into the dean's office with me. And this is real, folks. Parents actually do this.

This has plenty to do with why there's no discipline. Do some of you actually think that teachers want kids who can't be disciplined, and can't read, write, or do math, in their classes?

Poor parents who can't be bothered to parent quickly learn that this is the way to get what they want for kids who are already spoiled brats, or who are unbelievably lazy.

Here's another idea: Stop letting kids spend six years in middle school for free because they do absolutely nothing - n-o-t-h-i-n-g -and fail. Let their parents pay for that second year, just like they do for summer school.

The combination of poor parenting and greedy lawyering is driving more than schools into the ground in this country.

But as for Nevada, a state that had a huge boom and didn't give education its share, but wants education to take its hits, time to recall the governor and put a leader into that office.

ProNevada wrote on November 20, 2008 06:37 PM: The mantra of those who are too selfish or shortsighted to realize we must raise more money for CCSD is "cut all waste first", and then point to hearsay "facts" to back up their argument. Let's look at the big picture: Clark County has one of the largest school districts in the U.S.
In any large organization there are varying opinions of how best to spend money, along with tales of waste. But let's get real: waste can be lessened, but those who claim it must all go before we make a positive move are fiddling while Rome burns.
A certain amount of waste occurs in all
large districts, organizations, and businesses in America- nothing run by humans is completely efficient, or even close. However we have an obligation as citizens of this state to ensure the end product of our educational program- our children's future- is the best we can offer.
Cutting waste is admirable and should be pursued, but many use it as a flimsy excuse to avoid fulfilling this duty.
In short, their real meaning is: Gut Nevada's educational system but don't raise my taxes! Their backward position
comes at a time when we should be preparing future generations to compete globally for jobs in the 21st Century. If that means new taxes dedicated to education now, so be it. Stop relying on gaming for funding and grow up.
If the top 1 million wage earners in Nevada contributed on average $10 a week, we would find ourselves an additional $520,000,000 to spend on K-college annually. One of the many results of better education for any area is new technology, better jobs and a more diverse business base- something Nevada sorely needs. There is no money better spent.

MTM wrote on November 20, 2008 06:05 PM: Patrick, too bad increasing class size of quality teachers is effectively making their job harder as a reward for that quality. If you don't pay quality teachers enough, they will leave, period.

truth teller wrote on November 20, 2008 05:56 PM: Get rid of worthless administrators like Sharon Grasso in the Northwest Region. She does absolutely nothing! Half the time she is at home asleep!

JP wrote on November 20, 2008 05:12 PM: Patrick,
Thank you for your well-informed, insightful post this morning. It was a sensible oasis amongst a barren, scorching, unrelenting desert.

The Nevada Policy Research Institute website is thought-provoking and worthwhile.

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