D wrote on November 22, 2007 07:44 PM: It's true you get what you deserve. Crappy service...crappy tip. I've been a bartender (And I would LOVE to do it again)and I made good money. Thats because MY main focus was:
1. Taking care of the guest.
2. Treat them like I would want to be treated.
Say hi to them, ask them how is the day/night going for them. If they don't want to respond and be jerks then big deal.I mean really thats what I was there for, to do a job. Sometimes I got stiffed or have someone thats not so cool it's just part of the game. But someone else ALWAYS made up for it (Like getting a hot chicks number and its real or getting flashed by a hot chick or better yet getting a 20 spot on 3 drinks because you responded to the guest quickly after they had a rough day (Believe me it happens).Sometimes you just gotta put yourself on the other side of the bar. Bartending is sooooo easy its all about COMMUNICATION with your people. But for the bartenders that make people wait and don't even acknowledge the guest cause of race or by the way they look (And you know who you are) are the ones that take advantage of a great job and the possibility of landing something even better than what they have (Think about it for a sec). And its true sometimes guest get a little impatient and do the "finger snapping thing", but what worked for me was I would say "Hey, as soon as I'm done helping out this person I'll be right with ya" 9 times out of 10 it always worked.

Travis wrote on June 23, 2007 04:44 PM: DJ, I appreciate your perspective. I don't know the exact statistics of what areas are of biggest need, but I know that Special Ed and Math are two of them. You are right that it costs more to educate certain groups of students, but unfortunately the school district is responsible to find the best way to address their educational needs. Schools cannot legally educate only the majority, that is what No Child Left Behind addressed. It requires schools to have all students testing at their identified proficiency by 2014 (I'm almost certain that is the year, but I'm not 100%).

More research into how funding is used for education would be very welcome. Some of these programs require more funding, but like I said earlier, schools can't choose the students they are responsible to educate.

Again, I think your perspective raises some very interesting and important ideas that should openly be discussed. I believe education should be well funded, but I don't want to simply be throwing money away. We can all work together to find an acceptable and reliable solution, but only with open and honest dialogue.

DJ wrote on June 23, 2007 04:01 PM: Travis,

Do you know what kinds of teachers they're looking for? They always say "teachers" without designating either an over-all need or specific needs in targeted areas.

For instance, somewhere recently I read that they were only looking for Special Ed. teachers...with the costs of medicine and various specialized types of therapies rising exponentially, doesn't this area of service need to be more closely examined?

And what about all the extra kinder-garten teachers needed, haven't heard any hard statistics on that, either.

I'm tired for being squoze for money for more "teachers" when there are controversial areas slurping up an inordinate amount of funds from the rest of the educational system, the system that's there for the purpose of educating the majority in the first place.

If there are some areas of "education" that are deep-drinking from the common water barrel, we need to seriously examine the relevence of some of those other services the school district is providing. Should the school system be responsible for those extras or are there other areas of remediation/assistance/help that could be chipping in?

It's not a matter of discrimination, either, it's a matter of how to allocate limited resources so the most individuals possible can reap the genuine benefits intended from an educational system.

What's your take on that?

Travis wrote on June 23, 2007 12:52 PM: Ellen, you are completely right. The unfortunate part is that teachers have no say in district administrative decisions, but we are the ones most often publicly attacked for the administrations flaws. The district level administrators are in the position to either make or break this district, not the individual teachers, and they seemed destined for collapse. Stories of qualified and experienced teachers and administrators not being hired during an ever-growing teacher shortage just add to the evidence of problems at the top. That is unless improprieties exist, which seems to be where all of this is leading.

Ellen wrote on June 23, 2007 12:27 PM: Good point on Ruffles. When he was CFO he spent money like it was play money from a board game. It made you just want to shake him and ask if he'd waste his own money as much as the taxpayers money. The new CFO is no better and Ruffles continues to have his head in the sand on issues that are clearly fiscally irresponsible. Through in a dysfunctional board making lousy decisions (with the exception of Mrs. Janison) and you have a house of cards at CCSD that will some day collapse from lack of leadership and misdirection.

disco wrote on June 23, 2007 09:59 AM: In response to Nick Ungaro - Please. How could anyone with a straight face argue that teachers should get paid as much as attorneys and doctors? First of all, attorneys and doctors have about twice as much schooling, and I'll dare say their cirriculum is at least 10 times more difficult than the materials that teachers master en route to earning their license. Also, performing open heart surgery or trying a case with extremly complex legal issues and tens of millions of dollars at stake is many times more stressful than teaching, even on the worst days, no matter how ill-behaved little Johnny has been.

I think teachers' starting salaries are not that different from most other recently-minted bachelor-degree holders in other fields. It's just that these other "professions" don't have the lobbying arm that teachers do to whine all the time. My message is this: You knew teaching wasn't a lucrative career when you chose it. I regeret that you are feeling the financial squeeze of your decision. If you really can't handle it, go back to school (like the doctors and lawyers) and get a new career. Teachings should never teach because of a financial incentive. Teaching is a calling. Either heed the calling and quit complaining or get out.

Also, please quit using the word "profession" to describe what teachers do. Yes, licensure is a requirement that teachers hold in common with other professionals, but there is more to it than than. By traditional standards, the three professions are medicine, law, and clergy.

Randy Bolton wrote on June 23, 2007 09:40 AM: Reduce Firemen's and Policemen's wages.

This idiocy was suggested in this forum a few days ago. Watch the news - 9 'over paid' firemen died in the line of duty this week. Policemen face the possibility of death or injury every shift they work. Policemen and Firemen can retire earlier than I could, they have a retirement higher than mine.

THEY DESERVE EVERY PENNY OF IT! I have no objections to the compensation they receive.

Thank you Ladies and Gentlemen of the Police and Fire Departments'. I appreciate the service you give this community.

Randy Bolton wrote on June 23, 2007 09:32 AM: John Oreschak's idea is interesting. Personally, I would rather have Commissioners who are paid well for doing their job, and who's performance results in their re-election or defeat. I have a a deep seated distrust of any politician who wants a low paying job. That sign indicates to me a person who is interested in power and personal glory. Who knows what they will do in office to cement their power?

bruce wrote on June 23, 2007 07:20 AM: Mr. Oreshack's recommendation of a ballot initiative to prevent politicians such as the Clark County Commission from voting themselves pay raises would have been a good idea -- were it not for the fact that the politicans and unions just made the ballot initiative process so hard that the new requirements are probabaly unconstitutional, and will tie the most progressive and controversial petitions up in court for years rather than trusting the voters to decide. They are always one step ahead, John....

Nancy Gentis wrote on June 23, 2007 04:53 AM: It obvious a overpaid teacher failed Knight Allen when he was comparing educator's salaries (most with master's degrees) to the private sector's average wage which includes high school students part time jobs to doctors. Well, Mr. Knight, my teachers did not fail me and I can see you had to compare apples to oranges to
take a swing at those highly paid teachers.

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