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Leroy M Martinez of Denver writes:

In Aug. 27 Rocky Mountain News. DPS teachers want a pay raise. With 40 area schools closing because of low grades. I say nay to the raise. Why give someone raises when they do not do a good job.

This letter has not been edited.

READER COMMENTS

That makes sense, because all of the problems Denver has, which are no different than any other big city, all have to do with teacher quality. You could take the best teacher out of Cherry Creek and stick them in the worst classroom in Denver, and I bet the result would be about the same. Drugs, violence, teen pregnancy, gangs, 1 or no parent households, lack of desire or willingness to learn- none of those have any effect on the quality of Denver schools. Teachers can be blamed for it all (sarcasm).

Not only do they not deserve a pay raise but a pay reduction and 75% should be fired for their poor performance year after year. Of couse they blame it on the parents and the kids nowadays all have ADD and newly discovered learning disabilities everyday it seems. Of course if you didn't know this already it's all a public school scam because they classify them as "Special" needs kids and get more tax money per kid.
They also need to get rid of the Teachers Union who keeps these losers on the payroll.

Then Martinez's children or grandchildren dont deserve a good teacher

the reason why Denver teachers don't do a good job is because they are teaching future criminals in all the illegal mexican and black babies. Here is another fact it will always be that way until those cultures decide that being a criminal isn't worth it and stop teaching their children that form of lifestyle.

I know I know call me a bigot and blame me for them being criminals and that their parents ( if they even have any ) don't give a damn about raising children correctly.

Dear Mexican black hater:

I don't blame you for "them being criminals." I blame you for being a moron and a bigot.

Who ever is the poster named "mexican black hater" I would agree with romulus, that person is indeed a bigot and far worse but the words would not be appropriate for printing here. Teachers on a whole definately do NOT deserve a pay raise, only those who actually teach and students learn and improve deserve the raises. One part however is a massive influx of students who are either illegal themselves or the children of illegal parents that are violating US Laws and costing money and resources. I do not care where they are from, illegal is illegal.

Post 2:21 PM

Of couse his descendants deserve a good teacher and education but either home schooled or private.

The public school system should be abolished. Goverment schools are loser and illiterate mills.

Mexican Black Hater is proof of that.

Just a Suggestion suggests that everybody who has been educated by the public school system is an "illiterate loser." Quite a sweeping generalization.

As for Leroy Martinez, my dream is for a panel of teachers to get together and decide whether he's worth the money he makes.

Just A Suggestion "thinks" that Mexican Black Hater" is proof that "The public school system should be abolished. Goverment schools are loser and illiterate mills.

That's a bit like saying that Just A Suggestion is proof that all the posters on the forum are ignorant. As his post shows, some are, but most are not, at least if they are of a liberal bent.

MBH, go back to your sheet and hood and have some shine...
Its not the teachers its the bloated school bureaucracy. Denver has 6-7 "support' personel for every teacher (so does every district) If it was a business, it would be bankrupt.

If the public school system is abolished, all the sport equipment companies will go broke. Its hard to organize a rousing team and support groups from homeschoolers. All the bus drivers and janitors and cooks will be out of work. Just a suggestion, they might apply for your job then.

No new schools for the builders.

"That's a bit like saying that Just A Suggestion is proof that all the posters on the forum are ignorant. As his post shows, some are, but most are not, at least if they are of a liberal bent."

Still around eh, Ellsworth?

Hans... I'm willing to bet that Leroy has someone that evaluates him every day where he works. It is his boss. I have one as well. I am evaluated consistently and I earn bonuses and raises based on how well I perform.

Teachers do not. They are paid based on whatever their union can finagle out of the taxpayers.. us. So, when we want to see some accountability out of our employees, it is only right. We have to live in the world of accountability, why do teachers get a pass?

Public schools are run so poorly and with such horrible resource allocation, I am surprised more people aren't pulling their kids out of them and demanding the government drop it's monopoly.

Teachers, like any union and the government get raises without any true performance. One argument people always make is sport athletes, they do get paid a great deal. Here's the rub though, they have to perform. A player that does not perform is sidelined, traded, or plain cut. Those who perform the best get paid the best. so in some aspects, they have earned it. A teacher, thanks to unions get raises just for being alive, much like a politician. No true increase in performance is needed. In the rest of the world if a person does not perform well, they are fired, or the company loses customers and goes out of business. Again, everyone is judged, and evaluated, except teachers.

Seems to me we've been here before, Dravur. I don't doubt that someone evaluates Leroy's work performance. I do doubt, however, that that person publishes his or her findings--or just plain prejudices--in a letter to the editor for however many people read these things. Nor do I imagine Leroy would enjoy somebody outside his profession, whatever it is, publicly excoriating his worth as an employee. So why is it open season on teachers? Simply because they're "state employees," the public seems to know so much about their job?

If teaching indeed is such a kick-back, free-ride, long-vactions, "big raises whether you earn them or not" job, working for the private sector seems pretty silly if not downright self-destructive.

Leroy, Denver is not closing 40 schools.They are closing some,and not because of poor performance. They are closing schools because of low enrollment. People are leaving Denver because they are sick of the school system.
I think before you judge how much a teacher should make or whether they get a raise or not,you should sit in some of the classes at different schools around Denver.

What do you do for a living Leroy?

Sounds like Truth is scared of the "Truth" and also a product of the public school system his is trying to defend. We call him and his kind "The Gross National Product". If you were just ingnorant we could forgive that.

But "Truth" you are willfully ignorant concerning your beloved goverment schools system and that is unforgivable!

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