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Lucia Mar teachers endorse a strike

March 27, 2015

grocerystrikeThe South County teachers’ union currently engaged in a pay dispute with the Lucia Mar Unified School District voted Thursday to authorize a strike.

Representatives of the Lucia Mar Unified Teachers Association must still meet at least once more time with district negotiators. If the two sides fail to reach an agreement, a strike is likely to begin on April 16.

In addition to endorsing a strike, the teachers’ union filed unfair labor practice charges against the district on Thursday. The complaint filed with the California Public Employment Relations Board alleges the district engaged in numerous illegal actions, including threatening to stop paying health benefits, unilaterally changing leave authorization policies and attempting to undermine union leadership through inflammatory and false statements.

Public employee unions commonly file unfair labor practice complaints during contract disputes.

Several mediation attempts have failed to solve the Lucia Mar dispute. The teachers’ union has demanded a 10 percent pay increases for its members.

District administrators initially offered a 2 percent raise. On Wednesday, they raised their offer to a 6 percent increase to be implemented over a period of three years.

Union negotiators left Wednesday’s mediation hearing without making a formal offer.

The average Lucia Mar teacher currently receives an annual salary of about $61,000. Lucia Mar teachers received a 2 percent raise in 2012-2013 and a 4.3 percent bump in pay in 2013-2014.

If they receive a 10 percent increase in the current round of negotiations, their pay will have risen 16 percent over three years.

A report compiled by a fact-finding panel is expected to be circulated internally sometime next week and released publicly 10 days later. The two sides must meet release after the release of the report.

District officials have already begun preparations for a strike. They are currently searching for substitute teachers willing to cross the picket line.

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Fair Share


Lets use some of the funds to pay down the bond debt and provide some tax relief.


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Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way. We want to build our future by educating kids. The money is in LMUSD’s hands, make it count.


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Up to 1/4th of the delegates at the Democratic National Convention were teachers. That gives them enormous influence over the government out of all proportion to their numbers in the general population. They don’t care about ordinary taxpayers. They know that the state politicians will just keep raising taxes to keep the gravy train on the tracks. At the same time, 50% of the kids in many school districts never graduate or are functionally illiterate when leaving school.


50% of the state budget goes to education plus we must now triple our payments to CALPERS to cover the retirement pensions which are underfunded by more than $50 billion. Enough is enough. Stop holding the kids hostage!


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Respectfully I would ask all to do some research on issue.

dig a bit.

New twch high school has drained money and resources from both AG high School and the district.

The principal of new tech with 400 students makes as much as principal of AG high school. 500 thousand dollars that was for AG high school repairs went to new tech.

there is a lot more to the story than is making the news.


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New tech costs do not come from the same general fund that teacher costs come from.

P G and E donated that quarter million you are talking about.


New tech is a gem and the BEST thing that happened here for a long time.

Have you seen those kids?

They are amazing.


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Ummm…no they’re not. New Tech kids will be out of a college education when all is said and done. As their school does not provide them with AP options, they will not be considered by college. They spend weeks of their math classes building catapults. Although this is an interesting project are we to believe that they are actually building basic skills? Not to mention the fact that this school that the district spent so much money on is the whitest school in the entire district and cost the district over 16 million dollars to build, plus an extra 250,000 dollars per year to run the patented “New Tech” program. All for the most affluent 4% of the district population. In short, New Tech is an elitist drain on the general funds. It supports a very small percentage of the district population and aside from Shell Beach Elementary, has the lowest population of socio-economic kids. In short: we spent a high number of dollars on rich white kids. And they won’t even get into college when it is all said and done. Not quite the “gem” you are speaking about, eh?


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Besides the fact that you sound like sour grapes, I have to disagree.

I recently spoke with someone who felt their child would have been a perfect fit for the type of learning which New Tech provides.

Their son had real difficulty functioning in a ‘normal’ school environment.

Since not all children learn the same way, the parents felt strongly their child would have benefited from the teaching methods at New Tech.

Additionally, not all kids go on to college. Trade schools are a great option for these students where they can ‘learn by doing’, how is that elitist?

Your condemnation of New Tech seems premature.


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I think the tech school was a great alternative to college, and taking on college loans and debt. Not everyone SHOULD go to college. I have got to agree that trade schools are a GREAT alternative for many of our youth.


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Just so you know, a trade school for automotive costs over $32,000 for a 12 to 15 month program and those guys/girls have to take minimum wage jobs for the first few years!


The reality is that teachers work many hours for not much pay. They go into it knowing that. Do any of you want your kids to have teachers from the bottom of the barrel? A $61,000 a year salary for a college educated person who wants to make a difference in kids life’s is not acceptable. If any of us who took our jobs seriously and respected what we do and were promised a “fair compensation” when times improved had an opportunity to make more, we would. If you don’t agree, your fooling yourself.


The district will spend the money somewhere, why not to reward and encourage those who directly influence our kids. Why not? Union opinions aside. The district is going to spend it! Not on things that benefit the masses, on what Mr. Hogeboom wants. End of story. Teachers spend that money back into our community. Unlike the contractors they paid over $4 million to last year who take the money back to their LA, Central Valley of Arizona homes.

My kids are in Lucia Mar schools and I want good (even great) teachers, not the ones who settle for what they pay here. I want my kids to be successful. I encourage it at home, I want that same encouragement in school.


If you want less government control, don’t allow Mr. Hogeboom to have complete control of where he wants our (tax payer) district to go. All of that money is supposed to benefit the students at some level, whether you agree with the district or Union. It is to benefit the kids. AGHS has been ranked in the top 500 high schools in the US for a few years now. That is because of superb teachers, not Jim Hogeboom!


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I’ve actually seen the kids. It just seems a little unfair to dump over 15 million dollars into 4% of the student population because the board wants a legacy project. This isn’t a trade school, by the way, which I think would be awesome. It’s a school that produces nothing…


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Yeah. A quarter of a million dollars in a 16 million dollar project…give or take a couple of hundred thousand dollars. Excuse me if I am not jumping for joy.


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Get it

There are top of the pay scale teachers making more than a principal.

They work thru their prep and coach and bam! They got it!


Do the research. Dig a little bit!


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Surferdude, why are you even still here? I thought you got put in your place already! Come to me with actual numbers…


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Go to transparent Californai.com

Look up agriculture teachers

He makes more than many principals.

Up to $131,000 with his benefits!


Look for yourself.

Secondary teachers who have worked for a long time get the best deal because they have more access to stipends.

Ag teachers can be department chairs, coaches and work extra days for the fair.

Please look for yourself


I’ll be waiting for an apology.


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If they are doing all of that extra work, it would seem as if that extra money is being earned. You just listed quite a few extras which consume a lot of time. No apology yet…


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Not to mention the fact that the idea that older teachers have more access to stipends is foolish. A stipend is a set amount of money given to people who take on extra work. A person working at McDonald’s could technically earn a ton of money too…it would just require them to work really hard for really long hours.


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Lucia Mar Teacher,

You sound like Mr GXXX, an AGHS teacher who should have retired loooooog ago, better yet, never been a teacher PERIOD!

If this is in fact who you are, I just want you to know how much my daughter despised you as a teacher, and how worthless she felt the time spent in your class was.


Reading your comments is taking me back to many dinner time conversations where the entire family listened to how nasty you were to your students.

We should have insisted she be removed from your class, although this is smething we didn’t believe in, we should have made an exception for you.

It is very sad when a student spends half a year in your class and has not one nice thing to say about you…very unfortunate for the child who will carry those memories for many, many years to come.


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agag1,

I think you are spot on about who Lucia Mar Teacher is. My daughter had him and it was a disaster. He humiliated her in front of the class on numerous occasions, to the point of tears. My daughter is very reserved and soft spoken, just a little too white and blond for that piece of work though! “Mr. Diversity” doesn’t seem to be able to tolerate those that don’t fit his mold.


We approached the AGHS administration about him. They claimed to have had many complaints about him. They only shrugged their shoulders and said there was nothing they could do. What a waste of our taxpayer funds….


The more i read his mean, condescending, I’m so much smarter than you, comments- I am more convinced you are right.


There needs to be a way to get rid of jerk offs like this!!


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Wow. “Too white” for this teacher? With a parent like you, I can only suspect that your bigotry and white-is-right rhetoric got passed on. I hope that your daughter is smart enough to realize that her father is who he is. Don’t know much about this teacher, but in a world like today, the title of “Mr. Diversity” seems like a pretty good one. But seriously, go watch some more Fox News and complain about Obamacare…you seem very informed.


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Just the response I would expect. Whip out that broad brush and start painting, assumption after assumption.


“This teacher” displayed behavior repeatedly that indicated he had a strong dislike for kids of a certain demo. I am not making this up. It is my experience as well as many other parents/kids.


Again, his diversity only goes so far. Sadly!


My daughters’ father is the farthest thing from bigoted and “white-is-right” but you go ahead and keep spewing your hatred of a different flavor!!


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Stick to your guns district. You can replace every teacher in a week in this economy, and save millions. Some great teachers will be missed, but you’ll trim the fat on dozens of useless ones trading time for money (as in all govt job).


Replace them all with cheaper, ambitious go getters who haven’t been institutionalize do yet and can still think for themselves.


Of course,union pukes can’t be fired unless they commit murder in front of 50 witnesses while on the job, so it won’t happen.


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Here we go again, your believing all the hogs boom lies. No one can get fired, it is within their rights! This would make 16.3% over 8 years, not 3! Know the facts and don’t believe all cal coast says.


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Also, union knows they won’t get 10%, that’s how you negotiate.


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Walk away with 6% on the table?


You’re not going to get much sympathy from folks who have gone years without a raise PERIOD, let alone the promise of more to come.


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According to information LEAKED by the DISTRICT (in VIOLATION of mediation by-laws), the district offered a total of 6% to be spread over three years: 2% this year, 2% the next and 2% for the third year. Given that Gov Brown has already indicated that funding for public schools will increase by 8% next, year, the union negotiators would have been foolish to settle for so little. Believe it or not, the teachers have legitimate reasons for feeling outraged at Hogeboom’s low-ball offer, reasons which will be made public in short order.


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Also, don’t believe all the teachers union says


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The pay raises are compounded on top of each other. You will have a tough time finding taxpayers in the district who have had a 16.3% pay raise in the last ten years.


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Achillesheal, I appreciate the fact that you identify that we do have some good teachers in Lucia Mar. I will admit that there are some good teachers and some who should probably be let go. You can’t replace the teachers who strike though, so what you are suggesting is not legal. If you want to change California law, start a movement and do so, but to casually suggest something that is impossible either suggests that you don’t know what you are talking about or that you or you are simply being contentious. I’m guessing a little bit of both. I especially like the part where you bash on all government jobs as people who trade time for money. Next time I see a soldier I will let them know.


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I know it’s against ca law to replace those who strike, that’s why it is such a joke. If I walk off my job I will be replaced before my seat gets cold. It’s called the real world. Government employees don’t live in it.


If you aren’t satisfied with your pay have the guts to quit and seek your value elsewhere.it is liberating. Stop hiding behind a union and a sign. Be an individual with value that cannot be grouped into steps on a pay scale.


I once worked for government and stole from the taxpayer as you do. The day I quit. Yes I quit a government job….was the day I came back to life. Try it!


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Pretty easy to make these claims behind a keyboard. The truth is you rely on those government agencies. We educate your kids, we fight your crime, we fight your fires, we defend the country. You clearly didn’t understand how CA law worked until you were educated…do you not understand how the country works too?


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Yes. Because government has taken over those programs and forced out the competition because it plays with monopoly money.


Public schools were established to educate the rabble in this country.


I understand exactly how the government works. It grows and expands and will continue to do so until our economy collapses because it produces nothing and takes more and more.


I have a law degree so likely understand a little more about law than you give me credit.


Remember. Those who can, do. Those who can’t ,teach.


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Ouch…those who can do and those who can’t teach?! Good one! I should have gotten a fancy law degree like you! You are very smart.


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My brother kid was bit by a teacher in AG!

Now that’s class.


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You’re brother’s kid is probably a dick.


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Do you speak that way in front of impressionable minds of mush that you are molding.


For someone with 172 papers per night to grade, you certainly have a lot of time to blather.


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Not per night, at the end of each unit. You also need a question mark at the end of your first sentence, as it is a question. Lucky you’re not in my class…I would flunk you…and perhaps bite you…


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Please retire.

No student should have to endure you as their teacher.


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So one night per year you work hard?


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How many hours a week of your free time do all of you put into your jobs? With few exceptions, no teacher can simply walk into his or her classroom and just “teach” in the way that most workers just pick up wherever they left off the previous day. In the dozen or so jobs that I worked before becoming a teacher, I NEVER was required to do one MINUTE of work when I was off the clock. As for teaching, every lesson requires time to prepare. Yes, we get a prep period, but, in my experience, that is often taken up completing tasks required by administrators or contacting parents or any number of other things that have very little to do with teaching. And there is absolutely no way that teachers of core academic subjects can every get all of their grading done during their prep period. In other words, most teachers have to put in hours of work on their own time every week just to keep up with the grading and the planning. If we could bill our districts for those hours, like lawyers bill their clients, we teachers would be as rich as you think we are. Lastly, for those of you who are still under the delusion that teaching is a part-time job, I challenge you to give it a try. Not just subbing for a day or two, but actual teaching — from late August to mid-June. It is an exhausting haul/campaign every year. Every single teacher who has come to us from another profession says that teaching is far more difficult to do well than any other job they ever had. And we’re talking about former lawyers, occasionally doctors, construction workers–you name it. It’s not the hardest job in the world to do, but it’s one of the most important jobs. If you deny that then you deny the importance of the educating the youth of your community. All told, the compensation, benefits, and breaks we get are very much earned, which you would never question if you had any actual experience with the profession that so many of you profess to know so much about.


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You need a comma in this sentence. I guess your law degree doesn’t require basic grammar? By the way, your name should be Achilles HEEL. Heal means to repair. It’s one of those crazy words that sounds similar to another but have different meanings. Come to my class…we’ll work on that for you and you can teach me about your law degree.


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You need a question mark at the end of your sentence…because you are asking a question. Really, achillesheal (heel?!), we should work on your ability to communicate. You sound like one of my students…only most of them know about question marks already.


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No need to be nasty.


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By far the most disturbing comment on this thread…and yes, because it is coming from a teacher. If you want the support from the public, demonstrate your professionalism. No one was accusing you specifically of biting a student. It’s one thing to feel that and express those thoughts in the privacy of your home or with you fellow teachers but it is quite another to post it on social media. I agree with achillesheal and hope that you don’t speak that way to students. And I am a parent as well as a fellow School District Employee (at a different, local school district) I know very well how hard teachers, counselors, administrators, support staff, yard duties, cafeteria workers, janitors, and even parents work for school districts. And we all do it knowing that the most important reason is the children.The difference is you don’t hear anyone but the teachers complaining about the amount of work they do off the clock. Guess what? We all do! And some of us even work 12 months a year at a school district and don’t get Winter Break, Spring Break or Summers off. We do get vacation time but rarely have a good time to take it. I have no issue with districts reevaluating their yearly budgets and giving raises, and I hope for the sake of the children, it gets solved so that there isn’t a strike. Because even if they do hire long term subs and then the strike ends, that is not fair to our children. And again, THEY are the most important part of any district.


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The teachers unions have some explaining to do.


Wonderful things are happening in the California Dept of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Their website is bragging about how the CA DMV is giving California drivers licenses to thousands of criminals (i.e., illegal aliens). Wonderful things happen when the union thugs of the public-sector unions are allowed to be in charge of government agencies.


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NorthCountyGuy: I can explain it for you. Aside from mentioning the DMV in some random rant that is unrelated to the subject, the LMUTA has been fair and honest throughout this process. The district has acted illegally throughout these proceedings and is now getting sued for it. I can assure you that-despite your opinions on unions, this one is on the right side.


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The public-sector unions are at the heart of everything that wrong with government.


The teachers unions are at the heart of everything that is wrong with the government schools.


The teachers unions are NOT about education.


The teachers unions are about lining the pockets of the union bosses.


The teachers unions are the main reason why the government schools are failing.


School board members accepting campaign contribution bribes from teachers unions are corrupt.


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Seriously. You have no idea what you are talking about. Our union president is not lining her pockets, she is barely getting by. I know this because I know her…kind of important when you are going to formulate an actual opinion about something. I will admit that the union-from time to time-does protect a teacher who is lazy or does not deserve protection. I’ve seen it happen. This does not mean that the union is not fighting for the rights of those who need protection. NorthCountyGuy-maybe the fact that we spend more on prisoners than students has something to do with the problem, not a bunch of underpaid civil servants trying to fight for their rights.


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Teacher,

It should be obvious public sector unions have a PR problem.

You may well be a very good teacher, but those in the private sector are having a VERY difficult time supporting public sector unions when we read about the overtime scams the CMC has going on, read about you walking away from a 6% raise, etc.


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The CMC thing is not under our control. I assure you that our union is meek at best. Like I said-we are reasonable. We agreed to take pay cuts when things got bad because we are reasonable people…we’re teachers for crying out loud! Patience is part of the gig. But the district’s offer of “6%” is really only a few months short of being for four years when all is said and done. After we were willing to sacrifice I will be very disappointed in our union if we settle for 6% over 4 years when things are only getting better next year. Justbeware, my assumption is that if you saw your employer preach about wanting to retain teachers, then squander money on educational opportunists who are selling the “next big thing” after it promised to have your back when things got better, you would be upset too. Can’t speak for every union in the public sector, but we are not lining our pockets with anything. You should see my bank account!


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Had breakfast this morning with a Lucia Mar employee who does not support the teachers demand for 10% raise. Short story–says they are a bunch of self serving people who are out of touch with reality. No kind words for union leader.

Not the response I expected when I asked how work was going…


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That’s one “employee’s” opinion. Besides, “employee” does not necessarily mean “teacher.” The actual teachers voted OVERWHELMINGLY to authorize the strike, should it be necessary. More to the point, 10% was what the union started with in their negotiations way back in September. The district countered with 2%, which they dubbed their “last, best, and final offer,” meaning that the district wouldn’t budge. In other words, there was no opportunity/reason for the union negotiators to lower their initial demand. Lastly, anyone who is an actual teacher is far more “in touch with reality” than most employees in other occupations, as teachers deal with all sorts of behavior problems that you folks in the private sector never deal with. Do your colleagues or clients shoot spitballs or throw paper airplanes during your presentations? Do they come to your office hungry or drunk/high? Ever filed a CPS report on behalf of a child that you suspect is being abused or is suicidal/homicidal? In short, there’s a lot more to the job than just getting to teach the subject(s) you love. Standardization of curricula and test prep pressures have taken a lot of the joy out of a lot of the subjects, both for the teachers and the students. A new teacher has to be really gung-ho to survive the first five years these days, and issues this like one don’t help Lucia Mar whatsoever.


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I had breakfast with a board member this morning. Said they are really greedy and hate children. See how easy that was? Bring some facts to the table, not stories about who you supposedly had breakfast with.


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Knock yourselves out teachers, strike away. If there is to be ANY more money put out for salaries, I can only see where the entry-level teachers may deserve 5%, and no more ever at the top of that payscale. Ask any of the working class parents of your students what they make. Contractors have to work much harder, have zero job security and have to provide their own trucks, tools, insurance, retirement… Go out and roof a house, work a ranch, lay some tile or any number of jobs we do to support your very short, very safe work year. You truly over value what you are doing if the value of all of the rest of us is lower at our harder and more dangerous work. I DO have a kid at Branch school, and we WILL be fine if the school closes. Go for it.


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Why do I get the impression that you don’t really value education? Ever help your kids with homework? Ever attend a Parents-Teacher conference? Do you have cable TV?


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Because you WANT to have that impression. It would wrap your prejudices up nicely. There is no cable or satellite dish in our home, we do a lot with our kids that is educational (but they rarely need homework help) and my wife and I both have collegedegrees. In addition, my wife volunteers in the classroom, in spite of the fact that she also has a full time job. Just because I value the working class, don’t mean I is a poor dum rednek. It really IS Just Your Opinion JMO.


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When I read “Contractors have to work much harder…”, “You truly over value what you are doing…” I form an impression. Having had the opportunity to observe the educational system in other countries, it is not a cliché that Americans do not respect teachers like other countries do. Your comments and comments by others (with the corresponding thumbs up) bear that out. I am not trying to change you or the others (I would if I could, but I know I can’t), but am sad at the relationship between educators and the public in the U.S.


Regarding the pending strike, I hate to see it happen. On one side I agree that the district needs to be fiscally responsible. On the other side, I reluctantly have to admit that the pay scale for Lucia Mar teachers is less than neighboring districts and probably wouldn’t attract me into the profession if I were even qualified to teach your children. I suppose that’s why it has come to what it has come to. The students that will be affected the most will be the ones who excel and are on a path to higher education.


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Noodly Appendages-I have worked construction to pay for my college degree to earn the right to teach students, like your kid. It was very difficult putting up drywall in Creston during the summer, so I agree with you that there are a lot of difficult jobs out there. Having done both jobs-which I assume is a claim you cannot make-I believe that teaching is more difficult. This is only my opinion, but please listen to what it is like for us. I have classroom sizes of up to 42 high schoolers. As an English teacher, I am responsible for 172 students total. That’s 172 essays every time we write one. If these are graded correctly-and I like to think that I have the work ethic to do so, consider the time that I am working away from my contracted hours. I don’t give multiple choice tests, I test their critical thinking abilities by having them write short answers to difficult questions. That’s 172 tests to grade at the conclusion of every unit. I think you see where I am going here. I work REALLY hard at school and I work HARDER after school. I also believe it is worth it. I don’t complain because I believe that working with kids (slightly older) than your child is worth it. I want to give them opportunities and help them to succeed in their lives. I’m guessing that your teacher at Branch is also a hard worker. We have never gone on strike before, in fact, when the recent economic recession began, our union agreed to take a PAYCUT by freezing our salaries until things got better. Things are better. I’m not saying that because I am guessing, I am saying it because the district has received a 23 percent increase in funding over the last three years. Are we really that wrong to ask for a little more than 6% over 3 years when the district has received 23%? This is despite the fact that the district has set aside an increase of 1.5 million dollars for “consultant” fees for next year, an amount which would go very far in increasing compensation. The fact that you say that we are over-valuing what we are doing is ill-founded. Your kids might be worth the time it takes to look over the facts and see what the teachers are truly upset about. Look over the numbers and tell me I’m wrong.


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check out what those consultant fees pay for…


They pay for sports buses to CIF, out of area speech pathologists, field trips for studentsspeciL education litigation, and the courier service to get those pay checks to the staff, fingerprinting of volunteers and staff and printing of legally required letters to all families.

This does NOT look like anything that should be eliminated.,


How do you expect to get what you want with a strike?


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Doglover…you seem to have a LOT of inside information!


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It’s public information and anyone can read the budget that cares to. There’s a lot more to running a school district than just teacher’s salaries.


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I received a big long e mail from a collegue that explains all the consultants.

When Infirst heard about it, I Thought it was curriculum people, but nope, a lot of regular stuff like charter buses and field trips.


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Wait for it. Wait for it. Wait for it

And that collegue friend.

You got it, a Lucia Mar teacher!


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So you DO work for the district!


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Well doglover, how consultant fees pay for CIF busses is beyond my comprehension. Do they also pay for the $155.00 per hour (including travel) strike specialist that the district hired? This is more than about what we want. I have been in this district for plenty of time and did not complain because I knew that we were funded differently. I have a problem with the lies being fed to the public. When I have a superintendent who claims that salaries make up 92% of the budget, but fails to mention that classroom teachers make up only 40% of that, I am insulted. When I am being told that the raise we are asking for would put us over budget, but te superintendent fails to mention that he included his $222372.94 salary in that raise including all of the high-paid management, it insults me. When I am told that they will do everything that they possibly can, then I see that they are including themselves in the raise for teachers so that they can inflate the numbers and scare the public, I am insulted. When I see millions being spent on 4% of our student population, then look and see that it is the whitest, most affluent student population in the district (save one elementary school), I become concerned for the other 96% who seem to be overlooked. It’s not about getting what we WANT. We WANT to be close enough to our surrounding school districts so that our top teachers stop bleeding out. We are paying to train teachers and send them off. That’s bad business. But…look at the numbers above me and I guess that bad business is the norm here.


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Stop complaing about your job. It looks weak.

You knew what it would be like when you applied.

Let’s see….


3 weeks at Christmas, one off next week, at least 10 holidays and then an 8 week summer; not to mention a killer health pkg and a PENSION like no other.


So all those tests to grade seem kind of worth it for all that down time.

Life is a trade off. Grow up.


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We don’t get paid for that time off, surferdude. We pay into that pension…that’s how stuff like that works, so please don’t tell me that the pension I pay into is an advantage of my job. Learn how things work.


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And the Gov wants you and all agencies to pay more because it is under funded.

Teacher… Walk away and wait for the fact finding report.

You are gonna stroke out.so rest and wait.


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Underfunded is one word. If you are going to shorten the word, there should be a period after Gov. You don’t need to capitalize “walk.” Gonna is not a word. You forgot to capitalize the first word of your last sentence. Surferdude…are you sure you ARN’T your brother’s son? You have having some issues, buddy. Here’s the truth. If the fact-finding report fairly claims that the money is not being squandered or hidden away, I will accept that and move on. Quite a bit depends on that.


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It will be interesting to see what is in the report from the independent fact finders.


The teachers are asking for a larger slice of a pie that cannot be made any larger. The root, IMO, is the priorities, obligations, and philosophies of the Board (Jim Hogoboom is not a dictator and only caries out the will of the Board). So the only way I see to increase the teachers portion of the budget is to take it from somewhere else. If the voters in the LMUSD keep electing these board members, then they must be happy with their direction. This situation did not occur overnight!


I am speculating that portions of the budget come from the state with strings attached and are not available for teachers compensation.


Again, waiting to see/hear what the fact finder’s report says.


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Most money comes with strings attached, like special education, bussing, and lots of monitoring of the resources provided.


If 92% of their budget is salaries, pensions, income taxes and bennies: that leaves little left once you pay to flush all those little potties and keep the lights on.


Do not even consider the cost of computers, printers, wifi etc. I know at our house we are paying for lots of technilogical advances I never paid for years ago.


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Yes. Let’s not forget that there’s lots of maintenance and upkeep needed to keep a school operating. There are also custodians, bus drivers, secretaries, supplies, etc. It can’t be all about the teachers.


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It’s not. They are being included in the raise. Operational costs are expensive, but not in comparison to salaries. All other costs amount to 8% of the overall budget.


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All other costs are 8% at Lucia mar.


What are they at SL coastal? Santa Maris?

Yep… Higher.


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8% for all the roofs, utilise, insurance, attorneys, paper, books, training etc.


What business could run with so little for operational costs?

Their payroll costs are way too high.

Ouch!


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My point exactly.


If the fact finding report shows sufficient funds to meet the teachers wishes but the board is choosing to spend it on chrome wheels for the busses and cup holders on all the student’s desks, then they have some ‘splainin to do.


Something just doesn’t add up…with all the emotional rants on this site and elsewhere vs. the letter I received from LMUSD full of information, it’s challenging to get to the truth.


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Maybe we should NOT pay for EVERY teacher in New Tech to be flown to Chicago and stay in separate rooms. then? Maybe the superintendent’s secretary shouldn’t make over $92,000 a year according to Transparent California? Maybe we shouldn’t have a superintendent who makes 40,000 more than those from SLO or Santa Maria?


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I agree, the factfinder’s report is key. While we wait, consider this: the Hogeboom’s numbers…meaning their claim that a raise is impossible, is including the 10% raise to his 265,000 salary (including benefits), as well as to all other district personnel. If we are simply looking at the teachers, they make up 40% of the 92% budget that is devoted to staffing. I think you might see what this implies. Hogeboom and the district are claiming that they don’t have money for a teacher’s raise, but they are also inflating the impact of this raise by including their massive salaries.


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Use correct figures in your argument please.

Teachers costs equal 51%.

Check out Hogobooms salary on transparent California.

He took out his vacation in 2012 which bumped it up.nwhat does his salary say?

$164,000.


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I am talking about classroom teachers, not the teachers who are outside of the classroom on special assignment, pimping whatever program the district thinks is the new hot thing this year. He makes $168065.41…then there is this “other pay” section which includes a $30235.00 price tag. “Other pay…”…hmmm…Plus benefits, this puts him at $222372.94. By the way…if he bumped his salary up by taking out vacation, doesn’t that mean that he gets PAID for vacation? We don’t get that benefit. Thanks for calling attention to that. What’s that “other pay” all about, Doglover, since it is pretty obvious that you are either a board member or administration?


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Great!

The FACT FINDER report will settle this discussion.

Cannot wait!


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