Bush Bonuses Go To Already Well-Paid Teachers

[proud2BlibKansan]

Teachers Who Won Are Among Top Salary Earners

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The first federal bonuses to reward teachers who raise student test scores have gone to four of Ohio's biggest, poorest and most academically challenged districts - where teacher pay is already well above the state average.

The bonuses, totaling $20 million over five years, were announced Monday, just two weeks before the challenging election for Republicans. They were the first of 16 state grants that the Bush administration is doling out this year, which will total $42 million. South Carolina also is to receive grants but the other states that will benefit haven't been announced.

The government hopes the money will help counter what Education Secretary Margaret Spellings called a "dirty little secret" in American education, that the most experienced teachers often teach in the least challenging classrooms.

The money is a reward for teachers "when you put yourself on the line every day and teach in some of the nation's most challenging schools and get great results," Spellings said Monday.

more . . .
http://www.thekansascitychannel.com/education/10145957/detail.html

[proud2BlibKansan]

1. These teachers don't deserve it!!

They are already overpaid! And they teach the worst kids!!

:sarcasm:

Why??

This article just made me ill.

[zbdent]

2. Repuke mentality really makes me ill

"No, we can't pay good teachers a good salary to teach in districts where the academic scores are bad ... but hey, give a new CEO millions of dollars to turn around a company losing billions of dollars ... and when he f*cks up and drives the company into worse waters, give him a generous severance package and wish him well, as the employees are laid off or 'downsized' ..."

[proud2BlibKansan]

3. And subsidize the president's brother's business

so he can sell overpriced video players to schools.

[pooja]

4. Here's the real dirty little secret... the program is riddled with holes

and more children are being left drastically behind by this stupid act.

Mr. Bush, for a man who is as unintelligent as you, please don't tell me you know what is best for my child's education. Sir, you are failing a nation of youth.

[hughee99]

5. I don't get it...

while I understand the part about handing out bonuses so close to election day, what the hell does the bonuses going to teachers whose pay is above average have to do with ANYTHING? Why exactly should I be especially outraged about this particular aspect of the program?

[proud2BlibKansan]

6. Do you know ANY teachers who really ARE overpaid???

Didn't think so.

[hughee99]

7. Not any in the public schools...

My questions still stands, though. There's lots of reasons to be upset here. Teachers are underpaid, NCLB isn't doing anyone any favors, bonuses are being passed out close to election day in a key state (or states), etc...

With all these things, why exactly should I be especially upset by the fact that teachers who already make more than the average teacher are getting these bonuses (I guess as opposed to the teachers on the lower end of the scale)?