Category: Teacher Shortage

Behavior/Discipline, Budget, Teacher Shortage, Vision: 2020

Chomping at the Bit

jcpswatch

Dear JCPS,

I was 17 when I started teaching summer school. It was minimum wage so my paycheck was tiny. We were expected to wear dresses (with stockings) every day and we were called by our last names. Students respected me and I walked taller just knowing that I was changing lives.

I loved it. Loved the kids, loved the lessons, loved planning the lessons, loved learning how to keep kids on task and how to help them be their best selves. . . I had found my home.

I was hooked.

Degrees followed, along with experience navigating the horrors of No Child Left Behind (I paid for so many tests), a master’s, a Rank I, more training and a few more endorsements onto my awesome teaching certificate (had it framed in my classroom I was so proud). I am good and I love what I do.

After 11 years, I was ready to move to a district that would afford me opportunities for advancement in my specific area. As mentioned above, I am qualified above and beyond the average. I’m also a fireball teacher.

As I looked around the state, I considered a few different districts. JCPS offered me a competitive salary in an area with relatively low housing costs while providing the opportunities for advancement that I wanted. I made the move and began teaching in my new home.

I’ve been bit, hit, kicked, slapped, called a motherf#$king b!$ch (and lots more things out my name), tripped, been used for target practice (white boards leave bruises, FYI), spat upon, had death threats (credible ones), and generally been abused to the point that I’m wondering if the bullying policy might apply to teachers being bullied. I’ve had shots for hepatitis B and tetanus and I’ve had to pee in a cup to ensure that my kidneys weren’t bleeding after I was punched so hard that I went down. I’ve compared bruises with other teachers that have been obtained from the same student. I’ve been screamed at by parents and I’ve had administrators blame me for not “holding him” when I was being beat up.

I’ve been called to the carpet for being at fault for being bitten (not the most recent bite for those who know me) and I’ve pretty much decided that I need to be more vigilant when it comes to kids’ ability to inflict pain upon me.

My friends in private school say we get “hazard pay” and that they’d never go over to the “dark side” and teach in the public school system. I can tell you this, I’m really good at what I do and I can work anywhere in the world. Without that hazard pay, I’d be hard pressed to stay here. I mean, the allergies alone. . .

Furthermore, in response to the teacher candidate who has expressed her desire to never work for JCPS, we’re bad, but if you can handle it, if you can stick with it for a bit (or a bite), you can work yourself into a 100K job in the board office and tell everyone to duck faster.

I’m checking the jobs board now.

Sincerely,
Ophelia Payne

NOTE: While the author’s identity is protected here, they are not anonymous to Dear JCPS. Any board member wishing to address the concerns shared here can contact our administrators to make a connection.

Behavior/Discipline, Budget, Teacher Shortage

A Possible Solution

jcpswatch

This letter was submitted via our open letter form. It does not necessarily reflect the views of Dear JCPS.

Dear JCPS,

Listening to the top administrators at JCPS has made one thing perfectly clear to me…they are completely out of touch with what is actually going on in Jefferson County Public Schools.

Anyone who spends time in our schools would know that we need improved methods in dealing with student behavior. The answer to this problem is not less consequences. Anyone who spends time in the schools would know that the staff who work with students on a daily basis deserves a raise, not a salary freeze.

Then I saw the news about JCPS cutting central office jobs and it hit me…close down all of the offices at Van Hoose and Gheens. Any employees or administrators who are still needed could set up an office at a school. There was a time, before current technology, when administrators needed to physically be in the same building, but that time has passed. I’m sure most communication is now handled through email, Google docs or Skype. All of that can be done from offices at the schools. This would allow administrators to make decisions that are best for the students, teachers and schools by allowing them to see first-hand what is actually going on in the schools.

I have a small room connected to my classroom. I would be more than happy for Tom Hudson, Chief Business Officer, to set up his office there. This way he can show me what he does all day to justify his $176,000 salary and I can show him why I deserve to not have my salary frozen. He would also get to experience challenging student behavior first-hand, and be more informed when making decisions about the code of conduct for JCPS students.

I hope JCPS listens to my suggestions. Not only will it help decision-makers be more in touch with what is happening at our schools, it could also save JCPS and taxpayers a lot of money.

Sincerely,
A teacher that unfortunately must remain anonymous

NOTE: While the author’s identity is protected here, they are not anonymous to Dear JCPS. Any board member wishing to address the concerns shared here can contact our administrators to make a connection.

Behavior/Discipline, Budget, Teacher Shortage, Vision: 2020

A Letter to Dr. Hargens

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This letter was submitted via our open letter form. It does not necessarily reflect the views of Dear JCPS.

Dr. Hargens,

I attended Jefferson County Public Schools for 12 of my 13 years of education and have been working for the school system from the time that I was 18 until now. All together, I have spent 16 years in JCPS and so I feel highly qualified to say that I have watched the system fall apart more and more every day under your leadership.

I will be graduating from the University of Louisville in December of this year with a Bachelors degree in Secondary Education with a concentration in English. I am writing not only to speak for myself but to be the voice of many other wonderful teacher candidates who I have had the opportunity to share classes with. You have successfully made almost all of us wish to teach outside of Jefferson County. People are moving out of the county to teach elsewhere (I already have). We are refusing to put our children in your school system. We are afraid to teach under your leadership. We know that our children will not get the educational experience in JCPS that they could receive elsewhere.

Though, I must say, I am not so sure that you even care about the quantity or quality of your teachers considering the blatant disrespect and disregard that you have for them and their jobs. Teachers go to work every day and bring their work home with them every night because they care about their students. They get disrespected and so much of their work goes unnoticed every day because you have allowed such a climate to exist. No other profession would be if it weren’t for teachers—not even yours.

You have continuously implemented rules and ridiculous jobs to cater to the misbehaving children who ruin the educational experience for well-behaved children. Free education was never meant to be a right, but a privilege. Because you have made these children feel that it is their God-given right to be in the schools, they no longer see the value or how blessed they are to receive a free education in our country. They simply do not care and you have played a pivotal role in devaluing education in their eyes. So many of these children are leaving high school feeling as if the world owes them something and they do not have to work hard or treat anyone with respect to get it.

Students who behave and wish to be in the classroom are the ones who are suffering. Their parents are suffering. TEACHERS ARE SUFFERING. Students are being bullied and the blood is on your hands. You have made it OK for students to disrespect their teachers, their principals, their peers. These students are not being disciplined, they are being babied and sent out into the real world feeling as if they will receive that same type of treatment. They are being sent out into the real world believing that they can be disrespectful, violent and unruly and will get a slap on the wrist and get away with it. You are doing every last student a disservice.

I refuse to put my child(ren) in your school system because they should not have to deal with the unsafe environment that JCPS has become. They should not have to deal with disrespectful and violent students coming in and out of her classroom disrupting and/or bullying, being taken out for a short period of time and sent right back in to do it all over again.

Are you aware that when these students are threatened to be sent to the principals office, they either: A. Want to go to get out of class, and/or B. Respond with something along the lines of, “Go ahead b&$@h, they aren’t going to do anything to me”. This is the harsh reality. If you don’t believe me, go be a teacher for a little while. These students are fully aware that there are little to no repercussions for their actions and, believe me, they take full advantage of that.

I refuse to teach for your school system because, like Dewey Hensley said with precision in his letter, the focus is no longer on the students. The focus is on you and your image. The focus is on central office. I will not represent a school system that caters to the most disrespectful children in it. I refuse to be in a situation where a student can curse me, threaten my life and endanger the physical and mental well being of everyone around them—and absolutely nothing truly gets done about it. You are preventing people from doing their jobs, Dr. Hargens, and we are all sick of it.

We are not blind to the fact that you are trying to phase out suspension, ISAP, alternative placement, etc. with these nonsense jobs that you have created to cater to these unruly students. I do not see you as progressive, I see you as detrimental. You are running teachers and parents away from your school system and damaging the experiences of those who are stuck.

Students who break the rules are not going to stop breaking the rules because someone pulls them out of class and tells them to stop it. And I guarantee you this, watering down the rules is far from the solution. It absolutely disgusts me and so many others that you feel as if this is the answer. Numbers and statistics are all that matter to you. Students are not numbers and statistics, they are people.

How would you feel if you were in a 6 and a half-hour long board meeting and people kept getting out of their seats, throwing things, physically harming others, threatening to kill the speaker or threatening to kill YOU, cursing people out, etc. And someone comes in to pull them out for a while then sends them right back in. Period after period, day after day. Tell me, Dr. Hargens, is that the environment that you want to be in? Is that the environment that children should have to be in during the most malleable time of their lives? Is this an environment that nurtures growth and learning?

NO. The answer is NO. Because this type of behavior is not condoned in the real world. And this is what you have let the classroom come to. These are the behaviors that children now believe can be carried into adulthood—where they get a rude awakening.

You seem very worried about your image. You should be. Teachers, parents and students are unhappy with you. Your emails and speeches with articulate language which attempt to justify your wrongful actions and policies do not fool me or anyone else who sees that you are the root of the issues. You are a tyrant.

I feel confident in speaking for myself and so many of my classmates who are all so eager and excited to teach the future generations of America when I say that we care for all students. Those who behave and those who misbehave. The problem, however, is the lack of discipline for those who misbehave as it hinders our abilities to teach, our students abilities to learn and our peace of mind when it comes to our own safety as well as the safety of our students. You are facing shortages and missing out on fresh, enthusiastic incoming teachers who are graduating from college because you have created this environment and culture that caters to those with ill intentions.

I do not think I even need to discuss this “salary freeze” thing. I have faith that the union will destroy you, as they should. Teachers are already underpaid and underappreciated as it is. Here’s an idea! Let’s do something about YOUR $300,000+/year salary.

It is time for everyone to stand together against the real problems in JCPS that stem with you.

Sincerely,
A parent/A senior in the teacher preparation program at the University of Louisville/A JCPS employee/A former JCPS student/A person with a right mind who cares about children.

NOTE: While the author’s identity is protected here, they are not anonymous to Dear JCPS. Any board member wishing to address the concerns shared here can contact our administrators to make a connection.

Budget, Teacher Shortage, Vision: 2020

Bloat is epidemic

jcpswatch

Dear JCPS,

I am writing this letter on the heals of the news the Code of Conduct is being reviewed for lessened discipline and the false narrative that JCPS teachers are overpaid.

Oh where or where shall I begin? First of all the “comparable” districts how comparable are they really? Lets look at Cobb County, where only 63% of the teachers have “Advanced Degrees”. In JCPS 84% of teachers hold Master’s Degrees or higher. We have a 20% higher rate of free and reduced lunch students, Higher number of ECE students, more bus routes, more bus drivers and plenty of top heavy bloat! This was not exactly apples to apples.

JCPS for years has also been the primary source of survival for area businesses with some questionable practices.

Shively Sporting Goods wins bids by list their prices as XX% under “catalog price” or “MSRP” when an individual can walk into Dick’s Sporting Goods and buy an item cheaper than its on the bid list from Shively something smells rotten. If a coach can find the same item cheaper they cannot buy it anywhere else.

Yatz Produce another monopoly created by JCPS. JCPS is probably their ONLY customer., Its a JCPS dependent company and if JCPS made those purchases in accordance with prevailing law, Yatz would be out of business.

Cardinal Office Supply another company on “bid list” when anyone can find online the same products drastically cheaper. Explain how these bids/non-bids/pseudo bids save money? Please I am listening?

I would also like to see how comparable transportation spending was in these other districts. Our transportation budget is ridiculous and the assignment plans used for the last 30 years that made it so have not increased student performance ONE BIT!

In this current situation I may have to back JCTA, though in many instances they are a hindrance to the improved quality of education in JCPS, in this incident they are not.

A great way to save money and put more dollars towards teachers and student learning would be to go back to community schools. Study after study shows students perform better academically in their local communities. Community pride, team spirit all play a role. Imagine the transportation savings! In areas were the schools struggle, south and west areas of the county, give GOOD Teachers willing to take on the tougher job incentives to motivate and educate the students the current assignment seeks to place the biggest burdens on. Burdens that come from school being 20 miles from home and busing not getting them home til 4 or 5 in the afternoon. Dispersing students in a fan shaped spray across the county has improved NOTHING, teach them were they live!

Sincerely,
Frustrated Teacher

NOTE: While the author’s identity is protected here, they are not anonymous to Dear JCPS. Any board member wishing to address the concerns shared here can contact our administrators to make a connection.

Budget, Teacher Shortage, Vision: 2020

The Math is Wrong

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Dear JCPS,

I’m praying that my letter stays anonymous as indicated. I’m a new staff and I do want to keep my job.

I want to address the suggested salary freezes. I’m a bit confused as to why the salaries of JCPS teachers are being threatened. The suggestion is to freeze the salaries of those who make above $14.00 an hour. I’ve reviewed the grid submitted by the school board. The standing grid and the proposed grid and no one in my JCPS circle makes the money that is classified or described for their job description; not even me. Since the targeted range is $14 per hour, let’s use that number.

JCPS employees operate on a salary schedule just as the students do. However, we are termed by the number of days we work per year. 187, 230, 260. 260 is considered year round. 260 are not subject to escrow. If you are a 187staff, you are subject to escrow that takes about 20% give or take of your income to pay you during the summer months; snow days, Christmas and Fall Breaks.

If a staff works 187 days a year at $14 per hour; their yearly gross salary is a grand total of $20,944 per year. Let’s say this staff works 260 per year: That is a grand total of $29,120 per year.

For the 187 staff, every 2 week paycheck takes 20% of their salary to supplement the days off. This is a mandated escrow after a snow storm kept schools closed for nearly one month and teachers had no pay. So if a 187 staff makes $14 per hour, their 2 week gross pay check is $1120. Before their check is even taxed with the regular taxes, 20% of their income is used for escrow; leaving them with $896. Total taxes, health insurance, life insurance, long term disability and retirement payouts may leave them with a little over $500 per pay check; give or take.

So a full time 187 staff making $14 per hour will possibly bring home $1000.00 per month as their take home pay.

And the board wants to freeze salaries. I challenge them to live off this amount for one year.

I support and agree with the letter submitted by Ms. Adelmann. When this initial study/investigation/audit began, I CLEARLY remember the outcome as stating that the administrators making $100k per year were excessive and too many. Clearly I remember this statement because my colleagues and I discussed this at length. How this turned around to target teachers in the classroom is beyond anyone’s realm of reasoning. At a time that classroom teachers, students and parents are in higher need of support; the board drops the ball again.

The board also hits the district with a double whammy; let’s put in a new code of conduct. If they want this level of the new code of conduct to work; their needs to be support systems in place. There are no proposed support systems in place to administer this level of decreased discipline. Without this support in place; I am concerned this will lead our schools into war zones. There needs to be knew levels of training in order for this to work.

There has been a revolving door and continuous circle of funds being depleted, programs, assistances being removed from schools and classrooms that have helped to increase the growing concerns in our schools. You have parents that have to work 2 and 3 jobs in TWO parent homes; let’s not image the struggles a single parent is having. You want parents to be involved that live 20 miles from the school with no transportation. You have elementary school students who ride a school bus for 2 hours to and from school and then wonder why they struggle to sit still and learn in the classroom.

One thing that may come from this is teachers and parents will unite to have their voices heard at the board. Parents and teachers want the same thing for their children and students and that is to be successful in the classroom.

A new task force needs to be created with the appropriate persons represented; new and consistent pressures need to be made on our elected officials who represent US to do something!

It saddens me that we can’t give our children the kind of education they deserve or the support to our teachers, staff and admins that they deserve.

Sincerely,
Newly Hired

NOTE: While the author’s identity is protected here, they are not anonymous to Dear JCPS. Any board member wishing to address the concerns shared here can contact our administrators to make a connection.

Teacher Shortage, Vision: 2020

District Needs to Listen to and Respect Teachers

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Dear JCPS,

I would gladly give back my Excel award to have a voice back in education. JCPS has forgotten that education is not about awards, press coverage, or adults. It is not about politics, surveys, tests, or what furthers careers. It is the reason that teachers fight through the disrespected feeling to go to school in the morning and that is students. It is the reason we are screaming in the streets and holding protest signs. It is not about money, we give that away daily. It is simple: Our students deserve so much more from all of us.

I have been blessed to teach the most amazing people and get to watch them develop into people that I can be proud of. They inspire me daily and are the reason that I feel it is important to write this from the heart. Education is what teachers do daily…it is nurturing, caring, and getting to know the individuals in front of us.

JCPS administration if you want to change things in the district, it starts with the most important thing in the classroom…respect. You have to respect teachers to know the right tools to enhance student growth, we have to be able to respect the people making policies, and everyone needs to respect all students’ rights. All students deserve to be respected in school and not be turned into a number on a spread sheet. This means teachers need to have the power to keep all students safe and give consequences that teach students how to act and be a valuable member of society. Tests shouldn’t be used to tell students that they are inferior, but grades and teacher recommendations should be used to place students in programs.

We need to get back to what we do best and that is to collaborate as a district and turn education into something that should be celebrated and enjoyed. After all, as educators we should lead by example, so I need to speak up on behalf of my students. This district needs to be a functioning family again that put the needs of students first. If not, we will end up like the Detroit public school system in broken chaos.

Sincerely,
Excel Teacher Who Wants to Be Heard

NOTE: While the author’s identity is protected here, they are not anonymous to Dear JCPS. Any board member wishing to address the concerns shared here can contact our administrators to make a connection.

Budget, Teacher Shortage, Vision: 2020

Reality of Classified Wages

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Dear JCPS,

I am an Instructional Assistant in a JCPS Pre-K classroom and I am writing this letter in opposition of a proposed wage freeze for employees making over $14/hour. I guess I am considered one of those “overpaid” employees as I make a whopping $15.46/hour. After taxes, escrow, CERS, and JCAESP (Union Dues), are all taken out, I get to bring home the exorbitant amount of $464 every two weeks. That’s right folks, $234 a week. That is very close to the poverty line and not at all a “sustainable” wage. I am fortunate that my husband is also employed and carries the health insurance as I would not be able to purchase a family plan on my income. I wouldn’t even be able to support myself on such a low wage much less make a house or rent payment, pay utilities, medical, food, gas, etc. on $928/month. I work very hard at my job with very little monetary compensation. To even suggest freezing our wages is ludicrous. I implore you to do the right thing and vote “NO” to a wage freeze.

Thank you.

NOTE: While the author’s identity is protected here, they are not anonymous to Dear JCPS. Any board member wishing to address the concerns shared here can contact our administrators to make a connection.

Behavior/Discipline, Teacher Shortage, Vision: 2020

Broke AND Broken

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Dear JCPS,

With all the recent uproar about how the staff at JCPS are being treated, it got me thinking. I am currently an instructor III, which means I have my bachelor’s degree. I make about $20,000/year. I’ve been in JCPS for 8 years. I started as an instructional assistant for 6 years. When I changed job titles they took my steps away. Did those 6 years mean nothing? Do they not realize that everything is going up: rent, groceries, gas, etc. Why shouldn’t my pay go up? Am I not worth more to you?

I now play many roles at my school. Sometimes I substitute and currently I’m actually doing SRT. But both of those jobs pay more money. Why am I not getting [paid for the work I actually do]. Sometimes I wish I can go to work and “clock in” under which job I will be doing for the day. That’s not too mention the other roles on top of that mom, counselor, friend, teacher, role model etc. that I play.

Next topic behavior! Wow, the things I’ve seen heard and dealt with this last year. Never have I been so disrespected. Never have I had a panic attack at work. Never have I witnessed such cruelty, hatefulness and entitled children. I can’t even count how many times a child cussed me out, blatantly disrespected me or harassed me. But it’s not just about me. They’ve run subs off mid day and cheered. They instigate violence, talk about sex and drugs (I’m in middle school) yell and scream, hurt others, the list goes on. And the adults are helpless. We try to hand out discipline. We try to have positive conversations. We try to keep them in the class. We give them so many chances but the response is always “I don’t care” and they truly don’t. They don’t care that they’re in Middle School and still read on an elementary level. They don’t care that the teachers have to buy supplies out of money from their own pockets. They don’t care that the lunch ladies are there early in the morning to feed them breakfast and to prepare their lunches. They don’t care about the other 80 children riding on the bus. They just don’t care. I guess that’s a thing at JCPS. Nobody cares what everybody is doing for their children.

I’m so very glad that the school year is almost over. I don’t know how much more I can take.

Sincerely,
Someone looking for a new job

NOTE: While the author’s identity is protected here, they are not anonymous to Dear JCPS. Any board member wishing to address the concerns shared here can contact our administrators to make a connection.

10 Point Grading Scale, Teacher Shortage, Vision: 2020

Where is the teacher’s voice in the district?

jcpswatch

Dear JCPS,

I am very upset to hear once again that stakeholders in the community are yet again NOT being listened to in regards to JCPS decisions. Yesterday I saw the news article in regard to the SPP & G and the grading scale. I was not happy when the board switched the grading scale last summer to its current rendition and was happy to get the survey asking for our ideas and opinions on the grading scale. Now I am finding out that our Superintendent has taken it upon herself to throw out the recommendation from the SPP&G committee that used data from stakeholders to make a decision to put into place her own recommendation. We, as teachers, are again being told our opinions and ideas do not matter in the grand scheme. This is absurd! We are on the ones in the classrooms, dealing with the issues! We should be the first ones you ask and take our concerns and ideas very seriously!

As a middle school teacher for the last 12 years I have a much better grasp on what grading scale will work best for my students. I lived with the 7 point scale for 11 years, till we went to the hybrid scale this year. In the opinion of most teachers if you are going to have a 10 point scale for A’s and B’s it should be for all of the scale. We have an extremely large amount of students in middle school who would greatly benefit from a 10 point scale. I have a lot of students who have 67 or 68% and are failing, but under a 10 point scale they will no longer fail!

But the major issue is that our voice, the teacher’s voice, is being taken out of the equation! The district as a whole has taken a business idea and tried to equate it into teaching children. The business model works great when discussing finances and such, but not in the essence of the classroom. When people who have not been in the classroom for many years, who are separate from the day to day reality are making our day to day decisions, it leads to catastrophe and why our district is such in an uproar right now! Coming to visit a school and walking into a classroom for 5 to 10 minutes and getting a “dog and pony” show does not show the true reality! As many parents and teachers have been saying recently in Facebook comments and to others is simple – “Come walk a day in my schools”! Look at what we deal with on a daily basis and understand why we are mad! You talk of freezing our pay because we are “overpaid” compared to other “comparable” districts, but even these “comparable” districts are vastly different than us! You talk about drastic changes to the Code of Conduct to take away suspensions when behaviors are out of control in the schools! Teachers are a breaking point already and now we are told once again how undervalued we are by taking our opinions and throwing them away!

I am MAD! I spend so much time, energy, and money on my students and school! I take my profession, my calling seriously! I feel disrespected! I feel ignored! When will this stop? When teachers take a sick out like Detriot? When we have more non-certified teachers in classrooms, than certified because the teachers all leave? When will our voices be heard and you all realize we can only take so much!

Sincerely,
A very upset middle school teacher!

NOTE: While the author’s identity is protected here, they are not anonymous to Dear JCPS. Any board member wishing to address the concerns shared here can contact our administrators to make a connection.

Budget, Teacher Shortage

Deplorable Truths of JCPS

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Dear JCPS,

I have been praying that somehow, someway, the public could see the corruption within this district. It is only now, through this website, and only because we can remain anonymous that we are crying out for help and sharing our deplorable, abusive, and medically alarming work conditions. Everyone within this district is scared to death to speak up because there positively will be repercussions, we’ve witnessed it and experienced it repeatedly. I am so glad that my voice can finally be heard! Thank you so much for this website, and for reading my letter. Please help us!

My own children and I are hungry. If I buy a lunch at school, I have to pay $4.25, which I can’t afford, so most days I don’t get to eat. Luckily, my income level is so low that my children qualify for free lunches. Family members generously take us to the grocery store to buy food when there is no money left to buy necessities. I feel like a failure as a parent because I can’t give my children things they need or want. We have to sit in a freezing cold house in the winter and a miserably hot house in the summer because I can’t afford high electric bills. I work every day to make the lives of my students better, but I can do nothing to make the lives of my children better. I have to work all summer, and search for extra work after teaching all day just to get by.

I have worked for JCPS as a teacher for 5 years. We are underpaid and overworked. We don’t get the planning period we are supposed to get because we are required to attend PLC meetings 3 times a week. We are required to attend a staff meeting after school for 1 hour each week. In order to meet deadlines and job responsibilities, we have to haul our work home, which takes away from our own children and their academic needs. Good teachers that care about their students work from home for no pay every night and all weekend to plan lessons that meet the needs of our students. We have to grade papers and provide feedback to students on their work to help them grow academically. We have to enter grades into the online grade book, Infinite Campus. We have to complete exhausting report cards that provide parents and families adequate feedback to help their child succeed.

I am a single mother raising two children on my own. If you think a living wage is bringing home $1, 098 every two weeks, I’d love for you to show me how to live on that. If you think that amount is over paid, you are drastically mistaken, or as Dr. Hargens says, misinformed. My tax return says I make $36,000 a year, but in reality, after all the necessary deductions (health insurance, life insurance, union dues, Kentucky Teacher Retirement dues, escrow for summer pay, etc.) I bring home $28,000 a year. Trying to live on $2,200 a month is very challenging. I rarely get to buy new clothes, but when I do, I shop at Goodwill, which I haven’t complained about until the public was informed that I am overpaid. Not to mention the fact that I have to buy my own supplies because the new JCPS “Fundamental Supply List” doesn’t require many necessities needed in a real-life classroom, and we are not allowed to ask parents for any other supplies. Sometimes, I have to buy my students shoes when theirs have holes worn on the soles. I buy them coats so they don’t have to stand at a bus stop in a t-shirt during the bitter cold winter months. It sickens me when Dr. Hargens acts like JCPS has extra money for supplies etc., and announces that there is no reason to increase taxes to help public schools, when every year, our students lose more and more resources.

My body literally goes into shock after returning from the summer because I am not able to drink water like I do during the summer because I don’t have time to even use the restroom at work. We do not get breaks like employees get at other jobs. We do not get a lunch break. I am constantly told by my principal that I need to do more at our school. I help with several after school activities throughout the year. I get to school early every morning. The fact that I have children to get home to does not matter to my principal. The fact that I am the only parent that my children have does not matter to my principal. I am required to attend several after school events for no pay, and with no consideration for my children, or the fact that I live almost an hour away from the school I work at.

It disgusts me how unappreciated and disrespected JCPS administration has made me, and most other teachers, feel. We are treated like dirt and emotionally abused daily from our administrators all the way from the top down. Several people at my school have developed serious medical issues due to our treatment. Most of our staff has been put on anxiety medications just to function and deal with our working conditions, which is unacceptable. JCPS administration does not want us to voice our opinions or concerns, they just want us to keep our mouths shut and deal with it.

I hope these things give the public a small glimpse into the lives and mistreatment of many JCPS teachers and employees.

Signed,

Mistreated JCPS Teacher

NOTE: While the author’s identity is protected here, they are not anonymous to Dear JCPS. Any board member wishing to address the concerns shared here can contact our administrators to make a connection.