Nice job Doretta, from what I saw of it Friday. Watched more of it on-line.

You and Decter made the most sense.

Ottawa professor - what a whiner and I fear for the young teachers on the receiving end of his “stress” mantra.

Star journalist - was helping Teflon Dalton slide through his efforts.

Decter - agreed with mostly all of what he said - he’s been there and therefore is very credible.

Doretta - your Disneyworld analogy was perfect! Consistent with SQE’s messaging. You didn’t surprise me with anything new either (not sure whether that’s a positive or negative from a viewer perspective).

Little - I ignored what he said just like I ignore him on all of the education blogs and chats he’s been on over the past year. What I did do though was review the last time he was on Paikin’s show and compared what he had to say with this time - same old, same old is all I can say and coming from the co-administrator of an elite private school in Toronto makes his public education spin less credible the more he speaks. Paikin should find someone new representing the union side.

McGuinty’s YouTube - For the first time McGuinty looks and sounds defeated. He may have tried coming off looking like Daddy Dalton “take this medicine, it’s good for you”, but his voice tone and and tired script said something else entirely.

I am sure glad you were there. That union guy and the prof from Ottawa were hardcore. Every lame excuse on the book.

It shows how tough it will be to reform education. The collective agreements are negotiated at the school board level. Most trustees seem more interested in protecting teachers compensation than taxpayer’s money.

It will be tough for McGuinty to hold his own against the union guy. They are on a scorched earth policy. But then again they have lots to fight for.

An average teacher will retire as a millionaire. Even their “deferred income” (pension) in retirement gives them more than most teachers make elsewhere in the world. It has been easy street for a long time.

The Sunshine List is coming up and teachers will be very close to making it en masse. I expect a call for revising it up to $150,000 or something crazy.

Remember all those school principals and superintendents get 70% of their income in pensions. There must be hundreds on the provinces pensions $100K Club by now, those making pensions over $100,000 a year. That is only an income of $140000 to put them there.

What is the total debt of the Future Employee Benefits? Is this included in the provinces debt numbers?

Glad the SQE is on board to make people aware of these issues.

Bill

Hi Bill, thanks for joining in.

The total debt for Future Benefits Payable on boards’ books is well over $3.5 billion as of 2010. I’m in the process of calculating the 2011 numbers as school boards approve their financial statements, but I expect the number to be just as high.

Considering the total education budget for the province is around $19 billion, this is outrageous and unsustainable.

The Sunshine List is out by the end of the month. Teachers will start cominmg onto it.
Remeber the list does not include the cost of the benefits or pensions. The ones they like to tell are deferred compensation.
What are we really paying them.

Interesting

  I found it intriguing to hear the backstory on the whole retirement gratuity thing.  It was put in place in the fifties, when teaching wasn’t well-paid and has lingered long past the point where the underlying rationale is no longer valid.  I think it speaks volumes that just about nobody in the profession can seem to make a compelling case for the sick day bank/gratuity fiddle.

Then DL points out that teachers will simply take more sick days if thet can’t cash them…  That’s an ethical issue.  Hopefully members of the profession operate at a higher level.

On the issue of wage freezes having an impact on local economies I loved Paikin’s comment that we could double public sector salaries as a means of solving the current problems.

On the issue of teaching being a very high stress job one wonders how being paid more actually fixes that…?  Does a higher pay resolve classroom issues or simply make them less stressful?  Where’s the connection?

I loved it when Decter noted that teachers would very likely be among the “affluent” DL wants to tap for higher taxes…;)  That’d make for interesting chats in the staff room.

“On the issue of teaching being a very high stress job one wonders how being paid more actually fixes that??  Does a higher pay resolve classroom issues or simply make them less stressful?  Where?s the connection?”

I questioned this as well. I also felt that that Ottawa prof. was a bit of a nervous fellow in his delivery - maybe not the best person to be lecturing new prospective teachers on stress?

“I loved it when Decter noted that teachers would very likely be among the ?affluent? DL wants to tap for higher taxes?;)  That?d make for interesting chats in the staff room. ” 

Yes! It was a great point and one worth sharing and remembering as we move forward. No mention of DL’s own “affluent” dabblings.

Well done, Everyone!  All members of the panel came across to me as interesting, informative and honest.  Cameron Montgomery was the exception—most of what he said seemed shallow, and he was still bleating about how tough the teachers’ world is…  When I hear this sort of thing, I can’t help but think, “Get off your cross, someone needs the wood.”