Teacher accused of stealing from student, says it's a misunderstanding

[Mira]

KGW.com: Teacher accused of stealing from student says it's a misunderstanding | News for Oregon and SW Washington

What I find amazing about this story is that this teacher, who is employed about 25 miles from where I live, is making $68K a year as a schoolteacher?? And they complain about salaries? I'm researching this one further. I'm in school for a master's degree which if I'm lucky will enable me to get a $40K per year position. I think I'm going to be sick.

[buttmunch]

She changed her story? Guilty as charged. What the fuck is going on with people?

[Mira]

She sounds like a real winner. He dog shredded the jacket before she could transfer it to the eBay buyer! Probably what really happened is that she simply wanted to try and market it once again to get a higher price. I could see if she were making half what she's making, but $68K is a damn decent salary these days - especially for an elementary school teacher.

[greysfang]

Ummm, sorry. You don't "find" someone's winter coat in the lost and found bin in the middle of winter. If it was while school was on summer break, I might cut her some slack, but no. Selling an elementary child's coat during winter is about as evil as it gets.

[Mira]

Hillsboro is an upscale suburban community in metro Portland. The parents probably have the money to buy another one, hell the kid's probably already got a few. But that's not the point. She's not happy with her salary so she pilfers some kid's jacket because she figures no one is going to claim it instead of holding it up in class and asking if it belongs to anyone. I'll bet she's on drugs or over-extended on her credit cards.

[buttmunch]

Shall we take bets on what her choice of substance might be? I'm guessing meth. Or else Chanel.

[greysfang]

I'll vote for boy-toy.

[pacific breeze]

I've never heard of an elementary school teacher making that kind of money unless they have some kind of advanced degree, and are teaching in a special program such as computer-assisted learning or something like that. It's possible the TV station got it wrong.

Even if it is true, why should a teacher be paid so much less than anybody else who performs a valuable service? We think nothing of paying athletes and movie stars millions, but teachers are supposed to do it for free, or for starvation wages? Never understood that, or why day care workers and others in similar professions are so grossly underpaid. It certainly says a lot about how much people value children, and their children's learning in our society.

[Mira]

You're right of course PB. I'm hoping the station did get it wrong. This state has some of the worst education problems in the country. But if true, we are overpaying this wench.. for what reason? I've lived in the area for 4 years and I've heard of other Oregon teachers' salaries being much lower than $68K annually. Part of it I'm sure, is that Hillsboro is an upscale area. I'm researching this.

[greysfang]

A lot of elementary teachers make that kind of money, particularly in the suburbs of larger cities, with or without advanced degrees, particularly if they've attained tenure.

[buttmunch]

I was just about to say tenure. You're on the job long enough, you start making decent money, although you should be making it alot sooner.

[Mira]

I'm not saying teachers should have lower salaries. I do appreciate their role in society and agree they should be paid well. But $68K is a bit high considering what other professionals make, whose work is just as worthy. Social workers and hospice workers with advanced degrees can't even touch that salary in Oregon, even with many years of experience.

[pacific breeze]

I know two people who teach elementary school here. One makes less than $50,000 after 3 years; the other makes close to $70,000 after 25 years, plus she has two advanced degrees. Without the degrees, she would probably make about $55,000 plus a fantastic pension and benefits.

[Mira]

I guess I should become a schoolteacher then. Not being sarcastic, though it seems so.

[pacific breeze]

It's extremely tough to get jobs. My sister has been looking for full-time work for two years, and she specializes in computer-assisted learning, which is in high demand. But there are more teachers than students, and a lot of teachers retire, but then sub nearly full time. That makes it hard for newcomers to get a food in the door as subbing doesn't really pay the bills.