I am so mad at Rick Perry. I just saw a commercial touting his dedication to public education. He also praised himself for giving a merit pay raise and a $2000.00 raise to all TX teachers.

But did you know...

They raised the retirement age for teachers, because they want to keep qualified teachers in the profession longer. They decreased retirement payments by taking our highest 5 years and dividing that to find out our retirement payments. (They did take the highest 3.)

They gave teachers a $1000.00 pay raise a few years ago... then took away half... then took the other half away. So that pay raise he is bragging about just replaced the $1000.00 they took away and gave us another $1000.00. (Remember 8 years ago when they promised a $6000.00 pay raise to be paid in two years? They gave the first $3000.00, but the next year they decided not to give the other half.) The public hears about the raises, but does not know about the times they take things back...

Then the merit pay raise only goes towards teachers in core subjects and only IF the administration deems it necessary. They are not required to do it... so it is worthless to non-core teachers, and pretty much everyone.

This makes me want to quit teaching. With the Social Security offset, the government giving and taking our money away, increasing retirement age, less retirement benefits, and low wages to begin with... why would anyone want to come into this profession OR stay???????????? (Oh yeah... the kids.) But with discipline problems on the rise, how long with that be a benefit???

GOVERNOR PERRY HAS DONE NOTHING FOR ME or TEXAS STUDENTS.

Oh yeah... don't even get me started on that damn TAKS test. Worthless.

I'm a teacher too and i'm RIGHT THERE WITH YOU! Its not right at all

=(

I'm sorry to hear all of this. Funny (well not really) that they announce what the give but don't announce what they take away.

I for one believesupport the public school system in Texas. I was under the impression but never really checked that teachers did very well in our area and in Texas. I keep hearing about millions and millions of unspent dollars in the education budget, however I have only been listening with one ear.

If you start a petition or want me to send a letter as a taxpayer just send me a PM. Because I am such a busy professional, I am a member of several advocate groups that keep me informed on certain issues I believe in. They send me sample letters on issues that I support, I hand re-write them and send them off. This allows me to be an active supporter without having to follow every detail of the progress.

I know its taboo to say this if you are from Texas but I think we have too many Republicans in power right now, it needs to be more balanced IMO.

I was doing some research last night on the candidates and I really have to say Kinky Friedman has some great ideas.. He is big on teachers. Says Texas teachers make $6000 less than the national average. Wants to put teachers in charge of education instead of "carreer desk jockeys". Wants to end the TAKS test. Also wants to legalize gambling in Texas and send the profit to the education system.. He calls it Slots for Tots though and even though i support the idea its his Brash attitude and idiotic slogans that will probably keep people from voting for him.. Everything I read about on him I agreed with except for supporting gay marriage. Too bad a "regular guy" like his isn't running who doesn't come across as a horses ass.

Be careful with legalizing gambling to fund education.

#1. Gambling income usually comes at the expense of the poor. In a sense it just shifts the tax burden from the rich to the poor.

#2. Some states have passed laws that legalize gambling and the law states that all gambling profits go to education. Then if gambling brings in one billion dollars in a year, they cut one billion dollars from the state's appropriation for education. So then the education budget is still the same. They get one billion extra from gambling and one billion less from taxes. That happens because the wording of the law didn't say that they would add the gambling money onto the tax money, just that the gambling money would go to the schools.

So now that the state government has saved one billion dollars, they cut taxes mostly for the wealthy, while the poor play and lose money on the lottery.

thats true about the poor.. But here in Texas, in the DFW area, people gamble anyway.. they just head 1 hour north or 3 hours east and spend their money in another state.. if their gonna gamble, might as well keep the money here.

Most of the teachers group like Carol. Kinky is good and all but he is on the edge. At least Carol has some experience in Austin.

I'll say it again though... I am afraid everyone will be so divided that it will lead to a Perry win. We really need to pick one and run with it.

As for me and my hubby... we are going with the Teachers group and backing Carol.

Faybie: Thank you for wanting to help. I will see what I can find. My TFT group usually sends me those letters to sign and forward too, but has not sent any lately. Seems to me on election years they give money to teachers, non-election years they take it away. I have been in the "business" 8 years, and it seems to follow that pattern. We will always be last on the list for raises, and the first ones they take it away from... yet they want to force us to stay until we die and not pay us while we are here.

You know I would not trade a single happy moment in the classroom for any other job... but you must pay your bills and take care of your family too. I tell my kids I teach for the pay, respect, and prestige. Sadly, I get very little of all three.

I cannot stand Rick Perry. I can't wait to vote for anyone besides him.

What about the Texas Lotto? the proceeds from that were supposed to go for education!! That was the lie under which they got it passed (another tax of the poor) and how much of that money are we seeing in our classrooms?? Not a red cent, I betcha! Rick Perry is worthless. I will vote for Carol or Kinky, I like them both. Anyone but Perry the Dingleberry.

high school teacher in texas here...... love this thread! Perry sucks! Bush is right behind him....."no child left behind" sounds good for a sound bite but in reality it is unbelieveably nieve.

Cindy

I'm feelin' kinda Kinky.....

Have you heard of the "No teacher left behind" group? We were told at school not to post ANYTHING about it on our email, because of legal issues. Don't know anything about that... but think that is weird.

What about the Texas Lotto? the proceeds from that were supposed to go for education!! That was the lie under which they got it passed (another tax of the poor) and how much of that money are we seeing in our classrooms?? Not a red cent, I betcha!

I was thinking the same thing....where is all of the extra money from the lottery?

Also, this could be a rumor because I have not verified it myself, but I heard somewhere that they are taking away our school property tax in Fort Bend County because we have "too much" education money.

I was thinking the same thing....where is all of the extra money from the lottery?

I basically explained how states short-change education regarding lottery money in post #20 above.

I am not a Texas teacher, however I do have 2 children in Texas schools. One in 11th and one entering Kindergarten. I have a big issue with Perry also. Our children are our future. If you don't pay the educators what they are worth, the great educators leave to find more. We then are stuck with the "left overs". I am sorry if this offends anyone, but my childrens education is VERY important to me. I fully agree that our teachers are well underpaid. And that is a great question, What happened to the lotto money? They claim that in 2005 $8 billion was given to education. Bullshit! Conroe ISD didn't see a dime and yet they took in over 500 +/- Katrina evacuees that are nothing but thugs!

Okay I will stop the ranting.... Perry doesn't get my vote either!

Rick Perry is a crook and he doesn't give a rat's a$$ about Texas schools and children. He needs to be run out of the state. So stick that in your money grubbing pipe and smoke it, Rick.

If Jessie Ventura and Ahnold can get elected, why can't Kinky?