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Does this seem right to anyone? I mean, anyone who isn't in a union. Even to union people this should be wrong. Why does a teacher make their entire salary to do only a small portion of their duties? And another teacher has to be paid their full salary to do those duties? Holy crap, what a mess. And it can all be laid at the feet of unions and democrats.
The State of New York is in dire straits financially. The State could be facing $50 billion in budget deficits in 2012. The $9 million that paying teachers not teach is only a drop in that bucket, but damn, you have to start somewhere. If the government of New York took all of these $9 and $10 million dollar wastes of tax dollars and added them up, they would probably be surprised what the total is.
It's the same on a National level. Our Country wastes more money on stupid bullshit every year than they can even count. Matter of fact, I doubt they do count it. There is no accountability at all, none, zip, nada. Of course, when you jump past the BILLIONS and into the TRILLIONS, it's a little more difficult to close that gap, but still, you have to start somewhere...
New York Post
In New York City's funny math, you get only one teacher for the price of two.
The Department of Education pays about 1,500 teachers for time they spend on union activities -- and pays other teachers to replace them in the classroom.
It's a sweetheart deal that costs taxpayers an extra $9 million a year to pay fill-ins for instructors who are sprung -- at full pay -- to carry out responsibilities for the United Federation of Teachers.
With Mayor Bloomberg calling for thousands of teacher layoffs to balance the 2012 budget, critics say it's time to halt the extravagant benefit.
"In these tight fiscal times, it defies common sense to pay two different people to do one job," said Dick Dadey, executive director of Citizens Union, a government watchdog. "It's a waste of money."
That $9 million would cover the salaries of 198 new teachers at the current annual $45,530 starting pay.
The DOE lets 40 experienced teachers collect top pay and fringe benefits, but work just one class period a day.
Under a contract agreement since 2003, the DOE excuses these veterans to work for the UFT -- currently 38 as district representatives and two as union vice presidents. The UFT pays them another salary, plus expenses.
English teacher Tom Dromgoole, for instance, collects top teacher pay, $100,049 a year, from the DOE for his slot at Leadership and Public Service HS in downtown Manhattan. But he is relieved for most of the day to serve as a UFT high school rep. The UFT supplements his salary by $50,461, records show.