In a message dated 98-05-12 21:34:38 EDT, you write:

<<
 I wanted to let this thread die, but Dave had to go and call me an ignorant
slut
 ;-)

<snip>
 Excuse me, I missed YOUR point?  You complained that teachers are required to
 upgrade their skills on their own time, I replied that ALL those wanting to
be
 considered professionals do the same thing anyway, so why should teachers be
 different.
 <<
And again you missed the point.  I wasn't complaining.  If statement of fact
is complaining  then yes YOU missed the point!
>>>

 And Dave responded brilliantly:
 <<<
Thank you!
>>>

 My reply:
      OK, lets split the difference, my daughter's summer vacation starts June
      24th and ends about September 7th, that's about two and a half months.
As
      far as a master's degree fetching 35K, it is above the national average
      (for everyone I mean, not just teachers), and whether it is appropriate
      depends on what it is a master's degree in.  BTW, as an independent
      contractor, my income can be sporadic as well, but I knew that when I
      started so I don't complain.

<<
I bet you would if you were being paid a salry for 40 hours but consistantly
asked to work 50. Again though,  the point being made was (and I quote) "The
people in front of the classroom are morons" (This was the comment that
started this thread)  Not that actuall amount they are paid.  Are you lumping
ditch diggers and medical doctors in the same soup when you calculate the
national average.  In most industries it is common practice to obtain salary
reports from others in that industry for the purpose of setting standard pay
rates.  It would be worthless to compare any one pay scale for a particular
industry to the national average.
>>>
 Snip
>>>

 You have just made my case more eloquently than I ever could.  Any teacher
 that believes both that their charges are little brats, and that the parents
 don't care about quality education is not likely to put much effort into
being
 an effective teacher.  In my experience, there are few things parents care
 MORE about than the quality of the education their children are exposed to.
>>>>
You obviously havent delt with parents of children
>>>

 Oh, you mean you actually care what your little brats are being taught when
 you get them out of your hair by sending them to school?  The fact remains
 that referring to "baptist asshole ministers" does little to bolster the
 credibility of your argument.
>>

Acutally It drives my point home!
>>>

 Dave had also opined:
>>
I like that word opined!
>>

 Hey, good call Sigmund, my friend is bitter that this type of self-centered
 behaviour is typical of many teachers these days.

 To which I must reply:
      How do you figure that a teacher ripping off a system created by the
      teacher's trade union is an example of administrative problems created
      by the poilcy makers?  I was indeed speaking of a teacher's behaviour,
      not in any way the behaviour of those that govern them.  Those that
      govern her wanted her to actually earn the bonus she received for
      having a particular otherwise irrelevant degree, perish the thought.
 >>>>
Yes as a matter of point I do!
>>>>

 To everyone else on this list, my apologies for going so far off topic.
 Rest assured that no matter what our friend Dave replies, I will let this
 thread die here and now.  Anybody know any good PIC jokes?


 Martin R. Green

  >>
I too will (after this ) allow this thread die.  It isn't often I go off on
such tangents,  this one, however hit rather close to home.

I do hope, Martin,  that you weren't being sarcastic in the use of the word
"friend" in your last paragraph.

Dave Duley