Oklahoma schools go on four-day weeks so teachers can make rent by working at Walmart on Mondays

[johnnyrocket]

So pathetic.

As a result, the state is going broke. Teachers haven't gotten a raise in 10 years and the only way they can afford to accept the pay -- third-worst in the nation -- is by negotiating a four-day school week in 90 districts, freeing teachers up to take jobs at Walmart on Mondays to make ends meet.

https://boingboing.net/2018/02/07/this-is-not-ok.html

[Ohiogal]

1. Yet they keep electing Republicans.

They're gonna win the race to the bottom pretty darn soon.

[Ferrets are Cool]

2. This is so farked up!!

[Freedomofspeech]

3. My god...

This country is so screwed.

[hatrack]

4. Freedumb!

Have fun, y'all.

And remember, when the fire truck breaks down, or the ambulance takes 30 minutes, or the hospital closes, or the school shuts down, or you break the front axle on Yer Truck hitting a pothole: taxation is theft!

[Igel]

5. This seems to leave some info out.

For example, it's not new. http://newsok.com/time-to-end-four-day-school-weeks-in-oklahoma/article/5575291 They've had 4-day weeks for quite a while, now.

Some districts report saving money. Not all. It's an option. http://kfor.com/2017/02/07/four-day-school-week-paying-off-for-local-districts-lawmakers-want-a-change/

But I'd rather have longer days and an additional day off, in principle. Not sure it would work to make every class 20% longer, though. Note that a number of businesses offered employees a 4-day week. Oddly, few of them had the claim made about them that it was so their employees could work at Walmart. It no doubt happens in some cases. Not in others.

The lack of a raise also refers to a state-wide pay increase. http://kfor.com/2017/02/07/four-day-school-week-paying-off-for-local-districts-lawmakers-want-a-change/ I find it fairly outrageous that they haven't had a raise, but it's still incomplete information. Local districts can increase pay to accommodate local differences in living standards and wage standards. It's not absolute standard of living that seems to matter, but relative standards of living. The difference between top-paying and low-paying (state-minimum) districts isn't large but it nonetheless exists.

[BigmanPigman]

6. Part of it may be due to benefits increasing.

In San Diego we didn't get raises for 5 years and our co-pays, emerg room fees etc. increased too. We were given, or threatened to be given, pink slips every year. The union was extremely weak. The older, stronger teachers all bailed with a "golden handshake" and the newer younger ones needed the benefits to pay the health care for their growing families so they always caved and gave in without a strike. The growing cost of health care is a major factor in wage stagnation.

[Wednesdays]

7. Increasing benefits? Here in Oklahoma?

[BigmanPigman]

8. You don't get ANY health benefits?!

[world wide wally]

9. But the important thing is that there are no abortion clinics.... Fuck anything else

[gay texan]

10. You get what you vote for n/t