Awww: Parents Upset Over Daytime Concerts at School

[SweetSue92]

I've read this all over social media this year: parents upset outraged because their children's schools are putting on Christmas programs during the day.

Well. As the kids say: FAFO. On top of low pay, no support and no respect, now parents expect teachers to give up an evening in December with their own family to make sure Ava and Jaxon have an evening concert.

Teachers just laugh these days.

This is what happens when you shred the social contract, and it's what my fellow conservatives have been doing to teachers for years. Hey Meghan, don't call us indoctrinators, groomers and worse and then expect us to give you unpaid time.

Dear Schools, Please Stop Scheduling School Concerts in the Middle of the Day — OnStage Blog

Showing up matters. For every kid, every parent, every school. But when concerts and performances happen during the workday, families can be left out.

www.onstageblog.com

 

[TheInfiniteSadness]

Christmas concerts are only one day. Aren't teachers spending unpaid time all year to do lesson plans? I was told this by a teacher in Canada.

 

[WorldWatcher]

Christmas concerts are only one day. Aren't teachers spending unpaid time all year to do lesson plans? I was told this by a teacher in Canada.

Teachers are FLSA exempt employees, they are paid to do a certain job. There is no "unpaid time" because they don't punch a clock. The job is to create lesson plans, develop lesson materials, deliver the information in such a way as to motivate the child to learn, check for understanding, provide out of classroom materials to support the lesson objectives (homework), evaluate understanding, and test for matery of the subjects objectives.

There is no "clock to punch" for "paid time vs. unpaid time".

The question becomes what is fair compensation for the amount of work to complete the needed tasks for the skill level required.

Oh, and BTW. Band and Chorus Directors - you know the ones that put together such programs - are some of the MOST passionate teachers that you will ever meet regarding their area.

WW

 

[WorldWatcher]

Teachers are FLSA exempt employees,

Unkotare

You disagreed. Are you saying that Teachers are NOT FLSA Excempt employees and as such are not paid a salary for work but are in fact paid by the hour on a time clock punch-in/punch-out basis?

WW

 

[SweetSue92]

Teachers are FLSA exempt employees, they are paid to do a certain job. There is no "unpaid time" because they don't punch a clock. The job is to create lesson plans, develop lesson materials, deliver the information in such a way as to motivate the child to learn, check for understanding, provide out of classroom materials to support the lesson objectives (homework), evaluate understanding, and test for matery of the subjects objectives.

There is no "clock to punch" for "paid time vs. unpaid time".

The question becomes what is fair compensation for the amount of work to complete the needed tasks for the skill level required.

Oh, and BTW. Band and Chorus Directors - you know the ones that put together such programs - are some of the MOST passionate teachers that you will ever meet regarding their area.

WW

Oh hahahahah...I USED to believe this until I retired. Then, the state and district had my work time down to the HOUR. We are contracted for a certain number of days, and yes, many teachers do get paid if they do events after school for that reason.

Also, for years and years and years I WAS that passionate music teacher. I'm quite sure I gave years of free time over the course of my career.

But when the culture shifted, so did many of us.

 

[1srelluc]

I could understand why a working parent would not think too much of that BS.

Following the OP's line of "thinking" maybe sporting events/practices should be held during the school day too.

No more Friday Night football for you! Texas would just love that.

It would seem to me that the contract teachers sign on to would cover certain evening events. Music teachers/coaches in particular.

 

[SweetSue92]

I could understand why a working parent would not think too much of that BS.

Following the OP's line of "thinking" maybe sporting events/practices should be held during the school day too.

No more Friday Night football for you! Texas would just love that.

It would seem to me that the contract teachers sign on to would cover certain evening events. Music teachers/coaches in particular.

Coaches/music teachers are usually paid extra, either by the hour or a certain amount per year. However, almost all teachers are asked to put in extra hours with no compensation for certain events.

Again:

I did this for years and years and years with no problem. When the social fabric frayed to the point of near destruction, teachers stopped giving these freebies. The younger teachers, btw, are always the first to leave at the bell. They see no need to give extra, and I don't blame them.

 

[WorldWatcher]

Oh hahahahah...I USED to believe this until I retired. Then, the state and district had my work time down to the HOUR. We are contracted for a certain number of days, and yes, many teachers do get paid if they do events after school for that reason.

Also, for years and years and years I WAS that passionate music teacher. I'm quite sure I gave years of free time over the course of my career.

But when the culture shifted, so did many of us.

I'm in Human Resources and the guy that administers our supplement programs for athletics and co-curricular activities.

As such I can say it's a fact for our division (and is common practice) that Middle School and High School Band and Chorus Directors receive a supplement specifically for music programs presented outside of normal school activities. $2500 - $3800 per year depending on level in our case.

Question: As a Music Teacher were you responsibile for major programs at a secondary school and did you receive a supplement? (Honest question, I don't know how it may have worked in other states.)

WW

 

[SweetSue92]

I'm in Human Resources and the guy that administers our supplement programs for athletics and co-curricular activities.

As such I can say it's a fact for our division (and is common practice) that Middle School and High School Band and Chorus Directors receive a supplement specifically for music programs presented outside of normal school activities. $2500 - $3800 per year depending on level in our case.

Question: As a Music Teacher were you responsibile for major programs at a secondary school and did you receive a supplement? (Honest question, I don't know how it may have worked in other states.)

WW

I was mostly elementary and was either compensated with time off or hourly pay, as I did multiple concerts per year. But as you must know, it is COMMON practice to ask/expect teachers to give up their own time for work events.

 

[WorldWatcher]

...until I retired. ....

I'll be joining you in retirement on January 5th after 25 years of taking care of the teachers (an assistants, food service, custodians, secretaries, etc.) that take care of our kids.

It's been a good run.

WW

 

[WorldWatcher]

I was mostly elementary and was either compensated with time off or hourly pay, as I did multiple concerts per year. But as you must know, it is COMMON practice to ask/expect teachers to give up their own time for work events.

Thank you (a) for the answer, and (b) for all that you did for you children.

WW

 

[SweetSue92]

I'll be joining you in retirement on January 5th after 25 years of taking care of the teachers (an assistants, food service, custodians, secretaries, etc.) that take care of our kids.

It's been a good run.

WW

Good for you! HIGHLY recommend. It's been entirely better than I could have ever hoped--and I loved teaching for so many years.

Congrats!

 

[WorldWatcher]

Good for you! HIGHLY recommend. It's been entirely better than I could have ever hoped--and I loved teaching for so many years.

Congrats!

Thank you Ma'am.

WW

 

[1srelluc]

Coaches/music teachers are usually paid extra, either by the hour or a certain amount per year. However, almost all teachers are asked to put in extra hours with no compensation for certain events.

OK so there is no point to your thread.....No ***** given about the rest, they should not sign a contract if they are not compensated. I'd not ask anyone to work for free.

 

[WorldWatcher]

Good for you! HIGHLY recommend. It's been entirely better than I could have ever hoped--and I loved teaching for so many years.

Congrats!

Guy in our graphis department gave me a retirement gift knowing I was a Geezer Gamer.

And ya, he built it off of me from out department photo.

WW
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[JoeB131]

I've read this all over social media this year: parents upset outraged because their children's schools are putting on Christmas programs during the day.

Well. As the kids say: FAFO. On top of low pay, no support and no respect, now parents expect teachers to give up an evening in December with their own family to make sure Ava and Jaxon have an evening concert.

Teachers just laugh these days.

This is what happens when you shred the social contract, and it's what my fellow conservatives have been doing to teachers for years. Hey Meghan, don't call us indoctrinators, groomers and worse and then expect us to give you unpaid time.

Dear Schools, Please Stop Scheduling School Concerts in the Middle of the Day — OnStage Blog

Showing up matters. For every kid, every parent, every school. But when concerts and performances happen during the workday, families can be left out.

www.onstageblog.com

If you were doing your jobs, no one would begrudge a little fun time.

But little Timmy is going to get through 14 years of public education and still not be able to read or do simple math, that should worry people.

 

[Seymour Flops]

Teachers are FLSA exempt employees, they are paid to do a certain job. There is no "unpaid time" because they don't punch a clock. The job is to create lesson plans, develop lesson materials, deliver the information in such a way as to motivate the child to learn, check for understanding, provide out of classroom materials to support the lesson objectives (homework), evaluate understanding, and test for matery of the subjects objectives.

There is no "clock to punch" for "paid time vs. unpaid time".

The question becomes what is fair compensation for the amount of work to complete the needed tasks for the skill level required.

Oh, and BTW. Band and Chorus Directors - you know the ones that put together such programs - are some of the MOST passionate teachers that you will ever meet regarding their area.

WW

It turns out that many teachers do punch a clock. We did not have to when I first started teaching, but several years ago, we started punching into a clock that read our fingerprints - but only to get paid for summer school hours.

Shortly after, it was everyone who was required to punch in ever day. The superintendent made a big deal out of having to punch in like everyone else and being fustrated with having to try multiple fingers because the reader would not take the fingerprint.

Yes, we are still required to work as much as it takes to finish things like lesson plans (and much more paperwork for Special ed Teachers). Our pay rate is daily, not hourly, so the time clock is meaningless other than making sure we show up (as if it would not be noticed if we did not show up). But we are also required to provide biometric proof that we were at school during duty hours.

Not complaining, teaching is the best job I've ever had. But I hadn't punched a clock since I worked in a warehouse during college, and I find it annoying for the reason you stated.

 

[1srelluc]

I'm also curious to know if the school systems in question just sprung this on parents or did the parents know about it when the school year started?

These are the things we need to know.

LOL....I can just see the reaction of my watch commander if I asked to get time off in December to attend a concert in the middle of my shift.

 

[80zephyr]

Coaches/music teachers are usually paid extra, either by the hour or a certain amount per year. However, almost all teachers are asked to put in extra hours with no compensation for certain events.

Again:

I did this for years and years and years with no problem. When the social fabric frayed to the point of near destruction, teachers stopped giving these freebies. The younger teachers, btw, are always the first to leave at the bell. They see no need to give extra, and I don't blame them.

I believe it was the teachers, for the most part, that frayed that social fabric. Parents reacted to it, and now they are the bad guys?

 

[braalian]

I've read this all over social media this year: parents upset outraged because their children's schools are putting on Christmas programs during the day.

Well. As the kids say: FAFO. On top of low pay, no support and no respect, now parents expect teachers to give up an evening in December with their own family to make sure Ava and Jaxon have an evening concert.

Teachers just laugh these days.

This is what happens when you shred the social contract, and it's what my fellow conservatives have been doing to teachers for years. Hey Meghan, don't call us indoctrinators, groomers and worse and then expect us to give you unpaid time.

Dear Schools, Please Stop Scheduling School Concerts in the Middle of the Day — OnStage Blog

Showing up matters. For every kid, every parent, every school. But when concerts and performances happen during the workday, families can be left out.

www.onstageblog.com

Um, don’t you get a few months off paid in the summer?