The Glade 4.0

I guess it would have been even more impressive if he was a product of public education, and chose to teach at public schools; instead we have an inspirational product of (elite) private schooling who chose to teach at (elite) private schools. Inspirational, yes, but not really a standard bearer for our country's public school system.

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"Dress cops up as soldiers, give them military equipment, train them in military tactics, tell them they’re fighting a ‘war,’ and the consequences are predictable." —Radley Balko

It wasn't my intent to really start any debate about public vs private schooling. More a general support for the teaching profession.

That said, I had several teachers just like him through out my public schooling.

I've never held caring, driven, professional, effective teachers in anything but the highest regard.

I found his use of the same disparagement that teachers receive against another profession distasteful.

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"Dress cops up as soldiers, give them military equipment, train them in military tactics, tell them they’re fighting a ‘war,’ and the consequences are predictable." —Radley Balko

You mean the section where he comments that he was biting his tongue and specifically not using the same disparagement towards the lawyer?

Yes, that singular time, in his tale, if we are to believe it to be a true recounting of actual events, he did not say what he thought: "that it's true what they say about lawyers"; he only thought of doing it. While the many, many times he has recounted the tale he has said such with accompanying snarky comments, facial expressions and "sounds" - eliciting laughter from his audience. There's a term that describes what doing that is...

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"Dress cops up as soldiers, give them military equipment, train them in military tactics, tell them they’re fighting a ‘war,’ and the consequences are predictable." —Radley Balko

That is certainly a perspective.

I guess I viewed it as him turning the mirror back around.

To whom? My understanding of what you are saying is that he would have needed to show his fellow dinner guest the mirror, not his audiences. He didn't do it to the supposed target, he did it in for the enjoyment of his audiences (remember who this guy performs for).

As I said, I found it distasteful. You may not have, that's fine. I think his facial expressions, the vocalizations he used and his reaction to the laughter of the audience pretty clearly show what his intent was.

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"Dress cops up as soldiers, give them military equipment, train them in military tactics, tell them they’re fighting a ‘war,’ and the consequences are predictable." —Radley Balko

His presentation was more a comment about how people act than what their job is. It really had nothing to do with the jobs themselves, it had to do with their motivation to do the jobs and what came of them.

I just want him to make a contribution to his health care benies. =p

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“Strong people are harder to kill than weak people, and more useful in general”. - Mark Rippetoe

+1

Teachers are nice people and most of them are deserving of our praise. However I think they've gotten tied to this entity that calls itself a labor union that does some bad things. The roll of a labor union should be to split profits between workers and share holders. In a government setting there is no profit, just limitedly available funds.

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I prefer to think of them as "Fighting evil in another dimension"

Also if we got rid of these teachers' unions the teachers could take the money that's taken out of their check that goes to the union to pay for their healthcare. Or if they are a healthy young adult they could just pocket it if they prefer.

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I prefer to think of them as "Fighting evil in another dimension"

Benies are part of the overall compensation package. As long as on a whole it's in line with the market, how much they contribute to their health plan vs. salary doesn't matter.

In other words, your statement is meaningless, because compensation is more than just health benies.

Well that's the thing, I dont know where he's from but here in NJ it's way out of line with the market. Teachers here contribute exactly 0 to healthcare benefits and it's for life, for your whole family once you've been in a few years. They flipped out when Christie proposed they contribute 1.5% of salary to it.

It's not like they make 12k a year and get amazing benefits. They're paid well, 4th highest in the nation at around 60k average. All the teachers I know (including both sister in laws) are good people and deserve good money and benefits. Problem is these unions are thugs and just awful at PR.

It's tough all over. I havent had a raise in years and lucky to have my job, came 'this close' to getting downsized and all that. Sorry you need to pay into the healthcare and a wage freeze wouldnt be the end of the world.

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“Strong people are harder to kill than weak people, and more useful in general”. - Mark Rippetoe

How's Christie doing with all this? There's talk of him being a presidential candidate.

I would vote for him so fast.

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Los Angeles Kings 2014 Stanley Cup Champions

"I love this **** team right here."
-Jonathan Quick

As well as can be expected i think. He's been making a lot of progress and right now the towns and such are bracing for the 2% property tax increase cap and being forced to make cuts and such.

By no means is the job done but it's in the right direction no doubt.

Anecdotally, I had some extended family over yesterday and people from California were asking me what I thought of Christie. I personally dont think he will run but it could happen.

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“Strong people are harder to kill than weak people, and more useful in general”. - Mark Rippetoe

I don't think he'll run, either. But I would totally vote for him.

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Los Angeles Kings 2014 Stanley Cup Champions

"I love this **** team right here."
-Jonathan Quick

Last I heard his official position was he still had a lot to get done in NJ before he could even think about that.

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I prefer to think of them as "Fighting evil in another dimension"

Not all teachers get paid well. According to my mom, my younger brother got paid under $20K in his first year of teaching in the late 90's. (Low-income school district in rural NC.)

Compare that to my ex-sister-in-law in the Philly suburbs. She was only a year behind in terms of her graduation year, taught the same grade, and had the same basic education degree, but started at $35k.

Of course, the cost of living in NC was much lower where he was...

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When he's underwater does he get wet? Or does the water get him instead?

Yeah when they first start out it's not much. Then again I didnt make much more than 20k right out of college either so I'm not sure how that's a problem for a teacher.

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“Strong people are harder to kill than weak people, and more useful in general”. - Mark Rippetoe

It's really easy to become a teacher, so I don't see why they should get paid so much.

That's part of the problem with our education system as it is. Teachers, by and large, are overpaid and under-qualified.

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It shouldn't be that hard to become a teacher. I mean, seriously, what qualifications do you need to become an algebra teacher? A math degree, or technical math-heavy degree, a teaching certificate, some training in how to handle children (which is probably included in the teaching cert), a clean record, and decent references. You certainly don't need higher than a bachelors degree.

I see teaching being more of a performance - based profession, not so much a qualifications - based proffession. Conveying the material's the problem, not knowledge of it.

You can't teach something you don't know. I regularly get veteran public school teachers from a highly recommended school system in my graduate classes. I regularly watch them fail grammar tests, write papers worse than was allowable for college freshman in their first term, and with the literary knowledge and vocabulary of grapefruit.

I spend a lot of my time arguing with our Education Department over their curriculum and requirements; and I fill out more than my share of grade justifications failing Education Majors and Teachers.

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