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Forum -> Chinuch, Education & Schooling
Tuition raised 2k per child to cover teacher’s bloated salar
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imorethanamother




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, May 25 2022, 1:49 pm
amother [ Pistachio ] wrote:
I was forced to pay in full during covid. And also for the dinner. And for the bus fee. The school got millions from the government. If your telling me people stopped paying I have a hard time believing that because they wouldn't even give me a break when I called and explained my situation. I doubt they only made me pay. But if they did, then how is that fair? Why am I covering for the people that don't pay when I can't afford it? Where did the millions on covid money go? Where did the millions they raised in a fundraiser go? Nobody knows. It's a bottomless pit that loves to cry poverty. If I want to get a $360 break so as not to pay the dinner fee I need to send paperwork detailing how I spend every penny. If they want to raise me $2k there is no justification.


As someone said above regarding government funds, if your school somehow swindled “millions” that you believe they received for Covid, then in short order your principal will be in prison and then you can all breathe a sigh of relief.

The IRS does not mess around. Anyone who stole Covid money, especially a school, especially to the tune of millions of dollars, will be caught.

In my neighborhood, a school got a grant for extra security after some local school shootings. The government said that they have to use X amount for a fence, some other reinforcement measures, and a teeny amount for actual security forces.

The zoning department said they weren’t allowed to build the security fence.

The money went unused, but you can Google it and see that the school received a hefty sum but not that they didn’t use it. It went back to the government.
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amother
Pistachio


 

Post Wed, May 25 2022, 1:49 pm
imorethanamother wrote:
I guess you really do know everything. We are all lying to you. Everyone you know paid full tuition and the schools just pocketed it and made a lavish party for teachers you weren’t invited to. Your principal is probably outside your car, right now, stealing the gas from the fuel tank.

Question: have you ever run a business? You know, paid rent on a property, paid taxes, had employees? And not just five employees but hundreds?

Also, no one is forcing you to do anything. If you hate your children’s jewish education so much, there are alternatives. You could have pulled your children out that entire time during Covid and homeschooled your children. You sound really mad.

I would think you’re sad about your financial predicament, which would make me empathetic. But instead you insist that people at your child’s school are rashaim who need a din v’cheshbon. If you really believe that, it’s probably time for you to leave the school.


Since you know everything, where did all the covid money go? How does it cost more to run a closed school than an open one? How come I still needed to pay for full bus service when the busses were sitting parked and not using gas...at least give back some money? Who decided which people paid tuition and which didn't, since everyone I know was charged full during covid?

I don't think the money went to teachers. I think it went to people at the top. That's my guess. If it's not true, then where did all the money go?
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amother
Clear


 

Post Wed, May 25 2022, 1:53 pm
There is a list of which schools received PPP- you know to pay staff salaries during the shutdown. Most Lakewood schools are on that list.
There was exactly 1 school who refunded any money from those 3/4 months.
And in the few schools I know, anyone who couldn't afford tuition, the amount was added to their following years tuition so it just got pushed off.
Why did they need our tuition money if they were getting PPP? No one knows.
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imorethanamother




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, May 25 2022, 2:00 pm
amother [ Pistachio ] wrote:
Since you know everything, where did all the covid money go? How does it cost more to run a closed school than an open one? How come I still needed to pay for full bus service when the busses were sitting parked and not using gas...at least give back some money? Who decided which people paid tuition and which didn't, since everyone I know was charged full during covid?

I don't think the money went to teachers. I think it went to people at the top. That's my guess. If it's not true, then where did all the money go?


Off the top of my head:

Rent still needed to be paid.
Property taxes.
Salaries.
Health insurance for employees.
Accountants.
Unemployment taxes.
Heat so that water pipes don’t freeze and burst.
Water and sewage, although lower use, still have fixed monthly costs.
Technology bills for those who had to learn how to use a tablet.
Some schools bought tablets for all students.

Your donors stopped giving. Many own real estate and people were told they didn’t have to pay rent anymore, so there goes their income. Nursing homes lost a lot of money. People who own businesses saw a huge dip and stopped giving. So there goes your subsidized tuition rate.

Your school does not own their own bus. They pay an outside company for the rental of their drivers and buses. They sign contracts with them. Sure, you can renege on your contract, and now when Covid is over (which people thought would be any minute), your bus company will not service you anymore and keep you as a customer. Now you’re out transportation.

Also, I’m tired of the whole “everyone you know”. First of all, you don’t know everyone in the school. Second of all, no one ever is completely upfront with anyone about their finances. And if you think they are, maybe you should work in the schools financial office.
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imorethanamother




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, May 25 2022, 2:02 pm
amother [ Clear ] wrote:
There is a list of which schools received PPP- you know to pay staff salaries during the shutdown. Most Lakewood schools are on that list.
There was exactly 1 school who refunded any money from those 3/4 months.
And in the few schools I know, anyone who couldn't afford tuition, the amount was added to their following years tuition so it just got pushed off.
Why did they need our tuition money if they were getting PPP? No one knows.


Why did you keep paying property taxes when public schools were all shut down? Maybe you should demand a rebate from your state and see how that goes.
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amother
Pistachio


 

Post Wed, May 25 2022, 2:07 pm
imorethanamother wrote:
Off the top of my head:

Rent still needed to be paid.
Property taxes.
Salaries.
Health insurance for employees.
Accountants.
Unemployment taxes.
Heat so that water pipes don’t freeze and burst.
Water and sewage, although lower use, still have fixed monthly costs.
Technology bills for those who had to learn how to use a tablet.
Some schools bought tablets for all students.

Your donors stopped giving. Many own real estate and people were told they didn’t have to pay rent anymore, so there goes their income. Nursing homes lost a lot of money. People who own businesses saw a huge dip and stopped giving. So there goes your subsidized tuition rate.

Your school does not own their own bus. They pay an outside company for the rental of their drivers and buses. They sign contracts with them. Sure, you can renege on your contract, and now when Covid is over (which people thought would be any minute), your bus company will not service you anymore and keep you as a customer. Now you’re out transportation.

Also, I’m tired of the whole “everyone you know”. First of all, you don’t know everyone in the school. Second of all, no one ever is completely upfront with anyone about their finances. And if you think they are, maybe you should work in the schools financial office.


Actually my school does own their busses. They did not buy tablets for anyone. It wasn't so cold that pipes would burst in March. Ppp loans were supposed to cover salaries and other incidentals you mentioned. I didn't say they should have given back everyone's full tuition money. But they could have been gracious and given back even 50% of just the bus money.
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amother
Honeydew


 

Post Wed, May 25 2022, 2:50 pm
I didn't read most of the thread, but I'm a parent in this school and what I find most disturbing is that they were very public about the fact that they're now raising their teachers with the help of the Agudah's new initiative, and then came to parents to fundraise for teachers' raises, AND now sent out a letter that they'll need another $2k per child for those same raises that the fundraising and the Agudah are helping with.

Somehow I have a hard time believing that every teacher is receiving such a large raise. $2k/child, 25 kids in a class, 2 teachers per class who are definitely NOT getting a $25k raise. Or a $20k raise. Or even a $15k raise. Something is off here.
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amother
Chicory


 

Post Wed, May 25 2022, 2:57 pm
amother [ OP ] wrote:
So my friend is a single girl in Lakewood and her pitiful salary for the TWO hours a day she works, roughly eight months a YEAR-drumroll please-18k and being raised to 23k for next year. True the number is not high but she’s making over 125$ AN HOUR!!!!!! Do something else for the rest of the day if you want more money.
Mind you this is for a single girl, once she gets married they’ll probably double her salary.
My sister is an extremely sought after teacher, many parents have called the school to be switched to her class even mid year but she still got paid 12k the first year and now the standard 18k for single teachers (I posted before it was 12k but she clarified that now she gets 18k). Like they don’t acknowledge how good a job she’s doing through payment and even punish her for being single. To some it may sound like a lot for half a day (around 4-5 hours) with the assumption that she can teach the other half and get another 18k. But she said it’s just not possible to teach the other half because of how much energy it takes. She makes sure she has tons of patience with her first graders and that level wouldn’t be possible if she was teaching both halves. Also, thousands of dollars get taken off for taxes every year plus they took my other sister's tuition off her payment without asking and she was barely left with anything after a whole year of teaching.
So even though she loves teaching she’s heartbroken about having to leave the field pretty soon. It’s just not a sustainable salary.
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vintagebknyc




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, May 25 2022, 3:00 pm
amother [ Chicory ] wrote:
My sister is an extremely sought after teacher, many parents have called the school to be switched to her class even mid year but she still got paid 12k the first year and now the standard 18k for single teachers (I posted before it was 12k but she clarified that now she gets 18k). Like they don’t acknowledge how good a job she’s doing through payment and even punish her for being single. To some it may sound like a lot for half a day (around 4-5 hours) with the assumption that she can teach the other half and get another 18k. But she said it’s just not possible to teach the other half because of how much energy it takes. She makes sure she has tons of patience with her first graders and that level wouldn’t be possible if she was teaching both halves. Also, thousands of dollars get taken off for taxes every year plus they took my other sister's tuition off her payment without asking and she was barely left with anything after a whole year of teaching.
So even though she loves teaching she’s heartbroken about having to leave the field pretty soon. It’s just not a sustainable salary.


Do you mean unmarried teachers? This is HIGHLY illegal in America. People who are married get paid exactly the same as people who are not, by law.
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imorethanamother




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, May 25 2022, 3:11 pm
vintagebknyc wrote:
Do you mean unmarried teachers? This is HIGHLY illegal in America. People who are married get paid exactly the same as people who are not, by law.


Notice how not one person asked how much a Rebbe makes.

They make substantially more than female teachers. This is a fact.

And no one is offering that some kid who just graduated high school can now go be a fourth grade rebbe, but this is what we expect from women.
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#BestBubby




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, May 25 2022, 3:15 pm
imorethanamother wrote:
Notice how not one person asked how much a Rebbe makes.

They make substantially more than female teachers. This is a fact.

And no one is offering that some kid who just graduated high school can now go be a fourth grade rebbe, but this is what we expect from women.


Rebbes work much longer hours.

Sometimes for shachris (7:30 am) until 2 -3 in the afternoon. and SUNDAYS.

Much less vacation days.

And boys are HARDER.

Female teachers in boys schools (for English) get paid more than those who teach girls.
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imorethanamother




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, May 25 2022, 3:23 pm
#BestBubby wrote:
Rebbes work much longer hours.

Sometimes for shachris (7:30 am) until 2 -3 in the afternoon. and SUNDAYS.

Much less vacation days.

And boys are HARDER.

Female teachers in boys schools (for English) get paid more than those who teach girls.


Doesn't answer why we just don't hire young boys out of high school to teach our kids.

Know why? Because we recognize EDUCATION and EXPERIENCE are CRUCIAL to children's educational development. (using all caps is fun)

We should pay female teachers a decent wage, especially the experienced, educated ones. Because our girls deserve a decent education.
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#BestBubby




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, May 25 2022, 3:40 pm
I happen to think the young girls out of seminary are often the best teachers.

Full of enthusiasm, have hours to devote to making creative lessons.

Often better than "experienced" teachers who may be pregnant, up all night with the baby,
and no time to prepare lessons.
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amother
Wallflower


 

Post Wed, May 25 2022, 3:46 pm
imorethanamother wrote:
Doesn't answer why we just don't hire young boys out of high school to teach our kids.

Know why? Because we recognize EDUCATION and EXPERIENCE are CRUCIAL to children's educational development. (using all caps is fun)

We should pay female teachers a decent wage, especially the experienced, educated ones. Because our girls deserve a decent education.


We should, I agree. And I don't think anyone disagrees either. But this is not the issue on hand. The issue on hand is that tuition and increases are becoming unaffordable for the average family and what can be done about it. Forcing people to choose between food and tuition is not the option.

So lets post some options around that. I'll start. Perhaps we should think about having our bochurim and young men go for the high flying degrees so they can afford a yiddishe lifestyle.
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amother
Tealblue


 

Post Wed, May 25 2022, 3:49 pm
Kinda an aside - I think the word bloated in the title is simply triggering to many in education.

I understand it’s coming from pain and frustration and a feeling of being stretched unfairly.

Even if a teacher was making 40K instead of 20K, I doubt anyone would call it bloated. Bloated means MAJORLY inflated, super excessive etc.

Bloated salaries would be if they were making much more than your average middle class worker. They’re not.

The exaggeration and use of a word with a negative connotation feels extra ugly and attacking to many of us. It brings out all the feelings in both sides.

Carry on…
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amother
Peach


 

Post Wed, May 25 2022, 4:08 pm
#BestBubby wrote:
I happen to think the young girls out of seminary are often the best teachers.

Full of enthusiasm, have hours to devote to making creative lessons.

Often better than "experienced" teachers who may be pregnant, up all night with the baby,
and no time to prepare lessons.


And this type of thinking contributes to the exploitation of teachers because people think that anyone can teach.

The reality is that being an effective teacher requires skill and experience and also talent to be truly great. Not every "experienced" teacher is fabulous but not every "experience" therapist is fabulous either. But would you rather go to a therapist with good training PLUS experience or someone with no experience or training because after all there are many people who can "listen" and offer advice and so who needs a skilled therapist? LOL

Teaching is a PROFESSION and is not the same as babysitting and keeping kids entertaining and not hurting themselves.
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amother
Chicory


 

Post Wed, May 25 2022, 8:24 pm
vintagebknyc wrote:
Do you mean unmarried teachers? This is HIGHLY illegal in America. People who are married get paid exactly the same as people who are not, by law.
Yes, please tell that to the school (not literally, don’t want to say which school it is).
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Batsheva1




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, May 25 2022, 10:02 pm
faigie wrote:
Here's what I think. If schools were run not for profit, as opposed to separate owners, tuition would go down. I've seen that in one yeshiva, Yeshivat Heatid in NJ. When a yeshiva is owned by a family, as in a business, there is going to be a lot of cash skimmed right off the top. If the owner needs a new home, guess who's tuition is going up?



Just for your information NONE of the schools in Bergen County are owned by individuals. They are all run by a board of directors and the head of school can be hired and fired by them. They are all not-for-profit institutions. Heatid has a lower tuition (which incidentally is between $11,000-$12,000 depending on the grade) than the other schools in Bergen County but still higher than most Lakewood schools because there are some foundations that they rely on to supplement the tuition and it is less top heavy (less administration) than the other schools in BC. They somehow found a model to keep the tuition about $5000 less than the other local elementary schools. Your theory claiming tuition would be lower if it wasn't owned by an individual doesn't really hold water because, like I said, individuals do not own any Bergen County schools and the tuitions are very high. The quality of the education and resources they provide can't be compared to the Lakewood schools either because they are superior.
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amother
Dustypink


 

Post Wed, May 25 2022, 10:20 pm
#BestBubby wrote:
I happen to think the young girls out of seminary are often the best teachers.

Full of enthusiasm, have hours to devote to making creative lessons.

Often better than "experienced" teachers who may be pregnant, up all night with the baby,
and no time to prepare lessons.


In my experience, they have been awful. The rare gifted one is very rare indeed. They don't compare in any way to a seasoned, competent, mature teacher. All the enthusiasm in the world cannot compensate for lack of maturity and experience. (Best Bubby, I'm a Bubby as well so I've got plenty of experience behind me to make that statement)
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dancingqueen




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, May 25 2022, 10:41 pm
amother [ Sapphire ] wrote:
Ours was raised to 7,500. Yes it’s low numbers. But still a raise is hard.


That’s tough but I can’t imagine how the school was operating on 5500 per kid until now. 7500 is still quite low for yeshiva tuition.
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