bamakelly

jersey: Thank you. VERY well stated. Represents teachers, nurses, farmers and all. I love my job and I would not trade it for any other, regardless of the downsides. But I always know I have a choice if ever I change my mind. This world is full of opportunity; why knock others for the opportunities we have not taken ourselves?

Ann41

My parents were both teachers and worked like crazy! And, jor, my father grew up on a farm, so should he get a double-discount??

My mother was the type of teacher who was at school an hour before the kids, and didn't get home until at least 7 p.m. I think we once figured out her hourly rate to be about $1.10. After 25 years as a music teacher, retiring 3 years ago, who was recognized once as teacher of the year in the state, her top salary was less than $40k--my little brother's starting salary as an engineer was more than that. So if she can get a discount at a hotel, so be it!

Teachers are still underpaid and underappreciated. It's such a difficult job--I certainly could never do it.

tracys2cents

Darn you, griswold! Always starting such controversial threads on Fodors!

k_999_9

Having had some association with the farming community, I can tell you that most farmers and their families have a chip on their shoulder (an even bigger one than teachers).

Farmers see themselves as a special group that's underappreciated by everyone, especially the government (which really isn't true, if you look at the USDA subsidies).

Operators of small farms are a particularly whiney bunch who complain that the government isn't doing anything to perpetuate their way of life -- even though most are politically conservative and insist that the government stay out of every other aspect of our lives.

There's a long history behind jor's post.

Leona

Perhaps the reason Jor under-appreciates teachers is that it is apparent by his post that he has never attended school and has no idea what teachers actually do & have to put up with.

My daughter is a teacher, and I bet my daughter can beat up your father!

Leona

Sorry, Clark, I forgot to say "thank you" for posting this helpful bit of information. Never heard of it, but it's a great perk, almost as good as getting paid NOT to grow certain foods!

logandog

I've been a teacher for 15 years. I am well paid, I don't deserve any special discounts.

FlyFish

I don't particularly care who does or doesn't get a discount, but as a point of clarification - for Federal employees the government rate at hotels is not intended to be some sort of perk, but rather is intended to keep the cost to taxpayers down. Officially, you're supposed to be traveling on government business and be able to prove it by showing your TA (travel authorization). In practice, most hotels don't bother to enforce the rules, but that doesn't change the fact.

muffin_eater

jor : knowing your background in farming - I now understand why you write the way you do.

From now on, I will use the word "joron" instead of "moron".

jor

Leona, I have not put down teachers or education. Yet you and others see fit to knock me down and insult me. BTW I have two University degrees. One in Agricultural Science and one in Architecture. Also, I was once employed as a University teacher's assistant. I no longer farm and I have worked in the architecture profession for many years. I have been involved in the education system longer than the vast majority of Americans.

My father was forced to quit school in the 8th grade in order to work on the family farm. He had no education in life to be anything other than what he grew up learning on the farm. When he got back from the war he had no other choice but to stay on the farm.

Muffin Eater, the insults that farmers have had to endure over the generations such as yours are terrible. Dirty farmers, Plow boys, Smelly farmers coming into town. And you, Leona - you would like your daughter to beat up my 80 year old father? To suggest something like that is so pathetic. He is the hardest working and the most loyal man I have ever known. In his day he spent countless days working in neighbor's barns when they were sick, in addition to tending to his own herd. Sometimes 20 hours of hard labor per day.

So go ahead and keep attacking me, my father and the farming community if that's what you have been taught. My points were posted only to air that farmers work every single day of the year and they don't get travel perks and holidays off.

muffin_eater

wahhhhhhh. have another baby bottle of goat's milk, joron.

wemr

I live in the "burbs" now but I lived in a farming area small town until I was 22. I heard all of these sort of put downs and jokes about farmers, believe me. While I do not agree with 'some' things Jor has said I believe some of you are adding to the negative stereotypes and myths which you have held in your lives. I hope people realize that American farmers are the most educated and successful of any on earth. That comment was right out of child's mouth, Muffin.

muffin_eater

The problem you failed to recognize is that joron has derailed a genuine goodwill gesture by clarkgriswold.

Leona

Why don't we all just agree that every hard-working person in every industry deserves some perks.

And if some hotel chains choose to bestow a perk upon teachers, how nice of them to do it.

BTW, jor, I worked on Veteran's Day, as did my husband & my daughter. (And we are in 3 different professions.)

greenfieldhunter

Wow, you guys really got on a tear last night!

Teachers, please clarify. You guys don't get the summer off? I am shocked. I always knew that many teachers worked to earn extra cash as you guys are way way underpaid but I thought summers off where at least an option. I know you guys work hard sometimes without support from community and parents.

Farmers as well work freakishly hard. Dairy farmers especially. As we distance ourselves from the land farmers and their lifestyles are more misunderstood. So many people involved with farming are now just farm workers working for a corporation. I suspect many of these people would love to see the end of the factory farm and a return to more traditional farming.(animals actually seeing the outdoors and maybe even green grass)

To the people who bitch about corporate farming- do your homework, buy local organic, try and trace your food source and support your LOCAL farmer. Todays small farms are tomorrows strip malls, especially around current sprawl. Meet the people who grow and produce your food but get ready- good food costs more, so pay up or shut up.

Jor, I am suprised by your post but I understand your frustration. Just don't take it out on teachers. We need teachers for strong communities just as much as society needs farmers. I will not starve if ALL of you guys shut down tomorrow but I might have to resort to eating more venison.

I would love to see an end to many aspects of modern farming and many farmers I know are extremely conservative until they apply for government subsidy. Other than that they do not want to be told what to do or how to farm - remember when no one used waterways when planting a field? It took the government to make them and we all benefit.

I live in the Shenendoah Valley- some of the most furtile land in the world. What do we grow?- Housing Developments. When we try to control this runaway development in rural areas the farmers scream and vote for rightwingers. Take your chip off your shoulder. Look to the people and politicians who support the SMALL farmer and stay away from the real estate man.

"Farmland lost is farmland lost forever"- Piedmont Environmental Council

"These are the hills that your daddies died for, how could they know we would have treated them so?"- Gengis Angus

wemr

Farmers in my area of the burbs sell out to real estate developers because they have no other choice. They can not make a living on their small (by today's reality) 160 acres with the small profit/cost ratio and the skyrocketing real estate tax burden caused by residential development surrounding them. They are choked to death until they submit.

beachbum

When they spend two months every summer at their "cabin" in the San Juan's, anyone will have a hard time convincing me that my two teacher (married couple) friends either don't have the summer off, or are underpaid. I don't begrudge it to them, but facts are facts.

And don't get me started on days off for teachers here in Oregon. My two teenagers are off today, were off yesterday, and will be off the Friday AND Monday following Thanksgiving. That's not to mention the four days of parent/teacher conferences and/or "in-service" in the last two months.

TripleSecDelay

Okay, beachbum, but if you call or email any of your kids' teachers, I will bet that they are working on something related to their jobs - or have put in some amount of hours. Try it. I have.

seetheworld

Don't you believe parent/teacher conferences are important? Are they too inconvenient for parents to attend? If I held my conferences on a Saturday or Sunday, would you come and would you consider that fair?

Ya, all of that time off is just one big party for teachers.

People believe that because teachers have the "summers off" that they are overpaid. I get paid for the time I work. As far as my summers are concerned, in order to maintain my certifications (and I have multiple certifications in order to better serve the children I work with) I must continually participate in professional development. Those in-service days are part of a school districts effort to be sure teachers get a start on the hours necessary to meet state requirements (it is the school's responsibility as well as the individual teacher). It is also the most economical way to offer staff development. If a school does not offer in-service development, I would be very, very concerned about the school's educational philosophy.

In addition to in-service development, teachers must attend classes and additional workshops during the summer (there is rarely any time for it during the school year other than in-service). When I take a 3 credit course it will cost ME $3,000 as well as the hours necessary to complete the work. I'm not complaining - I love the teaching profession.

Jor, I give thanks everyday for the food that I eat because I know full well many are not as fortunate. Many believe that hunger only occurs in third world countries but plenty go to bed hungry in our very own country - that is simply unacceptable.

I am also appalled by some of the immature responses and insults (but not surprised).

I support local farmers by purchasing their produce at our local farmers' market. I have great respect for the difficult work they endure. My grandparents were farmers, my mother grew up on a farm. Good people.

Please give teachers the respect they deserve. It's just not about having summers off. They are a dedicated group of professionals who are trying to make a difference in the lives of children.

I think we can all agree that we only want the best for each and every child.

mona

Thanks, clarkgriswold, for the tip. I have tried to get the discount and sometimes it even works!
As to jor and others, teaching is a not just a job; it is a lifestyle. In exchange for working incredibly hard for limited pay, you do get more time off than many professions. As to the pay, in my large school district, most make about $30-35K with the highest topping out at $44K for 15+ years experience plus a masters or doctorate. School days themselves are exhausting but highly rewarding (just not monetarily). In the summer, most teachers do manage to take a few weeks just for themselves, while spending some weeks on graduate courses or classroom prep. If we didn't have more time off than the typical job, burnout would be even more prevalent than it is. Over half of new teachers quit within 5 years as it is.
No reason to "dis" anyone's choice of profession; they are all necessary!