600 teachers' aides call in sick

cant say i blame these people, i wouldnt work my job for that kind of money and i DONT have to deal with kids...

nice

"The district has said it can't afford the pay raise," but yet IIRC the superintendent and school board got one in the past year, along with the teachers.....

And what is the official view of the teachers' union about this sick-out? Heck, what is the unofficial view?

curious in NM wrote:

"The district has said it can't afford the pay raise," but yet IIRC the superintendent and school board got one in the past year, along with the teachers.....
And what is the official view of the teachers' union about this sick-out? Heck, what is the unofficial view?

I'm so glad you asked. Here is my UNOFFICIAL view.

My hat is off to the hard working EA's who perform a much needed, valuable service to teachers in the overcrowded class rooms. There is a massive amount of wasted money going to people in unneeded positions in APS management. Monica Armenta is a prime example.$105,000 a year to act as APS Public Spokesperson & to my knowledge she's only issued two statements in the last two years. The first was totally screwed up by Monica on her comment about the Cardboard Gun incident. All was not in vain, she's related to the Armenta who is president of Quest. Quest was given the contract for APS's phone service although they turned in the highest bid.

As I stated I am for the raise but I feel the timing is very bad with our country sinking daily into a more severe recession. With the closing of businesses, a massive nationwide job loss we are headed straight into a depression if Obama can't halt this fiasco created by the Bush Administration's overspending. Banks & the automobile industry going under is very serious. I pray Obama can turn this around & I have faith in him. FDR brought the country out of the last depression but he didn't do it overnight nor will Obama be able to. At this point anybody with a secure job needs to kiss the ground they walk on & EA's jobs are secure as long as they don't rock the boat. I think it wise for the "sick 600" to have a miraculous recovery (Praise the Lord), return to work & wait for a more stable time to demand a raise. There are many more than 600 qualified, out of work individuals who would be grateful to fill the 600 vacancies should this nonsense continue. Nobody is indispensable as the Air Traffic Controllers found out to their sorrow when they pulled their sick-out & were replaced about 20 years ago. Kinda hurt my feelings when I retired that the company I worked for didn't miss a beat & is moving along nicely even without me. <snif> Again, my point is NOBODY is INDISPENSABLE & the method being used to bring APS to their knees by a third of the EA's may backfire on them.

The sick-out was unofficial. I'm an EA and my union rep said he knew nothing about it. I went to work because I realize my job working with kids is more important than the extra 60 cents the union is asking for. The union needs to continue working for an increase, not hurt the students. No, I don't get a great salary but I also realize I get retirement, insurance, and other benefits that many don't get. And I know I'm not going to get laid off like is happening to so many others.

Please don't misunderstand my question, but why are severely mentaly challenged children, some who have to be tube feed and some that wear pampers doing in APS classrooms? Also how does this effect the "normal" children? Just curious.

APS, UNM, UNMH, KAFB, Sandia Labs....name it. Nepotism, cronyism and corruption live out on the open. I worked in a dept in one of those afore mentioned institutions that was 2x over headcount. People surfing the web ALL day long. There were folks who punched in and WENT HOME for the day. Daily 2 hours lunches. This was all documented and reported - and the whistle blowers(me for one) were written up!!! Welcome to your dollars not at work.

Hispano wrote:

Please don't misunderstand my question, but why are severely mentaly challenged children, some who have to be tube feed and some that wear pampers doing in APS classrooms? Also how does this effect the "normal" children? Just curious.

The law says that every child has a right receive an education. The children in the ISP (intensive support program) are not in class with the general education population, except during integration time, which varies depending on what the ISP student can handle. These children do benefit from being in school. They do get an education, it may not be traditional but they learn skills that will benefit each one of them individually. They may learn how to feed themselves or how to sort. Some kids even learn to write, count, ect. The general education children are not negatively impacted by this. If anything, the general education children learn to be more accepting and tolerant of others. If there is a distration during an integration time, then the student doing the dirupting is usually removed so that the class can continue. No offense was taken from your comment, I just wanted to respond to your quote.

I am a former employee of the Albuquerque Public School system where I was an Educational Assistant for two years in a special education intensive support class. Although I love the class, it was one of the hardest jobs that I ever had. I wish the media would disclose all of the facts. The news segments made the Educational Assistants look like they do not care for the students. When in fact, they would not do the job they do if not for the students! Educational Assistants make $13,000 or less per year. How does anyone live off of that level of income? The news segments reported their hourly rate, but did not mention that their income is pro-rated through the summer.

All new hire APS Educational Assistants have to have an Associate’s degree. Those who were hired before APS implemented this rule had to take classes and pass a test to remain an Educational Assistant. I wish that the news media would follow an assistant who works in a special education class with students with severe disabilities to see what they do on a daily basis. I know that most people, including APS Superintendant, do not know all that is required by Educational Assistants in those classrooms. The Educational Assistants change diapers, feed students (sometimes through a tube), deal with aggressive behaviors (biting, kicking, hair pulling, etc.), and work with them on their Individual Education Plan goals. They are with the students all day except during their 30 min lunch or two 15 minute breaks. However, the breaks are not always taken because this requires leaving the other assistant in the class with all of the work. I know it is only 15 minutes but when you in that situation, it can feel like forever.

Most Educational Assistants do not have to attend PE, art, music, lunch, or recesses with their students but this is not the case for assistants in intensive special education classes. Not only do Educational Assistants attend all activities with their students, but many times the assistant is doing “hand-over-hand” support so that the student can participate in the activity. During my first year as an Educational Assistant, I worked in a classroom that had five students. Three of the students were wheel chair bound also in diapers. When you change a student who cannot support their own body weight, you have to have two people to lift the student and ensure that they stay safely on the changing table. Overall, it was a very hard job. The only reason to work as an Educational Assistant is because of the students!

As was proven yesterday, special education classes cannot function properly without their Educational Assistants! They deserve to be paid for the job they do! I am now a stay at home mother but I fully support the Educational Assistants.

Megan wrote:

<quoted text>
The law says that every child has a right receive an education. The children in the ISP (intensive support program) are not in class with the general education population, except during integration time, which varies depending on what the ISP student can handle. These children do benefit from being in school. They do get an education, it may not be traditional but they learn skills that will benefit each one of them individually. They may learn how to feed themselves or how to sort. Some kids even learn to write, count, ect. The general education children are not negatively impacted by this. If anything, the general education children learn to be more accepting and tolerant of others. If there is a distration during an integration time, then the student doing the dirupting is usually removed so that the class can continue. No offense was taken from your comment, I just wanted to respond to your quote.

Thank you for the insight.

Megan wrote:

<quoted text>
The law says that every child has a right receive an education. The children in the ISP (intensive support program) are not in class with the general education population, except during integration time, which varies depending on what the ISP student can handle. These children do benefit from being in school. They do get an education, it may not be traditional but they learn skills that will benefit each one of them individually. They may learn how to feed themselves or how to sort. Some kids even learn to write, count, ect. The general education children are not negatively impacted by this. If anything, the general education children learn to be more accepting and tolerant of others. If there is a distration during an integration time, then the student doing the dirupting is usually removed so that the class can continue. No offense was taken from your comment, I just wanted to respond to your quote.

The general education children are impacted by the special needs children. A large proportion of the APS budget goes to a handful of children.

Seems to me when someone accepts a job, they know the pay scale. It also seems smarter people in this world know they won't be getting 10% raises each year working for a school system. DUH!

So why are the EA's acting like they are victims??

Can't they figure this out themselves??? Maybe they need to sit as students (again) and get a better education if they want more $$$ in their lives.

I'll take their job ANY day....

signed: Recently Laid off

Laid off wrote:

Seems to me when someone accepts a job, they know the pay scale. It also seems smarter people in this world know they won't be getting 10% raises each year working for a school system. DUH!
So why are the EA's acting like they are victims??
Can't they figure this out themselves??? Maybe they need to sit as students (again) and get a better education if they want more $$$ in their lives.
I'll take their job ANY day....
signed: Recently Laid off

[APS is always looking to hire EAs, where is your application?

hispano wrote:

<quoted text>[APS is always looking to hire EAs, where is your application?

That's like saying everyone is built to go into the military, or be a mechanic, or doctor. He was just saying that this was a voluntary choice. Not mandatory or forced. They were not drafted and could leave/quit without going AWOL. Of course, that may all change soon. JK.

I would have fired all the EA's that called in sick. With the unemployment as bad as it is, replacements would have been easy to find.

hispano wrote:

<quoted text>[APS is always looking to hire EAs, where is your application?

already taken care - even have access to a kevlar vest!

laid off wrote:

<quoted text>
already taken care - even have access to a kevlar vest!

A kevlar vest to work with children tweleve and under? Your an idiot,no wonder you were laid off!!

How many EA's and teachers will be sick tomorrow on November 21 because they don't officially have Parent-Teacher conferences? I know of several who are going to call in sick. Bureaucracy breeds deviance.

you have to have finished high school

Laid off wrote:

Seems to me when someone accepts a job, they know the pay scale. It also seems smarter people in this world know they won't be getting 10% raises each year working for a school system. DUH!
So why are the EA's acting like they are victims??
Can't they figure this out themselves??? Maybe they need to sit as students (again) and get a better education if they want more $$$ in their lives.
I'll take their job ANY day....
signed: Recently Laid off

but the cant fill all the positions..did you miss that?

Grump wrote:

I would have fired all the EA's that called in sick. With the unemployment as bad as it is, replacements would have been easy to find.