Laico's on Terhune?

 

MMMmmmm....haven't been to Laico's in a while; you just gave me a hankering. They've still got valet parking? Because the last time we tried to eat there it took us about 20 minutes of driving around to finally find a spot.

My school superindendent loved "compensation" so much he is now in prison, but not everyone gets caught. Thats Toms River.

MMMmmmm....haven't been to Laico's in a while; you just gave me a hankering. They've still got valet parking? Because the last time we tried to eat there it took us about 20 minutes of driving around to finally find a spot.

Only on weekends I believe. I lived on West side and ate at Laico's at least once a week when I was still a bachelor,The old waitress in those days use to make sure I always left with a doggy bag with a little extra maranar to tide me over.

Laico's does still have valet parking. Last time I went I had one of the best dinners I've had in a while.

 

Problem with merit pay is it doesn't address a lot of things. What happens to gym, art, etc... teachers? I teach severely learning disabled children do it's difficult to judge progress depending on the child and disability. Also you have the problem with vindictive administrators. They could easily set you up to fail with a class of trouble children or a grade level you're not good at. This year I have kindergarten children. I'm much better with older children so I'm struggling. There's a lot of things that come into play when you talk about merit pay that doesn't necessarily work with a lot of staff members. I'm not against the system just there needs to be a system put in place that works. Also there needs to be standardized test reform too. It's sad watching special Ed children that are technically at a 3rd grade age but functioning on a kindergarten level being forced to take 3rd grade tests. There's a lot broken with the education system. Everyone talks about bad teachers but I'd venture to say there are a lot more good ones than bad ones. Just like there are a lot more good cops than bad cops. There needs to be more support for teachers this way we can work to our full potential.

Great minds think alike! I have several friends who are GOOD Teachers who quietly complain to me and family members about the do-nothings and get-over Artists among their ranks getting the same pay for piss poor teaching. What everyone has to remember is that Unions WERE important way-back-when. Now they seem to have chosen to defend mediocrity, and let's face it---the Unions have become a Big Business themselves and often urge their members to vote against the 2A using dues dollars paid by members who wish it would stop.......

 

Remember that you'll find examples of the above in all professions where "organized and maintained mediocrity" is the order of the day. Not just Teaching!

 

You truly need to work in the profession to see why we need the NJEA. From the outside it looks like a complete sham, on the inside its a life line for good teachers. These higher ups are corrupt.... what do you think will happen to the worker(good or bad) when the union disappears?

 

 

You truly need to work in the profession to see why we need the NJEA. From the outside it looks like a complete sham, on the inside its a life line for good teachers. These higher ups are corrupt.... what do you think will happen to the worker(good or bad) when the union disappears?

 

Agreed. I've also never heard the NJEA even mention 2A rights or voting against it.

These higher ups are corrupt.... what do you think will happen to the worker(good or bad) when the union disappears?

 

Hmmm.... maybe the bad teachers will get canned and the good ones will make more money. You know... this silly thing called the free market.

You truly need to work in the profession to see why we need the NJEA. From the outside it looks like a complete sham, on the inside its a life line for good teachers. These higher ups are corrupt.... what do you think will happen to the worker(good or bad) when the union disappears?

 

Educate me with a couple examples please. I'm serious--if I'm wrong about something, I'd really like to know what "it" is.

 

Meanwhile, back in middle-class reality:

 

My son survived K-8 in Catholic School (NO Union) and did quite well. He earned a slot (only 40 new Freshman accepted per year from the entire County) in the Middlesex Co. Academy for Math, Science and Engineering Technologies and went on to Rowan for Mechanical Engineering. He's now on his own in Iowa as a Mechanical Engineer. No apparent ill effects from 9 years of non-union Teachers.

 

As to the higher-ups being corrupt, may I say that not everybody works for Toms River Schools. Or gets 3 hots and a cot because of it....

Hmmm.... maybe the bad teachers will get canned and the good ones will make more money. You know... this silly thing called the free market.

 

How's that working out for us, politically speaking?

How's that working out for us, politically speaking?

 

Strawman.

Agreed. I've also never heard the NJEA even mention 2A rights or voting against it.

 

Never intended to single-out NJEA as urging their members to vote against the 2A---YET........but they're are plenty that do that already and urge their members to vote for pols that don't have "our" best interests in mind!

Funny part is the catholic schools and charter schools can get rid of bad or underperforming kids. Usually that's what they do. My buddy Joe is a product of public school. Got accepted to the Bergen County Academy for the Advancement of Science and Technology. Got something like a 1500 on his SATs, attended USC, graduated with an engineering degree, and now makes 3-4 times then I do teaching. Public schools work too you know. Usually you get out what you out into it. Actually my public high school had 2 kids that got perfect SAT scores.

How good or bad a school is usually has little to do with how well a smart and motivated student will do. It does however play a role in the performance and education of the average student.

You have to understand the political aspect that takes place on a board of ED and within administration. How hard would it be for a student to lie about something and have a teacher fired and the situation swept under the rug? How difficult is it to stop the board for pink slipping a teacher so there niece could be hired next year? Want to fire the 20yr experienced teachers because they cost more? The board is elected they are no different then any other political aspect... these things already happen to good teachers..

 

No one is claiming non-union privatized schools are worse, but understand i went to catholic school my entire life and witnessed teachers fired for opinionated matters, and get paid a substantial amount less.

Strawman.

 

Schools are politics... they are not the free market.... they are the government.. it's a legitimate question.

I took your question to mean "how is our government working for us in general". My mistake if I misunderstood.

 

It's well past time to take the government OUT of the schools. Let parents decide where to send their kids. A quasi-voucher* system worked great in DC.... until Obama ended it.

 

Start a real voucher system that allows parents to better spend their property tax money.

 

*I say "quasi" because it was heavily funded by federal money.

Accountability, that's what schools need. With people willing to throw others under the bus, and the general public's knee jerk reaction.. it's currently an extremely flawed system.

I guess that all non-union workers are 100% productive, always get canned or disciplined when they fugg up, work more than they get paid and never complain. I mean, the 12% of unionized workers left in America obviously are the reason we are in the boat we are in. Can't be the other 88%. Just the 12%.

How good or bad a school is usually has little to do with how well a smart and motivated student will do. It does however play a role in the performance and education of the average student.

 

That was pretty much my point. There will be good students in every school. Only difference is catholic and charter schools can get rid of bad or underperforming students. Personally the bad ones tend to be my favorite though haha.

I guess that all non-union workers are 100% productive, always get canned or disciplined when they fugg up, work more than they get paid and never complain. I mean, the 12% of unionized workers left in America obviously are the reason we are in the boat we are in. Can't be the other 88%. Just the 12%.

 

It has nothing to do with productivity really, it has to do with management.

 

My big issues with Unions is that the majority of them fight the employer tooth in nail for everything, to the brink of extinction. In alot of cases, unions are good, for jobs where people are independent, say plumbers.... but for instance the UAW.... their unwillingness to accept reality and compromise is what led to the downfall of GM and the domestic markets.

 

Look at Toyota... no unions, employees still paid over $30 an hour, and for the most part, a great product. a GM employee getting paid over $60 an hour, or $80 an hour with benefits..... to screw in bolts? Its pushing it.

I took your question to mean "how is our government working for us in general". My mistake if I misunderstood.

 

It's well past time to take the government OUT of the schools. Let parents decide where to send their kids. A quasi-voucher* system worked great in DC.... until Obama ended it.

 

Start a real voucher system that allows parents to better spend their property tax money.

 

*I say "quasi" because it was heavily funded by federal money.

 

Yep... and why we would be considering home schooling. There are good teachers, there are bad teachers, there are really crappy school districts. But education is supposed to start at home, and more parents should look at school more like an extension of home learning than free babysitting.

Yep... and why we would be considering home schooling. There are good teachers, there are bad teachers, there are really crappy school districts. But education is supposed to start at home, and more parents should look at school more like an extension of home learning than free babysitting.

 

Well said Maks. People forget that education should really start and continue at home.

Sorry.. I believe teachers should be paid more so you get quality people in there. It all starts with education.

 

Before I type this, I will say that I taught high school one year at a Catholic School for next to no money, so I am not flying blind. The problem is that teaching doesn't merit higher pay, it isn't dangerous, you don't need to be terribly intelligent, its a job a lot of people do because they dont know what else to do. Its an easy gig, I think I was in at 8:30 and in a car heading home by 3. I got along well with the students and made it interesting for them. If I got 2 months off with no worry about job security or checking in at the office, I would be in heaven. If I could start at $100,000 a year, I would do teach, but most teachers aren't worth it.

 

I have 4 teachers in my family, everyday on Facebook I see an awful grammar/spelling mistake. Today the winner was "my daughter has the flue." That isn't a typo, that's idiocy. All of them lacked ambition from childhood and teaching was an easy thing to fall into.

 

I live in Parsippany and my daughter's teacher didn't know what a noun is and she has been teaching for 15 years. We literally had to correct her/send notes to school and tell our child the teacher is wrong.

 

You cant expect to attract the best and brightest on a wide scale level when they will be surrounded by people they are smarter than.

Before I type this, I will say that I taught high school one year at a Catholic School for next to no money, so I am not flying blind. The problem is that teaching doesn't merit higher pay, it isn't dangerous, you don't need to be terribly intelligent, its a job a lot of people do because they dont know what else to do. Its an easy gig, I think I was in at 8:30 and in a car heading home by 3. I got along well with the students and made it interesting for them. If I got 2 months off with no worry about job security or checking in at the office, I would be in heaven. If I could start at $100,000 a year, I would do teach, but most teachers aren't worth it.

 

I have 4 teachers in my family, everyday on Facebook I see an awful grammar/spelling mistake. Today the winner was "my daughter has the flue." That isn't a typo, that's idiocy. All of them lacked ambition from childhood and teaching was an easy thing to fall into.

 

I live in Parsippany and my daughter's teacher didn't know what a noun is and she has been teaching for 15 years. We literally had to correct her/send notes to school and tell our child the teacher is wrong.

 

You cant expect to attract the best and brightest on a wide scale level when they will be surrounded by people they are smarter than.

 

 

Seriously?

 

Wow. I am glad I did not have those teachers.

 

I must say, I did have pretty good teachers, and most of them cared... however it does seem more people are going into teaching because there is nothing else to do.

Well said Maks. People forget that education should really start and continue at home.

 

Mark,

 

I commend you for dealing with those challenging kids. Either folks like you turn them around, or they wind-up drugged-out, in jail or DEAD!

 

My wife and I were very fortunate to have a "normal" son. We always felt/acted like schooling was merely the icing on the cake, for we ourselves always taught and reinforced what was taught at school. We would constantly add homework problems that were just as hard or indeed sometimes harder than the homework itself. He was always well prepared for class the next day. Our son always loved to read, so even on vacation we would buy books at the Book Store and he could finish them in a few short days. Reading always came before video games. He didn't get a cell phone until he earned his drivers license. We always attended every Parent/Teacher conference and Open House. We were very proactive in becoming involved at all stages in his schooling. The Catholic School taught him the three R's and right from wrong, the Charter School gave him the tools to pass the SAT's and enter the college scene without any further help, and his Mother and I were there for the WHOLE RIDE! There were learning "bumps" along the way, but we the Parents stepped-up and got involved and the bumps were smoothed-out. If more Parents would do that I think kids would do better in school.

 

School isn't a babysitter---it's an igniter. Like the SRB's on the Space Shuttle, the student needs a home-based "guidance system" and every-so-often a swift kick in the A$$!

It has nothing to do with productivity really, it has to do with management.

 

My big issues with Unions is that the majority of them fight the employer tooth in nail for everything, to the brink of extinction. In alot of cases, unions are good, for jobs where people are independent, say plumbers.... but for instance the UAW.... their unwillingness to accept reality and compromise is what led to the downfall of GM and the domestic markets.

 

Look at Toyota... no unions, employees still paid over $30 an hour, and for the most part, a great product. a GM employee getting paid over $60 an hour, or $80 an hour with benefits..... to screw in bolts? Its pushing it.

 

What led to the downfall at GM was poor management and poor products. Ford seems to be doing real well. Same union. Why is that?

What led to the downfall at GM was poor management and poor products. Ford seems to be doing real well. Same union. Why is that?

 

Ford was in as bad a position, they were lucky with Allan Mullaly getting a major line of credit while they could. Ford's success came from the failure of GM and Chrysler. Yes, their products changed, and it was a portion of it. Beyond it, Ford made first moves to deal with unions.

 

Why poor products? Because $5,000 of every car from GM was pension obligations that were underfunded. Hence, the price of the cars was far above what it had to. You had a $15,000 car, with a $20,000 price tag.

 

Then you had the extra discounting.

 

In any case, Toyota, Nissan, Honda, all far better off... all non union shops. Don't get me wrong, it was not all UAW, but a large portion, yes. It was finally within the past few years the Union realized they had to deal, because without GM, Ford, Chrysler.... there would be no need for a Union.

Sorry.. I believe teachers should be paid more so you get quality people in there. It all starts with education.

 

But they have been paid more, especially in new jersey, it doesn't get you quality as someone solely motivated by compensation in that job isn't going to be terribly good at it.

 

I'd argue as an institution teaching is broken. A teaching degree is more focused on the technique of administering education than methods of educating. The more advanced the teaching degree, the more likely that is. Then there's the issue of level of education in their subject area.

 

This BS never seems to stop!

 

I wish everyone would grow-up already! With all the Sh!t that's about to hit the fan, we need to stay focused on REAL issues, not this US vs. THEM crap!

 

Yes. And don't Blueline perfectly good guns either...............

 

Ha, had to say it Joe!

 

I do have a few that I have "Bluelined" myself. Some as purely collector pieces, others because I just don't get to use them in the competitions we do.

 

By the way, you ever going to take a weekend off and come shoot with us again? Bring your pal with the crazy hairdoo, he's a good shot.

 

 

Ford was in as bad a position, they were lucky with Allan Mullaly getting a major line of credit while they could. Ford's success came from the failure of GM and Chrysler. Yes, their products changed, and it was a portion of it. Beyond it, Ford made first moves to deal with unions.

 

Why poor products? Because $5,000 of every car from GM was pension obligations that were underfunded. Hence, the price of the cars was far above what it had to. You had a $15,000 car, with a $20,000 price tag.

 

Then you had the extra discounting.

 

In any case, Toyota, Nissan, Honda, all far better off... all non union shops. Don't get me wrong, it was not all UAW, but a large portion, yes. It was finally within the past few years the Union realized they had to deal, because without GM, Ford, Chrysler.... there would be no need for a Union.

Why were the pensions underfunded?...top executives making 7 figure salaries + bonuses had nothing to do with that, along with several 50 million dollar G-5 corporate jets..because you know those white collar guys cant fly commercial.. Nope its those evil UAW's who are merely depending on a penion to live their lives after their working years have passed..big problem in this country is too many people think their poop dont stink