Teacher union head: Let's ease into extending the school day

a) every time I read a post by a teacher, they write that they are already working 25 hours a day, 8 days a week. If that is true, who cares if you put more time in the classroom? All it means is that you work more at one thing - and of course less at something else. There are only so many hours in the day. Maybe you are not tutoring kids after school as much (of course all teachers say they do this voluntarily), but then again, if they are in the classroom more, most likely they would need less tutoring.

b) BPS already have one of the shortest school days in the country and among the highest salaries (15th in the state - average of $83k or $9k below the top paid districts http://profiles.doe.mass.edu/state_report/teachersalaries.aspx?mode=&year=2011&orderBy=AVERAGE DESC). If they are already among the most paid with the least work, why should they get paid more?

From what I see and read etc, many if not most of the teachers do a good to excellent job. But if the bottom line is truly the students Menino needs to tell them here's the deal: Show up and teach or go work somewhere else. Sadly, I'm guessing "collective bargaining/extortion" would prevent that. Richard Putzman will see to that any day he can - because to him it's not about the kids, it's about the money.

Sorry taxpayers. If the budget needs to change to provide a better education for the kids then it needs to change.

Oh you can choose to work for the BTU or not? Because of the low unemployment and complete ease in which one could procure another position at will? Where exactly are you thinking they would go that would be a parallel to Boston Public?

You want quality education than you need to take care of the teachers. What kind of talent does any sector attract by making the position increasingly more unnattractive?

Teachers master their craft through experience. So go ahead and try to chase them out of their profession and see what youre left with.