Central Bucks SD playing the victim card after losing their communications firmSubmitted by Pennzingers t3_11a0zl9 in Pennsylvania
Sherlockbones11 t1_j9pcmgv wrote
Reply to comment by reverendsteveii in Central Bucks SD playing the victim card after losing their communications firm by Pennzingers
They hired a PR firm. $15k per month out of Philly. Why? The board is loaded with trumpers and are actively ripping rights from LGBTQ and POC kids. They have an open ACLU complaint. Banning books about the holocaust. Etc. The PA state collection of school boards has publicly and officially condemned the board.
Their solution?
Hire a PR firm at double a teachers salary to make them look good
That PR firm, finally realizing this is a bad professional association, dissolved the partnership
I highly doubt it was “mutual” as described. But PR firms don’t want to blast their previous clients publicly - it’s not a good look for future clients
Canopenerdude t1_j9pduxq wrote
> Hire a PR firm at double a teachers salary to make them look good
I can assure you that 15k a month is much more than double a salary for a teacher in Central Bucks
P3as_And_Carrots t1_j9pf2sn wrote
For real. That’s $180,000 per year! They could have used that to better the education of the students and give teachers better pay.
MoreHeartThanScars t1_j9pjgta wrote
The best part is they justified that $180k/year by stating that hiring an in-house full-time PR person would cost more than that. I'll let you in on a secret, it doesn't.
Fall3n7s t1_j9q5a9t wrote
I mean, why would a school even need a PR person?
IamSauerKraut t1_j9qnuz9 wrote
>why would a school even need a PR person?
There are plenty of reasons. And many SD's have a PR person. But doing it the way the CB school board is doing it and at that price is absurd.
Sillycats2 t1_j9uw05b wrote
In the old days? To handle requests from the local media for a variety of stories, such as covering the school play, science fair, elementary school event, exceptional students and access for sporting events. Also to inform news agencies of said stories, be a spokesperson for the school in the event of a crisis or emergency, coordinate interviews with principals or the superintendent.
These days? Run interference so none of the admins or elected officials have to speak to the press. And even then, they usually hide, too. Trump’s taught everyone that ignoring the media and taking offense to anyone who DARES to question an elected or appointed official is perfectly fine and should come with no consequences. School boards in PA, many of which have always been hives of power-hungry Karens and Kens, are on steroids now.
[deleted] t1_j9rgoe6 wrote
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Weary_Ad7119 t1_j9pu5ug wrote
Not that I agree that a school needs this, but a well connected pr person will cost far more than 180k/yr. Yes you can hire someone with good ideas for cheaper but the ability to get your message out in the main media channels consistently requires networking, clout, and will cost you A LOT more than 180k.
Again, a school doesn't need that shit.
MoreHeartThanScars t1_j9px6w0 wrote
They can use paid distribution services and hire a skilled copywriter for far less. This is just another example of gross misspending by yet another Pennsylvania school district.
Drewcifer81 t1_j9q5ngh wrote
Yet I'm sure they, and all that voted to put said board in place, would claim to be fiscal conservatives.
IamSauerKraut t1_j9qnxuy wrote
>hire a skilled copywriter
A copywriter is not a PR person. Very different skill set.
EmergencySundae t1_j9q557z wrote
CRSD was paying their communications person somewhere in the $100-120k range the last time I looked. Add in benefits and I can believe it might make more sense to hire a firm - for a bit more you get a whole team instead of just a single person.
tyrael459 t1_j9r6dy0 wrote
I think the implication is that they still have their communications person, but then they also hired this PR firm, so kind of an added cost whereas internal rearrangement or something could have been much less expensive.
Maybe they fired the communications person you’re speaking of when they hired this firm?
yeags86 t1_j9rin2l wrote
A whole team who collectively probably spends less time working on it than a single employee in a given month.
Canopenerdude t1_j9pf7lv wrote
But of course they won't because paying teachers better is too woke
P3as_And_Carrots t1_j9pfefx wrote
💯
jamesvabrams t1_j9ppume wrote
They could have banned more books and denied equality for even more LGBTQ kids for that kind of money. Surprised the Trumpy assholes didn't think of it.
IamSauerKraut t1_j9qnnf5 wrote
>That’s $180,000 per year!
So much with being fiscally conservative. Wasting taxpayer $$ like that. gah!
Blexcr0id t1_j9t0bva wrote
That's one admin salary...
FawltyPython t1_j9pg0sf wrote
Fully loaded, including benefits etc, that's probably correct, maybe even low for 2 teachers.
Canopenerdude t1_j9pg8xy wrote
The average teacher's salary generally tends to sit between 50 and 60k a year. You're telling me that their benefits are worth 120k a year?
Edit: Here's a list of starting salaries for teachers in PA, if you want to depress yourself.
BukkakeKing69 t1_j9pnndq wrote
Teachers in my lower bucks district were making $70 - 90k at the high school level, some in the six figs, about ten years ago.
Teachers in the PA Philly burbs generally make good money.
Canopenerdude t1_j9pzb1z wrote
BukkakeKing69 t1_j9q6ylo wrote
You can find many total collective bargaining agreement easily online and see the pay bands. Most teachers with decent tenure and those with advanced qualifications pull in close to six figs or over it.
minneapple79 t1_j9pybgh wrote
Yep, I remember reading the most senior teachers at Neshaminy were making nearly six figures. I would not be surprised at all if Central Bucks teachers were making more.
Canopenerdude t1_j9pzfsg wrote
Neshaminy starts at 45k, so you'd have to be working a long while to get to six figures.
BukkakeKing69 t1_j9q454m wrote
That's the starting salary for the lowest level teaching job there is.
You can find the total collective bargaining agreement easily online and see the pay bands. Most teachers at the high school level have a decent tenure built up and pull in close to $90k. The pay scale tops out at $111k for advanced degree holders with tenure.
Canopenerdude t1_j9q4cct wrote
That makes a little more sense. I still think the starting wages are criminally low, but that does help some.
BukkakeKing69 t1_j9q7qcu wrote
The starting salaries are low, the reality is many suburban teachers have golden handcuffs and a lot of tenure, so they are more focused on negotiating the upper end of pay bands than focusing on starting salaries.
The unfortunate reality is many teachers get their start in less competitive crapola school districts like the Philly SD and then run for the hills of suburbia as soon as they have some experience.
Madame_Hokey t1_j9qg9m3 wrote
Teacher pay scales also heavily depend on getting those extra degrees. In order to maximize potential pay and get a bigger pay band you have to keep going back to school. Most students don’t realize their teachers in suburban schools have at minimum one masters degree but some of my coworkers have 2 or 3 or even doctorates.
IamSauerKraut t1_j9qofn6 wrote
>I still think the starting wages are criminally low,
CV is a bit lower than the Philly burb districts (lower even that Hershey or MT) but the cost of living in the midstate is much lower than in the burbs.
raven4747 t1_j9qydr9 wrote
yea i think my SD started teachers around 50k but gave them a 3-4k raise every year. so if you stay 10 years you are making 80-90k.
IamSauerKraut t1_j9qo7xq wrote
>Neshaminy starts at 45k, so you'd have to be working a long while to get to six figures.
No, not really. Using steps and columns (extra ed + years in service), a new teacher can easily go above 50k for the school year.
beef_is_here t1_j9qan7o wrote
Those figures include administration. And those numbers would be significantly skewed by the administration's inclusion. It is more likely the person making $196,000 a year is the district superintendent, not a teacher.
minneapple79 t1_j9qbfyq wrote
If you click on individual teachers, you can see their salaries.
For example:
Canopenerdude t1_j9q3ick wrote
Huh. Strange that two official sites would give such different info.
FawltyPython t1_j9pi4mp wrote
Nah like 60k a year direct, then add 20k for ira, healthcare, training, etc.
Canopenerdude t1_j9pj6sk wrote
80k a year then, that's just under 7k a month, even two teachers at that is less than 15k a month.
drxdrg08 t1_j9q1osr wrote
> Nah like 60k a year direct, then add 20k for ira, healthcare, training, etc.
Nah. Not even close.
For regular programs, $93,753,240 for salaries, $57,724,761 for benefits.
Benefits are 62% of the salary.
>Highest salary at Central Bucks School District in year 2022 was $225,000. Number of employees at Central Bucks School District in year 2022 was 1,432. Average annual salary was $89,910 and median salary was $94,472.
https://govsalaries.com/salaries/PA/central-bucks-school-district?year=2022&page=2
The median salary is $94,472 and $58,573 in benefits = $153,044 total compensation.
v_squared96 t1_j9r4lec wrote
That high salary is almost twice the highest paid teacher. “Average” is highly skewed because of that. I believe the starting salary is 47k. I work in the district… 20+ years. Our salary schedule taps out at 116k. It sounds like a lot but I’m in my mid to late 40s, have a masters plus 30 credits and can’t move to other districts since most don’t honor your years of service. There are people I know in “marketing” in there 20s that make as much as I do with bonuses. I’m not complaining but the community brags about the great education, but many teachers can’t afford to live in the district.
drxdrg08 t1_j9revq3 wrote
> have a masters
I hope you are not teaching math.
> That high salary is almost twice the highest paid teacher. “Average” is highly skewed because of that.
Look again.
> Average annual salary was $89,910 and median salary was $94,472
v_squared96 t1_j9rz37c wrote
Ha. If the median salary is 94k, half the teachers make less than that. I would like to see what the “teacher” pay average is when admin is removed from the calculation. I would imagine the 225k is the superintendent. 116k is about half that. Like I said, the number sounds big compared to districts not in Bucks county. But, cost of living in Bucks around Doylestown is nuts. Our EAs and support staff get paid squat and the building couldn’t run without them.
FawltyPython t1_j9q6hqr wrote
Holy shit. Imma be a high school teacher next year.
drxdrg08 t1_j9q7ilh wrote
Get your degrees, certs, be good at your job, put in a couple of decades to get the experience. In short, work hard, then you can...
> There is a math teacher making $166K in just salary, or $269K with benefits.
[deleted] t1_j9q4wtc wrote
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drxdrg08 t1_j9q62g8 wrote
> Just a small correction from your link, $122,004 as the highest salary - not $225,000. All the other numbers look good!
$122K is the highest salary on page 2. The superintendant is on page 1 at $225K.
There is a math teacher making $166K in just salary, or $269K with benefits.
EmperorOfNada t1_j9q6jnh wrote
Why does the govsalaries link show differently for highest salary?
drxdrg08 t1_j9q73ro wrote
It appears to show the highest salary on the currently selected page, but the average and median is calculated across all pages.
EmperorOfNada t1_j9qbsp6 wrote
Ahh, thanks! I couldn’t see that on my phone. Just looked it up on my PC and can navigate/see it much better.
IamSauerKraut t1_j9qonci wrote
58k in bennies is off.
tsg5087 t1_j9psjd5 wrote
Don’t forget that districts have to send 34% of wages to PSERS because PA has neglected to ensure the retirement fund is adequately funded. That’s just retirement folks, do not forget to include healthcare claims , most districts I believe are now self insured.
Edit: spelling
jralll234 t1_j9qhdnr wrote
My wife’s (a Pa teacher) health insurance is listed at something like 40 grand, on top of the 60 some grand she makes in actual income, in one of the poorer districts in the state. So 120k doesn’t seem like much of a stretch in some districts.
Eggbread_69 t1_j9qwdtd wrote
Exclude Philly , Pittsburgh, York etc and the average skyrockets
Dyerssorrow t1_j9pgqqr wrote
your argument only works if they have 1 teacher.
Adept-Ad-661 t1_j9pqizd wrote
Plus they charges crisis fees on top of it - pretty sure their last invoice was approx $60k for a month of work.
jonathanzhang58 t1_j9s9bg0 wrote
Hey, I'm a senior at CBSD. The teachers make a lot of money. Their salaries are public information because CBSD is a public school. Although newer teachers usually make around 60-70k, most if not all of the older teachers (45+) make 6 figures. Guidance counselors make 100k. Principals often make around 150k. The average and median salaries at the district are both around 90k. Not attacking you or defending CBSD's awful recent behavior. Just saying they pay the teachers a lot.
jeanlouisduluoz t1_j9t9nic wrote
New homes in the CBSD area also cost 700k
Excelius t1_j9ph0po wrote
I am curious about the alleged harassment and threats towards the PR firm.
ILikeMyGrassBlue t1_j9q9man wrote
I’m gonna guess that it’s probably just people calling them out on social media for doing PR for book banners.
Sherlockbones11 t1_j9phb2b wrote
Me too. I searched but couldn’t find any info posted on it yet.
smbiggy t1_j9r12xl wrote
Banning books about the holocaust? Do you mean all books about it? I remember hearing about a teacher having to remove a poster that had to do with the holocaust but I missed the books. That’s fucking terrifying
Lil_Phantoms_Lawyer t1_j9tl4yk wrote
>Gender identity and sexual orientation are not belief systems. And by conflating Pride flags with the expression of religious or political affiliations, the majority members of the school board are discriminating against LGBTQ students. The purpose of Pride flags in classrooms is not to endorse an identity, but to offer safety.
That's an incredibly weak argument. It is not dangerous to ban Pride Flags from the school classroom.
Sherlockbones11 t1_j9tm2xi wrote
As an LGBTQ person who almost killed herself multiple times over what I later found out was just a complete and utter lack of representation and a feeling of safety in places I spent the most of my time as a child (i.e. school), and per countless peer reviewed research studies from prominent institutions - I will have to not only disagree with you but inform you with sources and facts that you or are dangerously wrong about this. Please lower your voice before you get someone killed.
Lil_Phantoms_Lawyer t1_j9tpdt2 wrote
>who almost killed herself multiple times over what I later found out was just a complete and utter lack of representation
When I was 19 I attempted suicide and was found bleeding out in a bath tub. I ended up in-patient for several months. It was a long road to recovery, and there were times I thought and believed "if only X was different this wouldn't have happened" but the reality is, while there were external pressures it was an internal struggle made up of many factors. Suicidal depression is not single faceted, and while you may contribute the lack of Pride Flags in your school classroom, it isn't why you almost killed yourself. That simplifies your situation, I wish you the best on the road of recovery.
RuinTop1965 t1_j9twxm1 wrote
yikes you really are an incredibly awful person
Lil_Phantoms_Lawyer t1_j9txk4d wrote
19 year old me would have agreed with that, but I do not think I'm an awful person now that I've spent years on my recovery.
Why do you think I'm awful?
susinpgh t1_j9tr6fh wrote
I don't see the comment that you are quoting here. And the comment you are replying to has not been edited.
Lil_Phantoms_Lawyer t1_j9trb6g wrote
That's from the article they shared justifying why it's dangerous to remove Pride Flags from classrooms.
susinpgh t1_j9trkx4 wrote
Ah, okay. But still, it's not saying that removing them is dangerous. I think of this the same way that things changed when POC were included in graphics in books and posters. It's an acknowledgement that you are seen.
I don't think the schools can really do much more than that, unless it's an intervention in a situation that endangers a student.
Lil_Phantoms_Lawyer t1_j9tx797 wrote
Yeah, you're correct it's not fair for me to say they called it dangerous when they didn't use that word. The article is still hysterical about it imo:
>The Pride flag ban in classrooms is already having chilling consequences, not just on the LGBTQ community.
I understand your point of "feeling seen" but that does sound like the Pride Flag exists to endorse an identity which is exactly what the article says it doesn't do.
susinpgh t1_j9txu1o wrote
Yes, I guess I've moved the conversation, didn't I? FWIW, I'm sorry for what you went through. I don't think a flag would have helped in your situation. I hope you are able to heal.
Lil_Phantoms_Lawyer t1_j9tyats wrote
Moved how?
But I agree, a flag wouldn't have changed my internal turmoil. It took years of consistent and intentional actions and redirection. I still have low days of course, who doesn't? Pain and discomfort is a part of the human experience.
susinpgh t1_j9u1c4o wrote
Not everyone. You are justified. I always think of this scene from As Good As It Gets, when Jack Nicholson talks about how a lot of peoples' stories are all good times, noodle salad. It's a way old movie, but I still really love it.
Lil_Phantoms_Lawyer t1_j9u5yfw wrote
I love that movie (and specifically that scene) as well! I think that's definitely true, there are people who have great enjoyable lives and its all noodle salad, but even they have bad days and tough times. Every person that has ever lived has felt some level of pain, but certainly some muh less than others.
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