Retirement ages for public employees come under greater scrutiny. After nearly 40 years in public education, Patrick Godwin retired last July at 59 with a lifetime pension paying $174,308 a year . Remember this next time the teachers union is on strike claiming it’s for the kids.
This post was last modified on January 26, 2021
View Comments (21)
I am just happy to see the author using the 65 or 67 age for SS. So many older folks don't realize 67 is the NORMAL age for everybody, only the boomers are getting to retire at 65. And these are the same people that want to raise the retirement age, yet again, without acknowledging that it has already gone up.
Not exactly, I'm a boomer, but I won't be able to retire at 65, my wife is 4 years older than me and she won't either.
Only those in the first half of the boom will be able to do that. That's why they raised the age, too many eligible too fast.
So he retired at the ripe old age of 59 after 40 years in California's "public education system"? No wonder they're so screwed up out there, this implies they hired a 19 year old to teach or maybe he was a janitor. Nice retirement anyway. Cali's got all kinds of money to burn.
"...they hired a 19 year old to teach ..."
19 is pretty young for a teacher by almost any standard.
But I was born in Dec. I went to K when I was still 4. The justification was that I will be 5 in that year. So I started college when I was 17. Now I did not go into education, but I could have gone off to teach when I was 21.
A rather libertarian talk show host here in NJ (who is on during the day with a politically-conservative woman 10 AM - 2 PM, so it's not always political talk), said something interesting that I never thought of-
He said teaching should have a minimum age of 25. Because people go through school, go to college, go to student-teach while seniors in college, and immediately get jobs. Our kids are being taught by people who have NEVER not been in an institution. They have NO real-life experience. They go from the fantasy world of being students in school directly to the fantasy world of being a public employee.
No wonder we hear them offer up this sort "solution" to this problem - I hear them call in to talk shows and say that instead of denying them their perky bennies, people in the private sector should be getting them too.
Sure. Just go tell your boss to pick the money off the money tree.
(and no tramping around Europe on daddy's dime for 3 years "finding yourself". You work for a minimum of 3-4 years. A real job, producing a real product or service.)
I miss Dennis and Judy! Life hasn't been the same since I moved to Florida.
Are "Deranged and Demented" still up to the same comedy?
Does Jim still play "Mouse Balls" on the air?
You can listen on line NJ1015.com
How long have you been suffering from your fit of sanity resulting in your move to Fla? Who are "deranged and demented"? I assume it's the afternoon Jersey Guys? Who are no longer called that - fairly recently it becames Dominsky (sp?) and Doyle. D & d - coincidence? But they came back within the year, and I have not heard them describe themselves that way. I understand that they were together on this station some time ago. Maybe that is the time you are referring to?
"Mouse balls" sounds vaguely familiar, but just that.
Just over 7 years.
Deranged and Demented are Deminski and Doyle. I used to listen to them back then, they called themselves that for a while.
Mouse Balls was Jim Gearhart reading the instructions for changing the ball in a computer mouse, but it was done with such humor, voice inflection, and innuendo, that you would have to pull over if you were driving when it was on.
Thought so - the D 7 D tipped me off.
Here's the update:
I do remember the mouse balls thing. No, Gearhart has not done that in a while.
Dennis and Judy was replaced by Dennis and Michelle. Michelle had a kid and wanted to be a full time mother, so she was replaced by Judy again. Judy left to be a full-time mother, but her kids are older now, so she came back to work.
the original D & D predate my listening to NJ 101.5. I heard the Jersey Guys - Carton and Rossi. Craig Carton (Cartin?) is now on the morning show on WFAN sports talk with Boomer Esiason. Not sure if it's syndicated or not - I found him to be the most annoying person on the planet. If given a choice of listening to him or Barney Frank, I'd prob go with Frank.
Carton was replaced by Casey Bartholomew. He was less annoying, but at least I could listen to the show. But recently they were replaced by D & D. Rossi does the midnight show, and Casey is gone to who knows where.
To be honest, I find D & D to have all the excitement of unflavored yogurt. Years ago, I spent the day listening to Rush, Bob Grant (and later, Hannity), Mark Levin, Laura Ingrham, etc. After a while, you can take just so much repetition of media double standards (I know they're there, I don't need yet another example). Rush was more insightful with his analysis, but others were less so, or just "combat radio" like Grant. That's why I switched to NJ 101.5, and later, mostly to ESPN radio. I can take just so much reminding of who is in the oval office. But I still listen to Dennis & Judy.
OK, I remember all of the above except Michelle, in fact I was listening to 101.5 when Dennis was a solo act!
I used to call in alot, in fact, I almost ended up doing some work on Judy's house, but I guess she got a little nervous about having a listener find out where she lived. Can't say as I blame her, there were some oddball people that called in to the show.
D&D used to be interesting, but I guess they lost their edge. I couldn't say since I haven't heard them in a long time.
This is an actual alert to IBM Field Engineers that went out to all IBM Branch Offices. The person who wrote it was very serious. The rest of us find it rather funny.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Abstract: Mouse Balls Available as FRU (Field Replacement Unit)
Mouse balls are now available as FRU. Therefore, if a mouse fails to operate or should it perform erratically, it may need a ball replacement. Because of the delicate nature of this procedure, replacement of mouse balls should only be attempted by properly trained personnel.
Before proceeding, determine the type of mouse balls by examining the underside of the mouse. Domestic balls will be larger and harder than foreign balls. Ball removal procedures differ depending upon manufacturer of the mouse. Foreign balls can be replaced using the pop-off method. Domestic balls are replaced using the twist-off method. Mouse balls are not usually static sensitive. However, excessive handling can result in sudden discharge. Upon completion of ball replacement, the mouse may be used immediately.
It is recommended that each replacer have a pair of spare balls for maintaining optimum customer satisfaction, and that any customer missing his balls should suspect local personnel of removing these necessary items.
To re-order, specify one of the following:
P/N 33F8462 - Domestic Mouse Balls
P/N 33F8461 - Foreign Mouse Balls
Love it. Thanks for posting it.
Along that line - bizzare instructions, etc., look at engrish.com (spelled exactly that way).
...so that's what happened to Barry. Who knew that Moochelle fell under the definition of 'local personnel'?
WHAT ABOUT THE PLAYERS AND THE COLLEGE GAMES COACHES, AND YOU HAVE HEARD THE HEFTY CONTRACTS. AND THESE PEOPLE WHEN COME TO SOMEONE FOR HELP ONLY THROW PENNIES FOR THE ADVICE CLAIMING POVERTY OR WHEN THEY APPROACH THE HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL AND REFUSE TO PAY THE ASKING PRICE FOR THE OFFICE VISIT, SOCK IT TO THEM BY SUBMITTING THE CLAIM TO THE HEALTH INSURANCE COMPANY, WHICH CUTS THE PRICE TO UCR OR 30% OF THE ASKING PRICE. NO WONDER THE HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL WILL BE MASS EXITING THE PROFESSION.
I also have a suggestion (in additon to danybhoy's):
You're ranting (not that that's necessarily a bad thing - but the problem is that we can't really understand exactly where you're going with your arguments).
Sit back, take a deep breath or two, collect your thoughts, and form a coherent argument.
"What about the players and ... coaches..."
What about them? That's actually changing the subject. Not that you may not legitimately have an axe to grind, but that is not what this thread is about.
Players don't get paid (at least not by the colleges).
There is usually one, maybe 2 at most (basketball and football - not many schools run a top-notch program in both sports), head coaches making a boatload of money. How many colleges are there in CA? Maybe a couple of hundred at most? And probably not more than a half-dozen of them have highly paid coaches.
Now - how many public schools are there in CA? Thousands. And how many teachers, principals, vice-principals, administrators, aides, janitors, etc.? Probably something in 6 figures. Add that up. The sums of the money going to high-profile coaches is peanuts compared to the money going to retired public-education-cartel people.
"WHEN COME TO SOMEONE FOR HELP ONLY THROW PENNIES FOR THE ADVICE CLAIMING POVERTY"
I don't know what that means. That's why I told you to take a deep breath...
The whole thing about health care -
again, what is the relevance? Bringing this up is like the burglar telling the judge he should be let go because "there are people raping and murdering out there".
So? The issue here is a retired teacher raking in 178K for 30 or 40 years courtesy of the taxpayer, and for how long is this sustainable. If someone else is ripping off the health care system, or cheating doctors, or whatever exactly that was that you were saying, is another issue, and in no way justifies (or indicts) what is going on in the education system.
Another great post Andre, most of which I fear, is lost on Singla.
A couple of things...
1. QUIT POSTING WITH THE "CAPS LOCK" ON!
2. Before you get upset with college coaches at state universities, let me remind you of this. Yes, many are the highest paid employees in state they work in. But at a good major college football or basketball program in a major conference brings millions of dollars into their school's coffers, & can become in high demand if a bigger school wants them to take over their program. In other words, the free market is at work. Take the football team to a BCS game, & big money pours in, same for basketball programs that go to the sweet 16 & beyond every year during "March Madness".
3. When some worthless gender studies professor can attract an audience of 70,000-100,000 to listen to their BS, then I'll listen to the coaches should'nt make money arguement.
Tyrone! 'Sup?
Sure sounds like Tyrone! All caps and no coherent thought.
Just what does that post have to do with school teachers retiring with a pension that pays them more per year than most people make in 3 years of working?
Borrowing a format from Dr Thomas Sowell, a few random thoughts on this:
"Godwin said all the antagonism toward public retirees is misplaced ...
He said lack of accountability on Wall Street and exorbitant corporate salaries are a more justified target of the public's anger."
1. Mr. Godwin - lack of accountability and exorbitant corporate salaries may indeed be a problem. But the fact that for every one exorbitant corporate salary, there are a couple of hundred people like you raking in the cash seems to escape you.
But I guess that is to be expected, since you no doubt think that taxing a handful of "rich people" will take care of a 14 trillion dollar debt.
2. No one held a gun to anyone's head to force them to pay the corporate salaries. And I know what you're going to say, so I'll address that now:
I don't HAVE to buy any corporation's product.
Even though I have no children, I still have no choice but to pay the salaries, benefits, and retirements of you and others like you.
If I don't pay my taxes, trust me, it's only a matter of time until men with guns show up at my door.
3. You were a teacher and then a school administrator. And now you're getting 178K? What the hell are they paying you guys in CA? Or is retirement 2x your salary? No wonder CA is going down the poop-chute.
4. You are part of the system that is supposed to prepare the children to live in the world? I suppose basic economics is not one of the tools, in your estimation?
Nicely done Andre!
Great post.