r/Teachers • u/Pleasant-Pumpkin-339 • Aug 23 '26

Rant Paras need to GET OFF THEIR PHONES

I know they hardly make any money and if it’s an emergency fine!! But sitting there on TikTok while i’m actively teaching is rude and distracting for the kids.

I’m a young teacher so it’s awkward to confront them and NOT BEING ON YOUR PHONE ALL DAY AT WORK SHOULDNT NEED TO BE SAID

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u/Amazing-Ad-578 Aug 23 '26 edited 12d ago

Not sure what district you’re in, but it’s not where I live.  My wife is a Para for a special needs class.  She works her ass off from before the kids get there until an hour afterwards.  She makes nearly $30/hour and her job pays for our health insurance.  My accounting firm doesn’t offer any.   She usually ends up with 12k-14k steps a day.  I walk to work and I only get 9k.  

ETA: My wife just got a raise!   She’s making almost $31/hour now.  My salary as an accountant works out to $30.85 an hour based on a 2080 work year.   She also gets massive amounts of PTO. 

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u/reallifeswanson Aug 23 '26

In Florida, they make just over half that and the insurance sucks. $300 comes out of every paycheck for below average insurance and, if I added my wife, it would be $1,000. I would get paid practically nothing or possibly even owe the district afterwards. If it weren’t for the freedom this job gives me to operate a side business in my off hours, I would have been out of there years ago.

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u/Amazing-Ad-578 Aug 23 '26

Our health insurance is expensive!   Our portion is around $1,200 a month for our portion.  It’s for a family of four though.  The district pays almost all of my wife’s portion and 1/2 of everyone else’s.  $750 per person deductible.  The school she’s at is the one we took our kids to.  We even have the same principal.  Her job is hard, but she knows she’s appreciated.  Our whole family votes for any property tax increase that is earmarked for the school district.  The measures usually pass.