November Gold

Ever notice that it's not just decorations on the classroom bulletin board
and pictures on calendars
but October really IS orange
and November really IS golden?

Lawns are faded
Leaves have fallen, most are raked.

There's something to the angle of the sun
and a nip in the air.

Maybe it's because
between All Saints' Day and Thanksgiving,
we're reminded of out blessings and family-
especially those already in Heaven.

Whatever it is,
November really is
golden.

Gold November

The grass on the hills is golden
the bean fields are amber
and the corn stubble are is like Rumpelstiltskin's spinning-straw

The golden hours of dawn and dusk stretch out
leaving barely an hour of clear-blue noon
glazing the entire day with honey.

The red and orange leaves are gone
or faded to sepia
leaving the trees taupe or warm-grey
just a few yellow ones cling on
to avoid a fate in the foul fires
or the compost pile.

Candles have started to warm our homes' decor
and French fried onions decorate the green been casserole
and the roasted turkey's skin glints like polished brass.

Babysitter Pay?

To the teachers: Teachers salaries are driving up taxes, and they only work 9 or 10 months a year! It's time we put things in perspective and pay them for what they do ... babysit! 

We can get that for minimum wage. That's right. Let's give them $3.00 an hour and only the hours they worked; not any of that silly planning time or any time they spend before or after school. 

That would be $19.5......0... a .........day...... (7:45 to 3:00 with 45 min. off for lunch and planning. 

That equals 6 1/2 hours). 

Each parent should pay $19.50 a day for these teachers to babysit their children. 

Now, how many students do they teach in a day... maybe 30? So that's $19.50 x 30 = $585.00 a day. 

However, remember they only work 180 days a year! I'm not going to pay them for any vacations. 

LET'S SEE ... That's $585 X 180 = $105,300 per year. 

Hold on! My calculator needs new batteries. 

What about those special education teachers and the ones with Masters degrees ? 

Well, we could pay them minimum wage ($7.75), and just to be fair, round it off to $8.00 an hour. 

That would be $8 X 6 1/2 hours X 30 children X 180 days = $280,800 per year. 

Wait a minute --there's something wrong here! There sure is! The average teacher's salary (nation wide) is $50,000. $50,000/180 days = $277.77/per day/30 students = $9.25/6.5 hours = $1.42 per hour per student --a very inexpensive baby sitter and they even EDUCATE your kids!! WHAT A DEAL!!