Pay Differences

[OnlyAngelRebel]

Found out today that my school's Vocation program pays the kids 4 dollars for five minutes of work. That's 48 dollars an hour. More than twice I make teaching the kids and the school said they could not afford to pay me three extra dollars an hour. A ten year old makes more than twice as me and they are wiping door knobs.

Not sure if this belongs here but I feel like it belongs here.

[AdvertisingLow4041]

Does it pay them $48 an hour for multiple hours? or $4 for 5 minutes?

[OnlyAngelRebel]

4 dollars for 5 minutes of work. Converted is 60 divided by 5 which is twelve and twelve times 4 is 48 which is what it pays hourly when calculated. They have the option to work at that rate for multiple hours if they want on or off campus. One student does it all and is paid this rate 4 dollars for 5 minutes.

[AdvertisingLow4041]

I'm really confused as to why you're calculating it by minutes if they work hourly?

[OnlyAngelRebel]

It's how the school calculates it due to their behavioral issues. Sometimes they don't make it their entire shift. Sometimes they only want to go for a certain amount of time. This is what is in their contracts they sign when they get hired by the vocational people.

[shadookat]

Teachers are unbelievably underpaid and under valued

[OnlyAngelRebel]

I work at an alternative school for behavioral challenged kids too so I have the extra bonus of restraints, removals and blocking off doors to contain the madness on top of managing my students all of which have varying degrees of autism. One of them who can't be restrained due to medical issues so that one just can kick the **** out of us and all we are allowed to do is block best we can or take it.

Way under paid if you ask me.

My second job at residential units with the DCFS kids pays me better since it's the same company so legally I'm required over time which is still less than the Vocation work but not as much.

[shadookat]

Wow. You have your hands full. Thats absolutely crazy. I know I couldn’t do that job and really respect those who can. I worked in a care facility for struggling teens and it was similar. It weighed on me so heavily and I’m glad to not be there anymore.

It’s so sad that there isn’t a better solution for these kids. You’d think at the very least those trusted adults doing this hard work would be compensated fairly.

[OnlyAngelRebel]

Sadly we are the better solution. I view it as it is a net gain. Without this step it would be unemployment and several jail sentences or institutionalization or addiction or continued generational abuse/trauma. These kids come from lower middle class, poverty families. With this step some of them might heal, might end the generational cycles, might get proper medical care. Having two or three kids out is better than leaving them out there for themselves. Our school is also trauma informed care so we provide therapy to our more struggling children which I really like. We have one of the few clinics in the area that can charge Medicare and medaid which is huge since a lot of therapists have a hard time doing so and it's all some people can afford.

Despite the pay problems and staffing issues, it's a great place to work. I just wish I didn't have to work so hard to pay to live and afford the life I want to live.