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Cali Living by CBHine

Helping those in need...

Posted Friday, September 19, 2008, at 8:02 AM

I recently came across an advertisement for teachers in the Compton Unified School District (LA County). In case you aren't aware, Compton is one of the most dangerous areas of LA, along with Boyle Heights and Watts. What was interesting about the employment ad was that they evidently are having a difficult time attracting teachers and were really using the green stuff to motive educators to come in. For example, this listing offered a salary of $63,000 to $83,000 (depending on years experience and education) plus a $17,000 bonus and a promise of a 3% increase within the school year.

I thought to myself, WOW, what a mission field! Right here in America… Gangs, troubled children, what more could a teacher want if their purpose was to make a difference? Right? Well, evidently no one within the 2,000 mile radius agreed with me. "One" whose voice travels thousands of miles, said "a white girl from the south wouldn't last there one day".

I still believe it's a great opportunity for someone with the right motive to step in and give it all they've got. It is an incredible mission field right here in our backyard. It's not always all about teaching, its about helping those in need, so that they can learn and succeed in life.

More from this blogger · Cindy Hine

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Certain American cities are not combat zones, (sounds like teachers there in Compton to get combat pay) but killing fields. Where criminals have the guns, (thanks to gun bans) and unarmed law abiding citizens are known as victims.

Chicago proper, (pop. 2,900,000) has a higher murder rate than Baghdad (pop. 7,500,000) Iraq. That's right, with all the deaths we hear from the media daily about bombings and terrorist activities in Baghdad, the homicide violence is actually much, much, higher in Chicago. Yet Chicago is a gun free liberal run city, just ask the inept and corrupt Mayor Daley?

Hard truth, face it, from mismanagement, corruption and liberal touchy feely administrative city governments, whom fret and spend the money on their pet misguided causes for naught, but to no betterment for the citizens, many inner cities of America are cesspools.

-- Posted by Lived There Once on Sat, Sep 20, 2008, at 6:14 PM
This blog entry and the first response to it both sound like the makings of urban legends. Could either of you post the sources for your information?

As far as the Compton teachers' salaries, they are posted here:http://hr.compton.k12.ca.us/Forms/Teacher%20Salary%20Schedule.pdf

(You can find that by doing a Google search for Compton Unified School District and follow links to HR). District salaries may not exceed the union-negotiated price. ...and there are lot's of white girls teaching there, but I don't know how many are from the south.

As far as the Bagdad murder rate, are you not counting car bombs, etc as murder? What is your source for your numbers?

-- Posted by Ted_M on Sun, Sep 21, 2008, at 12:20 PM
The job that I was referring to was posted on Hotjobs, and the remark about "the white girl from the south" was a joke, not to be taken serious. Very sorry if this offended you in anyway.

Also, the salary is in line with the standard CUSD schedule you refered to. If you read across and down, by years of experience and education, you will see that it is there. BUT, I will also add, salary is always a variable, YES, even in education. I know this for a fact since I have been in education for 12 years, 5 in California, where I have seen teachers who were covered under union contracts pushed up on the scale. When sitations demand it, these sort of things are changed for the good of the distict and students. amen!

-- Posted by cbhine on Sun, Sep 21, 2008, at 1:39 PM
Also, the salary schedule which you referred to is the 2007-08, which is not the current one. Either way, it really makes no difference to me. I still say and my point is..its a very good opportunity to teach in an area where the need is great. When I refer to 'mission work' I am seriously speaking of the opportunity to help those who are in need. I work now in a school district where the need is actually very small compared to those in south LA. Many of the teachers I currently work with have worked for years in these areas inside the U.S. and also in less desirable countries where their safety was at risk everyday. My hat is off to these incredible individuals!!

-- Posted by cbhine on Sun, Sep 21, 2008, at 2:19 PM
Baghdad Iraq murder rate vis-à-vis US cities

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=comparison%2Bbaghdad%2Bmurder+rate%2Bus+cit...

"I want Obama to lose this election on so many levels, not the least of which is I want to see Keith Olbermann commit suicide on national TV"

-- Posted by Lived There Once on Sun, Sep 21, 2008, at 6:53 PM
Miss Cindy,

You have "mail" on your "coming home" column. Please read the last entry.

-- Posted by somoblonde on Sat, Oct 4, 2008, at 12:32 AM
I though I would like to live in calif. at one time, but found out the best place in the world to live is my home town, paragould, ar. and I sure would like to see you live here aswell.,, thanks,

-- Posted by arthur harvey on Sat, Aug 8, 2009, at 12:34 PM
I though I would like to live in calif. at one time, but found out the best place in the world to live is my home town, paragould, ar. and I sure would like to see you live here aswell.,, thanks,

-- Posted by arthur harvey on Sat, Aug 8, 2009, at 12:34 PM

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