TEACHERS UNITE. Together we can overcome the ignorance I have been reading in these comments. This is the best time to look out for ourselves and our families. I know teachers who because of the economy are the only payckeck in their family. All the more reason to earn what we are worth.
AND TO THE NEGATIVITY TOWARD TEACHERS, you are just like the kids, the ignorant tend to yell out and the intelligent tend to reflect quietly. I am on the intelligent side of this debate as I do not look at just the first day of school, but the entire school year, and beyond. YES TO TEACHERS. YES TO UNION. YES TO KIDS.

Honestly, I hope you are not one of my scholars parents this Fall. I plan to take the allocated 7.5 hours and prepare the classroom. Most classrooms take 2-3 days of which we are only paid for the first 7.5 hours. I know, I know, teachers work in a nobel profession. If I had a nickel everytime I heard that, I would be retired.
I dare ask that you would put in 10-12 hour days without being paid over 7.5 hours. Most employees would just leave the rest for tomorrow, This year I will do just that.

WAKE UP. We teachers do not get any vacation pay.
As far as playing on the playground there is little time to "have fun" as we take care of the supervision, first aide, wiping tears, bully patrol, break up fights, sieze the alcohol from our young scholars, exlain tetherball rules and check to see no one is being sexually molested around the corner.
Then and only then could I jump rope.