Teachers and unions. Assuredly there are reasonable discussions to have regarding both. What should compensation be for teachers? Should we have public unions? How should unions and teachers interact? And so on and so forth.
Today, however, I read this story.
In Buffalo, New York, the heart of the American rust-belt, the public school system pays for its teachers to get plastic surgery. Hair removal. Miscrodermabrasian. Liposuction. If you can name the procedure, it's probably covered.
No, I am not exaggerating. And no, this article is not an excuse to make "Hot For Teacher" cracks. When I write that Buffalo's school system pays, I mean it literally. The perk is included as a self-insured rider in its teachers' contract. Therefore, the district has to cover the cost of each nip and tuck itself. There's no co-pay, so the school district ends up footing the entire bill. It estimates the current annual cost at $5.2 million, down from $9 million in 2009.
This in a city where the average teacher makes roughly $52,000 a year. The plastic surgery tab would pay salaries for 100 extra educators.
If you read the entire column, then you will understand the history of this policy. Still - whatever the origins. Are there any among us - any - who don't acknowledge that this is insane and a system out of control?
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