20 percent of teachers not likely to return to classrooms if schools reopen in fall

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teachers are essential personnel. If they refuse to go into work they can be fired and lose all retirement benefits. If they refuse to teach, they are an enemy of the American people.

Ok, that's a little much. Teachers have to make the best decisions for themselves and their families - just like all other workers. If the health department says it is ok to reopen and schools can prove that they have put safety measures in place, teachers and other workers would be expected to return. Those who don't might lose their jobs. That's their choice and doesn't make them an enemy of anything.

My school is considering making it flexible fo those who are medically fragile or in higher risk categories. They would have the all-virtual option for work. That seems fair. All others would be expected to return but if they don't, it's still their choice.

I think the issue with this is there is going to be a huge imbalance between the number of teachers who want to be in the "work from home" category (MANY) and the number of students signed up for "work from home" (FEW).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teachers are essential personnel. If they refuse to go into work they can be fired and lose all retirement benefits. If they refuse to teach, they are an enemy of the American people.

Ok, that's a little much. Teachers have to make the best decisions for themselves and their families - just like all other workers. If the health department says it is ok to reopen and schools can prove that they have put safety measures in place, teachers and other workers would be expected to return. Those who don't might lose their jobs. That's their choice and doesn't make them an enemy of anything.

My school is considering making it flexible fo those who are medically fragile or in higher risk categories. They would have the all-virtual option for work. That seems fair. All others would be expected to return but if they don't, it's still their choice.

I think the issue with this is there is going to be a huge imbalance between the number of teachers who want to be in the "work from home" category (MANY) and the number of students signed up for "work from home" (FEW).

Exactly. I do not have a medical reason that I need to work from home, but I will have a childcare issue with the proposed schedules, and if I were given the choice I would DEFINITELY want to stay home to deal with the childcare issue. This is true for most parents I know in all professions--if they can work from home (and half supervise their children at the same time), they would much rather do that than have to arrange other childcare right now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teachers are essential personnel. If they refuse to go into work they can be fired and lose all retirement benefits. If they refuse to teach, they are an enemy of the American people.

Ok, that's a little much. Teachers have to make the best decisions for themselves and their families - just like all other workers. If the health department says it is ok to reopen and schools can prove that they have put safety measures in place, teachers and other workers would be expected to return. Those who don't might lose their jobs. That's their choice and doesn't make them an enemy of anything.

My school is considering making it flexible fo those who are medically fragile or in higher risk categories. They would have the all-virtual option for work. That seems fair. All others would be expected to return but if they don't, it's still their choice.

I think the issue with this is there is going to be a huge imbalance between the number of teachers who want to be in the "work from home" category (MANY) and the number of students signed up for "work from home" (FEW).

They’ll have to apply, just like for summer school. Not everyone will be chosen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teachers are essential personnel. If they refuse to go into work they can be fired and lose all retirement benefits. If they refuse to teach, they are an enemy of the American people.

Ok, that's a little much. Teachers have to make the best decisions for themselves and their families - just like all other workers. If the health department says it is ok to reopen and schools can prove that they have put safety measures in place, teachers and other workers would be expected to return. Those who don't might lose their jobs. That's their choice and doesn't make them an enemy of anything.

My school is considering making it flexible fo those who are medically fragile or in higher risk categories. They would have the all-virtual option for work. That seems fair. All others would be expected to return but if they don't, it's still their choice.

I think the issue with this is there is going to be a huge imbalance between the number of teachers who want to be in the "work from home" category (MANY) and the number of students signed up for "work from home" (FEW).

That won't be an issue. Districts will have every staff member interested in teaching from home sign up for that option, if they decide that is one of the options. Then, those with the most seniority will get first dibs. This is how it is with coaching, leading things that offer extra pay after school. That's a simple fix. Then, those who don't want to or can't go back into the building can choose to stay or resign. That's what will happen in my district.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If they can’t teach in the classroom, and school is proceeding as normal, what choice do they have? Teaching is an in person job.

Quit?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teachers in DC are paid a lot compared to teachers in other areas. They'll find replacements.

Do you not realize that we get paid more in DC because the cost of living is ridiculously high? And we still don’t get paid enough to afford the city? There was already a teacher shortage to begin with. We went all school year with vacancies. So no,
I really don’t think they will be able to find enough replacements.

The unemployment rate is 15 percent. There are art and music and gym teachers in DC who make six figures. I think they'll find people.

https://dchr.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/dchr/publication/attachments/public_body_employee_information_200331.pdf

How many of those 15% unemployed have a bachelor’s degree, are eligible for teacher certification, and can pass a background check? How many years experience until they get to $100k? And are they working at your WOTP school or will you demand they work at the EOTP schools?

I will never understand why teacher certification is important when there are so many crappy teachers. What is the point of the certification? Why not a different system where if you have the appropriate education for what you teach, perhaps you could learn the finer points of classroom management by being mentored by good experienced teachers who are compensated for putting in extra time to guide teaching newbies

Virtually every district in the country already has a mentoring program in place like that. Listen, were it not for the certification, you would be stunned at what you saw. I taught in a charter school and in a private school that hired teachers who weren't certified. It was, in a word, horrible. I heard "teachers" threatening kids, screaming all the time, or making kids walk in straight lines with their hands behind their backs and giving detentions for not following that rule, "teachers" who couldn't follow the curriculum, who hit kids and got fired, those who didn't teach anything and far more. I'm not saying all private schools or charters are like that, but I've seen enough of people with no training in the classroom for a lifetime. I wouldn't ever allow that for my own kids.

[Anonymous]

I still don’t think we will be in school 5 days a week in 2020-2021. It’s going to be a hybrid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree. Parents are just being lazy.

Teachers should not risk their lives when school can be online.

Hard not to get the sense that a lot of teachers don't want to work, ever.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree. Parents are just being lazy.

Teachers should not risk their lives when school can be online.

Hard not to get the sense that a lot of teachers don't want to work, ever.

Schools Will never open if the gravy train doesn’t end. Right now they are being paid to do nothing. Who would be inclined to give that sweet deal up.

[Anonymous]

Why does the same person keep posting and replying to each and every comment with nonsense. It’s annoying.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree. Parents are just being lazy.

Teachers should not risk their lives when school can be online.

Hard not to get the sense that a lot of teachers don't want to work, ever.

Schools Will never open if the gravy train doesn’t end. Right now they are being paid to do nothing. Who would be inclined to give that sweet deal up.

Oh give it up. I’m quite certain you are the same poster popping up on all these threads pretending like teachers aren’t working from home right now just as countless other professionals are doing. Your act is tiresome. Climb back under your bridge and download a meditation app. Take this one off bookmarks and work on yourself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree. Parents are just being lazy.

Teachers should not risk their lives when school can be online.

Hard not to get the sense that a lot of teachers don't want to work, ever.

Schools Will never open if the gravy train doesn’t end. Right now they are being paid to do nothing. Who would be inclined to give that sweet deal up.

Oh give it up. I’m quite certain you are the same poster popping up on all these threads pretending like teachers aren’t working from home right now just as countless other professionals are doing. Your act is tiresome. Climb back under your bridge and download a meditation app. Take this one off bookmarks and work on yourself.

If you have Kaiser the Calm app is free. I suggest that for the troll(s).

[Anonymous]

It would be helpful if we had more information about the relative risk presented by the coronavirus. How does the risk compare for example to riding your bike down a major street in DC? Way more risky? Way less risky? We need more information.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Then they shouldn’t be paid

This! Plenty of unemployed people happy to take their place.

Plenty of unemployed people who have teaching experience? Or have any clue how to teach children? Who have subject specific knowledge? Who are certified teachers or able to become certified? Where are you hiding all these people? We need them!

+1

Even if you drop the certification requirement there is already a shortage of teachers, especially STEM teachers in middle and high school. Do you really think a bunch of chemists are out of a work and want to take a pay cut to become high school teachers? Same with physicists? Upper level math? I really think people on this thread overestimate the number of people who want to work with students, especially when the behavior in some schools is really tough. Please go spend a week shadowing a teacher at one of the comprehensive high schools and see what it's really like.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It would be helpful if we had more information about the relative risk presented by the coronavirus. How does the risk compare for example to riding your bike down a major street in DC? Way more risky? Way less risky? We need more information.

I don't think that would be helpful. As any of those risks can be mitigated by you personally, not erased but mitigated. You can choose to not ride a bike, or go down a busy street, or ride during high traffic times.

Covid-19 there will be people who may make you sick without even knowing it and there's nothing you could've done to mitigate that risk, a mask will not help those who are not sick. You're not going to be able to spray yourself every time you touch something or someone. There won't even be enough spray.

Also just if we look at basic human response, teachers will feel upset if we have to go back and most of the country does not. Unless we are actually labeled as essential workers. At this current time we 100% are not. That is the reality. I think the first step is for the country to deem education as essential, not just parents and teachers saying it.
But that actually being acknowledged by the government.