Can I ask. If you're screaming about teachers taking childcare leave

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's just odd, because the rest of us already had to make these choices (quit to care for kids, hire child care, move a family member in, etc).

I'm lost as to how this is different for teachers.

Like, before the pandemic, were teachers just allowed to not work because they had non-newborns? Obviously not.

It is different because there is a pandemic. The relative or nanny or small at home daycare people may have used before may not be available. Also, your post assumes that pre-covid, teachers didn't face these very same choices you had to make. And now, everyone's mileage varies. I would not be comfortable sending my young child to pre-school at this point (if I had one), whereas I wouldn't have thought twice about it before. People (everyone) are having to make different choices than they would have a year ago.

Have you seen how many women have been pushed out of the workforce this year either due to childcare, unemployment, or discrimination? We have a lot of problems to deal with for a lot of people.

Yes, I have seen the number of women pushed out of the workforce, in no small part to schools being closed.

THE REST OF US ALREADY WENT THROUGH THIS. WE WERE TOLD WE SHOULD HAVE NOT HAD CHILDREN. TEACHERS TOLD US TO HIRE CHILDCARE.

Also, you need science and to do some research on 3-year-olds covid risks, and understand why the rest of us got over it.

The funny part is that many of us did in fact go out to hire childcare, and the above person is complaining that there is now a dearth of childcare available for teachers.

I am NOT complaining about the dearth of options, I am simply being factual and empathetic. As I was with my other non-teacher friends (I am not a schoolteacher by the way) who either had to quit their jobs or pay substantially more for childcare or accept care they were not comfortable with.

Is there not enough empathy and sympathy for everyone?

Teachers treated us without empathy for 11 months and now they want some?

No.

This is just plain projection. Teachers did not treat anyone without empathy. Maybe a few here and there, but that is being online, not real life. The situation has been untenable but unchangeable for a good chunk of that time, so all the attacks on them have been mostly unnecessary. Where do you get the idea what every teacher is some heartless gorgon out for your blood?

Because when parents threw continuous tantrums demanding they teach in buildings during a pandemic, teachers did not frog march back into buildings to acquiesce to their demands.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's just odd, because the rest of us already had to make these choices (quit to care for kids, hire child care, move a family member in, etc).

I'm lost as to how this is different for teachers.

Like, before the pandemic, were teachers just allowed to not work because they had non-newborns? Obviously not.

It is different because there is a pandemic. The relative or nanny or small at home daycare people may have used before may not be available. Also, your post assumes that pre-covid, teachers didn't face these very same choices you had to make. And now, everyone's mileage varies. I would not be comfortable sending my young child to pre-school at this point (if I had one), whereas I wouldn't have thought twice about it before. People (everyone) are having to make different choices than they would have a year ago.

Have you seen how many women have been pushed out of the workforce this year either due to childcare, unemployment, or discrimination? We have a lot of problems to deal with for a lot of people.

Yes, I have seen the number of women pushed out of the workforce, in no small part to schools being closed.

THE REST OF US ALREADY WENT THROUGH THIS. WE WERE TOLD WE SHOULD HAVE NOT HAD CHILDREN. TEACHERS TOLD US TO HIRE CHILDCARE.

Also, you need science and to do some research on 3-year-olds covid risks, and understand why the rest of us got over it.

The funny part is that many of us did in fact go out to hire childcare, and the above person is complaining that there is now a dearth of childcare available for teachers.

I am NOT complaining about the dearth of options, I am simply being factual and empathetic. As I was with my other non-teacher friends (I am not a schoolteacher by the way) who either had to quit their jobs or pay substantially more for childcare or accept care they were not comfortable with.

Is there not enough empathy and sympathy for everyone?

Teachers treated us without empathy for 11 months and now they want some?

No.

This is just plain projection. Teachers did not treat anyone without empathy. Maybe a few here and there, but that is being online, not real life. The situation has been untenable but unchangeable for a good chunk of that time, so all the attacks on them have been mostly unnecessary. Where do you get the idea what every teacher is some heartless gorgon out for your blood?

I would like you to find me one communication from a teachers' union or organization that acknowledge the sacrifice made by families, and women and particular, to support school buildings remaining closed in the name of safety. One single expression of gratitude for what children have given up would go a long way. I have not seen it.

Oh, yeah, I'm SURE you would have been satisfied with a "communication" acknowledging your kids "sacrifice" without getting the precious, precious return to in person school you scream for.

Puh-leaze.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just looked at the teachers' contract in the county I live in. It actually provides that teachers may be given a leave of absence, without pay, for up to two years for "child rearing." The leave being granted might be a matter of contract that is a benefit that teachers receive, but that other professions do not receive.

Does it say they can take it at any time? Anyway, I'm fine with it, particularly the "without pay" part.

Ditto. You've got a benefit that you are entitled to take. I haven't seen anyone mad about teachers taking benefits allowed to them.

Certainly does put the lie to the idea that teachers are the most put-upon profession. Good salaries, good benefits, 10 month employment, etc.

Perhaps posters here should step back, stop whining, and think why this is included in a teacher's contract.

Women go into the teaching profession, work a few years, get married and start having kids. They take maternity leave and when it's time to come back, ultimately decide they want to stay home with their child then go back to a job that is hard, stressful, and thankless. I know so many former teachers who did this. And they were all great teachers and are wonderful parents.

Contracts like the above help keep those women in the workforce, especially when there is a shortage. If parents want great teachers then these are the kind of benefits they need to demand for teachers. And if you want them for yourself, no one is stopping from making it happen.

Holy crap. Common sense on DCUM!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just looked at the teachers' contract in the county I live in. It actually provides that teachers may be given a leave of absence, without pay, for up to two years for "child rearing." The leave being granted might be a matter of contract that is a benefit that teachers receive, but that other professions do not receive.

Does it say they can take it at any time? Anyway, I'm fine with it, particularly the "without pay" part.

Ditto. You've got a benefit that you are entitled to take. I haven't seen anyone mad about teachers taking benefits allowed to them.

Certainly does put the lie to the idea that teachers are the most put-upon profession. Good salaries, good benefits, 10 month employment, etc.

Perhaps posters here should step back, stop whining, and think why this is included in a teacher's contract.

Women go into the teaching profession, work a few years, get married and start having kids. They take maternity leave and when it's time to come back, ultimately decide they want to stay home with their child then go back to a job that is hard, stressful, and thankless. I know so many former teachers who did this. And they were all great teachers and are wonderful parents.

Contracts like the above help keep those women in the workforce, especially when there is a shortage. If parents want great teachers then these are the kind of benefits they need to demand for teachers. And if you want them for yourself, no one is stopping from making it happen.

Holy crap. Common sense on DCUM!

I agree generally, but we can debate whether leaving mid-year simply based on your personal needs and preferences is professional or what the leave was intended for.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Um, OK. So if they want that benefit, they should take the likely massive pay cut and become teachers. Problem solved!

Teachers don't actually make less than comparably educated people in the DMV. In fact, when teachers do leave the teaching profession, they on average have to take a pay cut.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Um, OK. So if they want that benefit, they should take the likely massive pay cut and become teachers. Problem solved!

Teachers don't actually make less than comparably educated people in the DMV. In fact, when teachers do leave the teaching profession, they on average have to take a pay cut.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's just odd, because the rest of us already had to make these choices (quit to care for kids, hire child care, move a family member in, etc).

I'm lost as to how this is different for teachers.

Like, before the pandemic, were teachers just allowed to not work because they had non-newborns? Obviously not.

It is different because there is a pandemic. The relative or nanny or small at home daycare people may have used before may not be available. Also, your post assumes that pre-covid, teachers didn't face these very same choices you had to make. And now, everyone's mileage varies. I would not be comfortable sending my young child to pre-school at this point (if I had one), whereas I wouldn't have thought twice about it before. People (everyone) are having to make different choices than they would have a year ago.

Have you seen how many women have been pushed out of the workforce this year either due to childcare, unemployment, or discrimination? We have a lot of problems to deal with for a lot of people.

Yes, I have seen the number of women pushed out of the workforce, in no small part to schools being closed.

THE REST OF US ALREADY WENT THROUGH THIS. WE WERE TOLD WE SHOULD HAVE NOT HAD CHILDREN. TEACHERS TOLD US TO HIRE CHILDCARE.

Also, you need science and to do some research on 3-year-olds covid risks, and understand why the rest of us got over it.

The funny part is that many of us did in fact go out to hire childcare, and the above person is complaining that there is now a dearth of childcare available for teachers.

I am NOT complaining about the dearth of options, I am simply being factual and empathetic. As I was with my other non-teacher friends (I am not a schoolteacher by the way) who either had to quit their jobs or pay substantially more for childcare or accept care they were not comfortable with.

Is there not enough empathy and sympathy for everyone?

Teachers treated us without empathy for 11 months and now they want some?

No.

This is just plain projection. Teachers did not treat anyone without empathy. Maybe a few here and there, but that is being online, not real life. The situation has been untenable but unchangeable for a good chunk of that time, so all the attacks on them have been mostly unnecessary. Where do you get the idea what every teacher is some heartless gorgon out for your blood?

Because when parents threw continuous tantrums demanding they teach in buildings during a pandemic, teachers did not frog march back into buildings to acquiesce to their demands.

That’s not even what frog march means, Janet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think this is the childcare leave people are talking about. Parents have been unable to work because teachers aren't back in person. Teachers and school districts have no sympathy- they said to hire childcare. And now teachers are saying they can't work because of daycare and childcare issues.

Agreed. This is what people are taking about OP.

+1. Part of it is that some parents simply missed the boat when spots were widely available. Our daycare just recently filled its last spots (at the reduced capacity as we are in MoCo). I think many were hedging their bets that there would be no return to in person this year and decided to make due with the kids at home for xyz reasons (health concerns, to save $$, etc.).

It might be that parents need to be flexible about where they enroll their kid, but for all this talk of daycare shortages I know of places that continue to have openings. Our DD attends an in-home daycare that was almost always at capacity pre-covid, but has been around 2/3 full since reopening over the summer. My friend whose kids attend an MCCA center said that there are openings at several of those facilities too, they've had very few covid cases but parents are still scared to send their kids back. Not sure if there is a mismatch with particular age groups- infant spots are always more limited so I don't know how easy it is to find one with short notice, but at the same time I'm amazed at how many teachers have seemingly been teaching DL with little ones at home.

+1
Why were their kids home when they were working if they are daycare age? How could they focus? Even with my elementary school aged kids, it was tough to manage DL and my own job when I was working from home in the spring.

I would assume the quality of teaching will go up if they don't need to supervise a toddler at the same time.

Just more evidence that teachers are doing a poor job of DL. Perhaps they could be sent to go teach in empty classrooms. Maybe they don't have to be in front of children, but they shouldn't be doubling up on these obligations. Standards for teacher attention shouldn't be dropping that much. They would still have to find childcare, but that's their problem, not mine.