Consequences of LCPS teacher resigning mid-year when under contract?

[Anonymous]

My brother is a teacher at Loudoun County Public Schools. He's only been with the system since the start of the school year (a few months). He is under contract. He doesn't like the job (the principal doesn't like him either), and he found another teaching job at a private school. He's planning on leaving within the next month (before the end of the school year or his contract).

This random article on the internet suggests that there can big consequences when a teacher breaks their contract:
https://teachercareercoach.com/quitting-teaching-mid-year/

Does anyone know if this is likely to cause him big problems? What should he expect?

Thank you!

[Anonymous]

He’ll likely never teach at another public school in Virginia again.

[Anonymous]

He likely won't be eligible to be hired in LCPS again, at least for a while. Does he care?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:He’ll likely never teach at another public school in Virginia again.

That was true at one point. Not likely anymore, staffing is in such a crisis he may even be eligible for hire in LCPS again someday

[Anonymous]

At this point teachers are in short supply and he will be fine. In the past, he would have struggled to ever get another teaching job- now they will be begging for him if he ever chooses to return.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At this point teachers are in short supply and he will be fine. In the past, he would have struggled to ever get another teaching job- now they will be begging for him if he ever chooses to return.

Normal country

[Anonymous]

He won’t be able to teach in LCPS again or sister counties nearby like FCPS. His license with DOE may also be in jeopardy, especially as he’s a new teacher already violating contract mid year. All in all, this is a really bad move if he ever wants or needs to teach in Virginia again. To the degree that when teachers do this, we know it means they’re leaving TEACHING, not just the school, because it has such a negative impact on your career. His best bet is gut it out the next <4 months and apply to other schools now during the licensed transfer process which is open through Friday.

-LCPS teacher

[Anonymous]

Your brother’s a selfish ass.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your brother’s a selfish ass.

NP here.

No, he’s not. He shouldn’t have to stay somewhere he’s miserable. Teachers don’t have to give up their own happiness, and I get really tired of hearing that we do.

OP, I know many teachers who have left mid-year. I’ve lost three in my department this year alone. Every single one who wanted to teach somewhere else is currently teaching somewhere else. There’s such a shortage of teachers right now that the penalty for breaking contract is no longer an issue.

I hope he finds somewhere he is happy.

[Anonymous]

This will kill his career. It’s not worth it. Tell him to stick the year out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your brother’s a selfish ass.

NP here.

No, he’s not. He shouldn’t have to stay somewhere he’s miserable. Teachers don’t have to give up their own happiness, and I get really tired of hearing that we do.

OP, I know many teachers who have left mid-year. I’ve lost three in my department this year alone. Every single one who wanted to teach somewhere else is currently teaching somewhere else. There’s such a shortage of teachers right now that the penalty for breaking contract is no longer an issue.

I hope he finds somewhere he is happy.

Because he made a commitment to teach a group of students. No one is asking him to stay for years on end. It’s just a few more months. If he leaves, there are students who are left picking up the check for his so-called happiness. I’ve been teaching for over 25 years. It’s really hard. I get it. I am not happy everyday and have worked for some horrendous principals. There’s no way I ever would have left my students hanging in the middle of the year. I’ve figured out what I need to do to leave and then made my move at the end of the year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your brother’s a selfish ass.

NP here.

No, he’s not. He shouldn’t have to stay somewhere he’s miserable. Teachers don’t have to give up their own happiness, and I get really tired of hearing that we do.

OP, I know many teachers who have left mid-year. I’ve lost three in my department this year alone. Every single one who wanted to teach somewhere else is currently teaching somewhere else. There’s such a shortage of teachers right now that the penalty for breaking contract is no longer an issue.

I hope he finds somewhere he is happy.

+1. OP, I have worked in both public and private schools. It appears your brother is still interested in teaching if he’s moving to private. I’m sure they’ll be happy to have him but he should definitely talk to the private school’s HR department if he’s under a provisional license.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your brother’s a selfish ass.

NP here.

No, he’s not. He shouldn’t have to stay somewhere he’s miserable. Teachers don’t have to give up their own happiness, and I get really tired of hearing that we do.

OP, I know many teachers who have left mid-year. I’ve lost three in my department this year alone. Every single one who wanted to teach somewhere else is currently teaching somewhere else. There’s such a shortage of teachers right now that the penalty for breaking contract is no longer an issue.

I hope he finds somewhere he is happy.

Because he made a commitment to teach a group of students. No one is asking him to stay for years on end. It’s just a few more months. If he leaves, there are students who are left picking up the check for his so-called happiness. I’ve been teaching for over 25 years. It’s really hard. I get it. I am not happy everyday and have worked for some horrendous principals. There’s no way I ever would have left my students hanging in the middle of the year. I’ve figured out what I need to do to leave and then made my move at the end of the year.

It is hard. I completely don't think folks should have to stay where they are miserable, but it can be also so hard on the kids. My son's 2nd grade teacher left in October. She just disappeared one day, there was never a goodbye to the kids. Again, I get it is a job and folks should be allowed to leave. But the kids had been through virtual K and then messed up 1st grade and then lost their teacher in 2nd and now they still only have a long term sub, who is wonderful but it just isn't the same. A lot of the kids (including mine) really struggled in the fall after she left (including them crying and asking if they were so bad that she wanted to leave them).

Again, she had a right to leave but I really wish she had been able to talk to them about leaving before she left. So I guess I just suggest your brother talk to his students and not just disappear one day. Teachers can mean a lot to kids and it can be hard for them to just be gone one day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your brother’s a selfish ass.

NP here.

No, he’s not. He shouldn’t have to stay somewhere he’s miserable. Teachers don’t have to give up their own happiness, and I get really tired of hearing that we do.

OP, I know many teachers who have left mid-year. I’ve lost three in my department this year alone. Every single one who wanted to teach somewhere else is currently teaching somewhere else. There’s such a shortage of teachers right now that the penalty for breaking contract is no longer an issue.

I hope he finds somewhere he is happy.

Because he made a commitment to teach a group of students. No one is asking him to stay for years on end. It’s just a few more months. If he leaves, there are students who are left picking up the check for his so-called happiness. I’ve been teaching for over 25 years. It’s really hard. I get it. I am not happy everyday and have worked for some horrendous principals. There’s no way I ever would have left my students hanging in the middle of the year. I’ve figured out what I need to do to leave and then made my move at the end of the year.

I’ve been teaching 20. I’ve seen the misery a bad position can cause. I’ve had to take a coworker to the hospital because of suicidal talk. I’ve watched teachers cry before work on a daily basis. If you’re not liking it… get out! You are doing nobody any favors by martyring yourself in misery. My own children have lost teachers this year. They miss the teachers, but they’ll be okay.

OP, he can leave and he’ll be fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This will kill his career. It’s not worth it. Tell him to stick the year out.

I mean, there’s four months left. You can’t tough it out for four months, OP? (We know this isn’t about your “brother.”)

Paul IV isn’t all that and a bag of chips, anyway. The grass isn’t always greener.