Teacher workdays/school planning are ridiculous!

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I’m of two thoughts:

Yes, the calendar is too disjointed and it needs to be fixed.

But teachers need work days. If we want teachers to stay in the profession, they need to be granted time during the work week (even just occasionally) to get their work done. It shouldn’t be the expectation that nights and weekends belong to their jobs, too.

I have a demanding job. It has me on calls for a good portion of the day. This means I have to work outside of work hours to get my work done.

Teachers need to also use their time more efficiently. FCPS ES and MS have very little grading to do.

You sound ignorant. You don't have a clue what's asked of teachers. Also school isn't daycare figure out your parenting.

Shouldn’t you be grading some papers instead of arguing with parents on here? Since you’re so overloaded and all?

I'm a DP, but I am also a teacher.

Let's be honest: if you don't teach, you ARE ignorant of the demands of teaching. That's not an insult. Ignorance is literally defined as lacking knowledge or awareness about a particular subject. Therefore, if you haven't taught you DON'T actually know what is demanded of teachers. And again: that's not an insult.

But is IS insulting when you come here and belittle a job you know little about.

So when teachers try to explain to you why we need planning time, this is an opportunity for you to learn about something you're unfamiliar with. Unfortunately, posters on this site label comments from teachers as "complaining" or "arguing" when it's simply "explaining." I see it all the time. It's why teachers become defensive, because their words are misconstrued and dismissed at almost every turn by people who are ignorant. (Again: not an insult.)

So, I'll take your advice and go grade papers. That's far more productive than posting here considering these trends.

I am not going to out myself on here, but rest assured, I know the demands of your job because I used to live in a household with a teacher and my own job carries some of the same demands. I also know the demands of other people’s jobs where they are under tremendous pressure to show consistently excellent performance or they will be fired. Being a great teacher is really hard. It’s a thankless job and you have to bring a lot of work home with you if you’re doing it right. But it’s also true that it comes with a lot of job security. Mediocre and lazy teachers can sit in their jobs for years and the worst thing that happens to them is they get moved to a different school. Right now there are a lot of parents who feel like they are barely hanging onto their jobs and this calendar is really not helping.

The majority of those parents get paid considerably more than teachers. Enough with the false equivalence. Hire a f—king babysitter.

I'd prefer better pay for teachers, particuarly when FCPS salaries are compared to surrounding jurisdictions but....

Teacher pay is for a less than full year so its not an apples to apples comparasion. Scale it for an equivlent amount of time and the ~60k starting salary in FCPS jumps much closer to entry level engineering pay.

Nope. That’s not how salaries work.

(Also, I made that as an entry level engineer in the area over 20 GD years ago. It’s laughable to defend these miserly salaries for professionals in one of the wealthiest areas of the country.)

You are paid based off a set of contracted hours for 195 days which occur over a 10 month period. Yes, you are salaried, and yes you have had the option in prior years to be paid 10 months or 12 months out of the year. You are not however working the same number of days per year as a full time employee in most other professions given both the 2 months off for summer + 30 holidays this year (not including 14 sick with 6 as regular leave days) which accounts for some of the pay differential unless you are on the 260 day scale.

A starting salary of 61k with a BS.
https://www.fcps.edu/sites/default/files/media/pdf/fy26-teacher-195-day.pdf

If other professional jobs have 260 days worked (including 10 federal holidays so a 260 day calendar), then we can scale a starting engineering salary of 72k by 75%(195/260) and we get 54k. Meaning that starting teacher pay is inline with starting engineering pay for an equivlent number of days worked and in fact higher.

Now if we look at FCPS teacher pay for260 days its actually lines up nearly to starting engineering pay at 74.4k.
https://www.fcps.edu/sites/default/files/media/pdf/fy26-teacher-260-day.pdf

Teaching is a generously compensated part-time job. Teachers who want to feel like they are “equal“ in some way to other professionals, rarely think that they should work the same hours and time as those other professions.

Part time jobs are classified as being 20 hours or less a week. We are contracted 40 hours and often work more than that like many other salaries people. Claiming this is part time idiotic.

By whoM? I understood part-time to mean fewer than 40 and certainly teachers work fewer than 40 hours over the 52 weeks of the year particularly given the 39 non-work days during the school year.

Teacher here, wrapping up hour 11 today. I work 60 hour weeks consistently. Never fewer, often more:

195 days pay = 39 weeks of work
39 x 60 = 2,340 hours of work a year

Let's compare that to full time pay for a 50-week / year job:

39 weeks of work at 60 hours = 2,340 hours
50 weeks of work at 40 hours = 2,000 hours

Now, this is as bit simplistic. Maybe that employee also works more hours. And that's fine. The numbers change.

My point remains. I'm not part-time. I'm way over full-time. Way over.

And, to ward off the inevitable mean-spirited attacks: I'm not complaining. I choose to do this. But there's a lot of misinformation on this thread that needs to be corrected.

Back to work. I have tomorrow's lessons to plan.

Your contract is for 40 hours. You work 40 hours for 39 weeks, 1,560 hours. If you worked 48 weeks per year (assuming the normal 20 days of PTO) you work 32.6 hours per week. You are a part time worker. Part time vs full time reflects the hours you’re paid for not the hours you work.

Your decision to work “always” 60 hours reflects choice or inefficiency, and doesn’t take into account all the days within the 39 work weeks during which you’re not teaching (this year if you’re in FCPS, thats over 20 days. Four weeks of work) either for unscheduled PTO for “weather” or planning and work days specifically set aside.

Being a part time worker isn’t a lesser caste.

This is a dumb and pedantic argument. No, teachers are not part-time workers.

I’m sorry math upsets you.

There is nothing at all wrong with being a part-time worker. So much of this discontent from teachers comes from signing up to be a teacher — to work only part of the year, to be given all of the school breaks, etc— and then being bitterly disappointed that the world doesn’t treat you like you’re an award-winning brain surgeon. Unrealistic and mismatched expectations are what caused the most disappointment in life..

You are quite funny! Look I teach pre-K and we have grown adults whose job it is to follow us around multiple times a year recording every facial expression, question, word, action and choice we make for 2-3 hours at a time. This is part of a 10 million dollar contract (plus) from the commonwealth of VA. Those scores are then publicly posted. Do you know what they patterned this after tool after? Protocol work done with surgeons. Do you know what they don’t publicly post? Professional information about doctors professional second by second choices.
So though I don’t think I’m an award-winning brain surgeon I have more scrutiny than they do.

I don’t see your point? You are responsible for young children of course you should have scrutiny? Some prison guards are on camera 24-7 but I don’t often hear teachers say they want to be given the respect and deference of the correctional professionals.

The job you signed up for is the job you signed up for. Constantly comparing it in respect, perks, etc. to other jobs and finding it wanting means its either not a good fit or the expectations are t reasonable. Ranting about how everyone should give you more won’t fix it.

?? I merely continued your comparison to surgeons. Did you know they operate on people and have people’s very life in their hands? They are community helpers. They also have a board in charge of them and many layers of respect, but yet they don’t have their death or infection rates publicly posted in an easily searchable online portal.

I’m not ranting that “I need more.” I”m just arguing with your “award-winning brain surgeon” comment because it shows how little you know.

Now, you are bringing up prison guards as you continue to compare teaching to other careers. Why do you keep doing that?

But hey, since you mention it. We all know prison guard and police body cam footage can very easily be “lost.” There are many examples just in the Epstein case…. The footage also isn’t rated in a publicly searchable online portal, it requires FOIA.

Which profession are you going to choose to compare next?

Malpractice is, in fact, by name searchable in portals like DocInfo.

Well, duh. That is malpractice.. That is very different than rating every surgeon and listing their infection rates and having their in operating room protocols given an efficiency score along with their bedside manner. They aren’t rated on their level of empathy or how well they explain the procedure as they do their pre-op meetings. That isn’t public.

DP

Initially I assumed that the person to whom you’re responding is a troll. But the more she posts, the more I suspect she is just not very bright. I think you’re wasting your time arguing with her.

Ha! What part of the scrutiny of surgeons seemed like too much and made you resort to name calling?
Seems far fetched to rate people on their empathy levels, the neatness of materials during a procedure? And yet this is EXACTLY how protocols were developed for surgeons. They discovered it lowered infection rates when protocols were developed and teams of surgeons then watched each other to streamline the process.
This process was then developed for teachers and is a rating scale.

But our scores are public and surgeons are not.

1) There was no name calling
2) I was on your side
3) This thread is idiotic

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Teacher planning is the problem. There is too much burden on the teachers to plan. There used to be a centralized curriculum, with textbooks and ready material so there was no need for endless amounts of planning. Now that each teacher is required to basically make it up on their own, there is less consistency and more days off for planning. My friend is a new 3rd grade teacher and she was up all night the first few months trying to collect materials and plan the day. It's unnecessary.

Go back to more centralized materials. It worked better for the students and the teachers.

Totally agree. It’s absurd. It’s so wasteful to make every teacher repeatedly re-invent the wheel.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What I struggle to understand is the number of parents on this board who routinely imply (or even outright declare) that teachers are somehow less deserving of respect than other professionals.

I cannot imagine teaching children that any profession—surgeon, sanitation worker, nurse, architect, attorney, grocery clerk, EMT, detective, engineer, teacher, pharmacy tech, salesperson, librarian, soldier, president, athletic trainer, mechanic, mail carrier, and so on—is inherently more or less worthy of respect and/or dignity. A functioning, well-oiled society depends on the talents and contributions of all of us. Every role matters and every person fulfilling those roles deserves respect.

It is genuinely baffling to see parents here react with hostility and hatred when teachers simply assert that they too deserve to be treated with respect. It is mind-boggling to watch people compare teachers’ responsibilities to their own as though the goal is to prove superiority rather than to understand the complexity of a profession they cannot understand. It is disheartening to see teachers denigrated so casually while other professions are praised, as though respect is a finite resource.

Additionally, the idea that education is a “part‑time job” is not just inaccurate; it’s willfully ignorant.

If we want children to grow into adults who value community, collaboration, and shared responsibility, we should model that by recognizing the worth/value of every profession. We must stop modeling vitriol and denigration of any person who contributes to society, regardless of what their role may be. Not one single profession or person is more worthy or important than any other.

Just think:

-- Your child dreams of being a police officer, but he/she constantly hears you talk about how awful and violent police officers are. How would that make your child feel about the disrespect you will show them if they choose to enter that profession?

-- Your child dreams of being an attorney, but he/she constantly hears you talk about how dishonest and conniving attorneys are. How would that make your child feel about the disrespect you will show them if they choose to enter that profession?

-- Your child dreams of being an electrician, but he/she constantly hears you talk about how uneducated electricians are. How would that make your child feel about the disrespect you will show them if they choose to enter that profession?

-- Your child dreams of being a doctor, but he/she constantly hears you talk about how cold and selfish doctors are. How would that make your child feel about the disrespect you will show them if they choose to enter that profession?

-- Your child dreams of being a teacher, but he/she constantly hears you talk about how whiny and entitled teachers are. How would that make your child feel about the disrespect you will show them if they choose to enter that profession?

--

So many parents on this board need to grow up and leave their "mean girl" mentality in the past. Be an adult and be a better role model for your kids; they deserve better.

When the majority of these roles think of “respect and dignity” they are not asking for it at anyones expense.

If a sanitation worker said we need to miss nine collections every year to train, it’s not likely people would support that. It’s not a lack of respect to say we need hospitals staffed on Christmas. When people say the number of days of school missed for training and planning is too high and it is not a good use of taxpayer resources , that is similarly not disrespectful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What I struggle to understand is the number of parents on this board who routinely imply (or even outright declare) that teachers are somehow less deserving of respect than other professionals.

I cannot imagine teaching children that any profession—surgeon, sanitation worker, nurse, architect, attorney, grocery clerk, EMT, detective, engineer, teacher, pharmacy tech, salesperson, librarian, soldier, president, athletic trainer, mechanic, mail carrier, and so on—is inherently more or less worthy of respect and/or dignity. A functioning, well-oiled society depends on the talents and contributions of all of us. Every role matters and every person fulfilling those roles deserves respect.

It is genuinely baffling to see parents here react with hostility and hatred when teachers simply assert that they too deserve to be treated with respect. It is mind-boggling to watch people compare teachers’ responsibilities to their own as though the goal is to prove superiority rather than to understand the complexity of a profession they cannot understand. It is disheartening to see teachers denigrated so casually while other professions are praised, as though respect is a finite resource.

Additionally, the idea that education is a “part‑time job” is not just inaccurate; it’s willfully ignorant.

If we want children to grow into adults who value community, collaboration, and shared responsibility, we should model that by recognizing the worth/value of every profession. We must stop modeling vitriol and denigration of any person who contributes to society, regardless of what their role may be. Not one single profession or person is more worthy or important than any other.

Just think:

-- Your child dreams of being a police officer, but he/she constantly hears you talk about how awful and violent police officers are. How would that make your child feel about the disrespect you will show them if they choose to enter that profession?

-- Your child dreams of being an attorney, but he/she constantly hears you talk about how dishonest and conniving attorneys are. How would that make your child feel about the disrespect you will show them if they choose to enter that profession?

-- Your child dreams of being an electrician, but he/she constantly hears you talk about how uneducated electricians are. How would that make your child feel about the disrespect you will show them if they choose to enter that profession?

-- Your child dreams of being a doctor, but he/she constantly hears you talk about how cold and selfish doctors are. How would that make your child feel about the disrespect you will show them if they choose to enter that profession?

-- Your child dreams of being a teacher, but he/she constantly hears you talk about how whiny and entitled teachers are. How would that make your child feel about the disrespect you will show them if they choose to enter that profession?

--

So many parents on this board need to grow up and leave their "mean girl" mentality in the past. Be an adult and be a better role model for your kids; they deserve better.

When the majority of these roles think of “respect and dignity” they are not asking for it at anyones expense.

If a sanitation worker said we need to miss nine collections every year to train, it’s not likely people would support that. It’s not a lack of respect to say we need hospitals staffed on Christmas. When people say the number of days of school missed for training and planning is too high and it is not a good use of taxpayer resources , that is similarly not disrespectful.

It is disrespectful because you’re not listening to the teachers who say they need the days. You’re discrediting their professional opinions and needs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What I struggle to understand is the number of parents on this board who routinely imply (or even outright declare) that teachers are somehow less deserving of respect than other professionals.

I cannot imagine teaching children that any profession—surgeon, sanitation worker, nurse, architect, attorney, grocery clerk, EMT, detective, engineer, teacher, pharmacy tech, salesperson, librarian, soldier, president, athletic trainer, mechanic, mail carrier, and so on—is inherently more or less worthy of respect and/or dignity. A functioning, well-oiled society depends on the talents and contributions of all of us. Every role matters and every person fulfilling those roles deserves respect.

It is genuinely baffling to see parents here react with hostility and hatred when teachers simply assert that they too deserve to be treated with respect. It is mind-boggling to watch people compare teachers’ responsibilities to their own as though the goal is to prove superiority rather than to understand the complexity of a profession they cannot understand. It is disheartening to see teachers denigrated so casually while other professions are praised, as though respect is a finite resource.

Additionally, the idea that education is a “part‑time job” is not just inaccurate; it’s willfully ignorant.

If we want children to grow into adults who value community, collaboration, and shared responsibility, we should model that by recognizing the worth/value of every profession. We must stop modeling vitriol and denigration of any person who contributes to society, regardless of what their role may be. Not one single profession or person is more worthy or important than any other.

Just think:

-- Your child dreams of being a police officer, but he/she constantly hears you talk about how awful and violent police officers are. How would that make your child feel about the disrespect you will show them if they choose to enter that profession?

-- Your child dreams of being an attorney, but he/she constantly hears you talk about how dishonest and conniving attorneys are. How would that make your child feel about the disrespect you will show them if they choose to enter that profession?

-- Your child dreams of being an electrician, but he/she constantly hears you talk about how uneducated electricians are. How would that make your child feel about the disrespect you will show them if they choose to enter that profession?

-- Your child dreams of being a doctor, but he/she constantly hears you talk about how cold and selfish doctors are. How would that make your child feel about the disrespect you will show them if they choose to enter that profession?

-- Your child dreams of being a teacher, but he/she constantly hears you talk about how whiny and entitled teachers are. How would that make your child feel about the disrespect you will show them if they choose to enter that profession?

--

So many parents on this board need to grow up and leave their "mean girl" mentality in the past. Be an adult and be a better role model for your kids; they deserve better.

When the majority of these roles think of “respect and dignity” they are not asking for it at anyones expense.

If a sanitation worker said we need to miss nine collections every year to train, it’s not likely people would support that. It’s not a lack of respect to say we need hospitals staffed on Christmas. When people say the number of days of school missed for training and planning is too high and it is not a good use of taxpayer resources , that is similarly not disrespectful.

Eh we went 2 weeks between trash pick up several times this winter because the trucks couldn’t get to us. Just like schools were closed, trash and mail didn’t come on schedule this winter.

You do want trained teachers and though we used to take sub days to get trained, they stopped that. There aren’t enough subs to go around now, so the solution is to close schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What I struggle to understand is the number of parents on this board who routinely imply (or even outright declare) that teachers are somehow less deserving of respect than other professionals.

I cannot imagine teaching children that any profession—surgeon, sanitation worker, nurse, architect, attorney, grocery clerk, EMT, detective, engineer, teacher, pharmacy tech, salesperson, librarian, soldier, president, athletic trainer, mechanic, mail carrier, and so on—is inherently more or less worthy of respect and/or dignity. A functioning, well-oiled society depends on the talents and contributions of all of us. Every role matters and every person fulfilling those roles deserves respect.

It is genuinely baffling to see parents here react with hostility and hatred when teachers simply assert that they too deserve to be treated with respect. It is mind-boggling to watch people compare teachers’ responsibilities to their own as though the goal is to prove superiority rather than to understand the complexity of a profession they cannot understand. It is disheartening to see teachers denigrated so casually while other professions are praised, as though respect is a finite resource.

Additionally, the idea that education is a “part‑time job” is not just inaccurate; it’s willfully ignorant.

If we want children to grow into adults who value community, collaboration, and shared responsibility, we should model that by recognizing the worth/value of every profession. We must stop modeling vitriol and denigration of any person who contributes to society, regardless of what their role may be. Not one single profession or person is more worthy or important than any other.

Just think:

-- Your child dreams of being a police officer, but he/she constantly hears you talk about how awful and violent police officers are. How would that make your child feel about the disrespect you will show them if they choose to enter that profession?

-- Your child dreams of being an attorney, but he/she constantly hears you talk about how dishonest and conniving attorneys are. How would that make your child feel about the disrespect you will show them if they choose to enter that profession?

-- Your child dreams of being an electrician, but he/she constantly hears you talk about how uneducated electricians are. How would that make your child feel about the disrespect you will show them if they choose to enter that profession?

-- Your child dreams of being a doctor, but he/she constantly hears you talk about how cold and selfish doctors are. How would that make your child feel about the disrespect you will show them if they choose to enter that profession?

-- Your child dreams of being a teacher, but he/she constantly hears you talk about how whiny and entitled teachers are. How would that make your child feel about the disrespect you will show them if they choose to enter that profession?

--

So many parents on this board need to grow up and leave their "mean girl" mentality in the past. Be an adult and be a better role model for your kids; they deserve better.

When the majority of these roles think of “respect and dignity” they are not asking for it at anyones expense.

If a sanitation worker said we need to miss nine collections every year to train, it’s not likely people would support that. It’s not a lack of respect to say we need hospitals staffed on Christmas. When people say the number of days of school missed for training and planning is too high and it is not a good use of taxpayer resources , that is similarly not disrespectful.

It is disrespectful because you’re not listening to the teachers who say they need the days. You’re discrediting their professional opinions and needs.

+1

This, plus continuing to teach children to disrespect teachers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What I struggle to understand is the number of parents on this board who routinely imply (or even outright declare) that teachers are somehow less deserving of respect than other professionals.

I cannot imagine teaching children that any profession—surgeon, sanitation worker, nurse, architect, attorney, grocery clerk, EMT, detective, engineer, teacher, pharmacy tech, salesperson, librarian, soldier, president, athletic trainer, mechanic, mail carrier, and so on—is inherently more or less worthy of respect and/or dignity. A functioning, well-oiled society depends on the talents and contributions of all of us. Every role matters and every person fulfilling those roles deserves respect.

It is genuinely baffling to see parents here react with hostility and hatred when teachers simply assert that they too deserve to be treated with respect. It is mind-boggling to watch people compare teachers’ responsibilities to their own as though the goal is to prove superiority rather than to understand the complexity of a profession they cannot understand. It is disheartening to see teachers denigrated so casually while other professions are praised, as though respect is a finite resource.

Additionally, the idea that education is a “part‑time job” is not just inaccurate; it’s willfully ignorant.

If we want children to grow into adults who value community, collaboration, and shared responsibility, we should model that by recognizing the worth/value of every profession. We must stop modeling vitriol and denigration of any person who contributes to society, regardless of what their role may be. Not one single profession or person is more worthy or important than any other.

Just think:

-- Your child dreams of being a police officer, but he/she constantly hears you talk about how awful and violent police officers are. How would that make your child feel about the disrespect you will show them if they choose to enter that profession?

-- Your child dreams of being an attorney, but he/she constantly hears you talk about how dishonest and conniving attorneys are. How would that make your child feel about the disrespect you will show them if they choose to enter that profession?

-- Your child dreams of being an electrician, but he/she constantly hears you talk about how uneducated electricians are. How would that make your child feel about the disrespect you will show them if they choose to enter that profession?

-- Your child dreams of being a doctor, but he/she constantly hears you talk about how cold and selfish doctors are. How would that make your child feel about the disrespect you will show them if they choose to enter that profession?

-- Your child dreams of being a teacher, but he/she constantly hears you talk about how whiny and entitled teachers are. How would that make your child feel about the disrespect you will show them if they choose to enter that profession?

--

So many parents on this board need to grow up and leave their "mean girl" mentality in the past. Be an adult and be a better role model for your kids; they deserve better.

When the majority of these roles think of “respect and dignity” they are not asking for it at anyones expense.

If a sanitation worker said we need to miss nine collections every year to train, it’s not likely people would support that. It’s not a lack of respect to say we need hospitals staffed on Christmas. When people say the number of days of school missed for training and planning is too high and it is not a good use of taxpayer resources , that is similarly not disrespectful.

Eh we went 2 weeks between trash pick up several times this winter because the trucks couldn’t get to us. Just like schools were closed, trash and mail didn’t come on schedule this winter.

You do want trained teachers and though we used to take sub days to get trained, they stopped that. There aren’t enough subs to go around now, so the solution is to close schools.

Our sanitation workers frequently miss pickups because they are understaffed and cannot finish their entire area. Instead of having pickups 4x/week (two trash, one yard waste, and one recycling), we often have at least one pickup missed. Our recycling gets picked up 75% of the time, yard waste 50% of the time, and trash 75%-90% of the time (in good weather). When it's snowy, icy, or too hot, we have lots of missed pickups.

Are we, in my neighborhood, frustrated? Probably a little bit, but no one complains incessantly the way the people on this board complain about teachers. We understand this is just the way it is. We do not fully understand the job's demands, nor can we do the job, so it is not worth the energy it takes to complain or throw fits (the way the people on this board do about schools and teachers).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What I struggle to understand is the number of parents on this board who routinely imply (or even outright declare) that teachers are somehow less deserving of respect than other professionals.

I cannot imagine teaching children that any profession—surgeon, sanitation worker, nurse, architect, attorney, grocery clerk, EMT, detective, engineer, teacher, pharmacy tech, salesperson, librarian, soldier, president, athletic trainer, mechanic, mail carrier, and so on—is inherently more or less worthy of respect and/or dignity. A functioning, well-oiled society depends on the talents and contributions of all of us. Every role matters and every person fulfilling those roles deserves respect.

It is genuinely baffling to see parents here react with hostility and hatred when teachers simply assert that they too deserve to be treated with respect. It is mind-boggling to watch people compare teachers’ responsibilities to their own as though the goal is to prove superiority rather than to understand the complexity of a profession they cannot understand. It is disheartening to see teachers denigrated so casually while other professions are praised, as though respect is a finite resource.

Additionally, the idea that education is a “part‑time job” is not just inaccurate; it’s willfully ignorant.

If we want children to grow into adults who value community, collaboration, and shared responsibility, we should model that by recognizing the worth/value of every profession. We must stop modeling vitriol and denigration of any person who contributes to society, regardless of what their role may be. Not one single profession or person is more worthy or important than any other.

Just think:

-- Your child dreams of being a police officer, but he/she constantly hears you talk about how awful and violent police officers are. How would that make your child feel about the disrespect you will show them if they choose to enter that profession?

-- Your child dreams of being an attorney, but he/she constantly hears you talk about how dishonest and conniving attorneys are. How would that make your child feel about the disrespect you will show them if they choose to enter that profession?

-- Your child dreams of being an electrician, but he/she constantly hears you talk about how uneducated electricians are. How would that make your child feel about the disrespect you will show them if they choose to enter that profession?

-- Your child dreams of being a doctor, but he/she constantly hears you talk about how cold and selfish doctors are. How would that make your child feel about the disrespect you will show them if they choose to enter that profession?

-- Your child dreams of being a teacher, but he/she constantly hears you talk about how whiny and entitled teachers are. How would that make your child feel about the disrespect you will show them if they choose to enter that profession?

--

So many parents on this board need to grow up and leave their "mean girl" mentality in the past. Be an adult and be a better role model for your kids; they deserve better.

When the majority of these roles think of “respect and dignity” they are not asking for it at anyones expense.

If a sanitation worker said we need to miss nine collections every year to train, it’s not likely people would support that. It’s not a lack of respect to say we need hospitals staffed on Christmas. When people say the number of days of school missed for training and planning is too high and it is not a good use of taxpayer resources , that is similarly not disrespectful.

It is disrespectful because you’re not listening to the teachers who say they need the days. You’re discrediting their professional opinions and needs.

Disagreeing is not the same as not listening. I understand wanting more days to plan/train/catch up. I disagree it is the public interest to close school more often. That is not a disrespectful position.

There are ways to do teacher training days without closing school more often, like putting them on federal holidays as is done for indigenous peoples day. That is rarely perceived by teachers as a more “respectful” suggestion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What I struggle to understand is the number of parents on this board who routinely imply (or even outright declare) that teachers are somehow less deserving of respect than other professionals.

I cannot imagine teaching children that any profession—surgeon, sanitation worker, nurse, architect, attorney, grocery clerk, EMT, detective, engineer, teacher, pharmacy tech, salesperson, librarian, soldier, president, athletic trainer, mechanic, mail carrier, and so on—is inherently more or less worthy of respect and/or dignity. A functioning, well-oiled society depends on the talents and contributions of all of us. Every role matters and every person fulfilling those roles deserves respect.

It is genuinely baffling to see parents here react with hostility and hatred when teachers simply assert that they too deserve to be treated with respect. It is mind-boggling to watch people compare teachers’ responsibilities to their own as though the goal is to prove superiority rather than to understand the complexity of a profession they cannot understand. It is disheartening to see teachers denigrated so casually while other professions are praised, as though respect is a finite resource.

Additionally, the idea that education is a “part‑time job” is not just inaccurate; it’s willfully ignorant.

If we want children to grow into adults who value community, collaboration, and shared responsibility, we should model that by recognizing the worth/value of every profession. We must stop modeling vitriol and denigration of any person who contributes to society, regardless of what their role may be. Not one single profession or person is more worthy or important than any other.

Just think:

-- Your child dreams of being a police officer, but he/she constantly hears you talk about how awful and violent police officers are. How would that make your child feel about the disrespect you will show them if they choose to enter that profession?

-- Your child dreams of being an attorney, but he/she constantly hears you talk about how dishonest and conniving attorneys are. How would that make your child feel about the disrespect you will show them if they choose to enter that profession?

-- Your child dreams of being an electrician, but he/she constantly hears you talk about how uneducated electricians are. How would that make your child feel about the disrespect you will show them if they choose to enter that profession?

-- Your child dreams of being a doctor, but he/she constantly hears you talk about how cold and selfish doctors are. How would that make your child feel about the disrespect you will show them if they choose to enter that profession?

-- Your child dreams of being a teacher, but he/she constantly hears you talk about how whiny and entitled teachers are. How would that make your child feel about the disrespect you will show them if they choose to enter that profession?

--

So many parents on this board need to grow up and leave their "mean girl" mentality in the past. Be an adult and be a better role model for your kids; they deserve better.

When the majority of these roles think of “respect and dignity” they are not asking for it at anyones expense.

If a sanitation worker said we need to miss nine collections every year to train, it’s not likely people would support that. It’s not a lack of respect to say we need hospitals staffed on Christmas. When people say the number of days of school missed for training and planning is too high and it is not a good use of taxpayer resources , that is similarly not disrespectful.

It is disrespectful because you’re not listening to the teachers who say they need the days. You’re discrediting their professional opinions and needs.

Disagreeing is not the same as not listening. I understand wanting more days to plan/train/catch up. I disagree it is the public interest to close school more often. That is not a disrespectful position.

There are ways to do teacher training days without closing school more often, like putting them on federal holidays as is done for indigenous peoples day. That is rarely perceived by teachers as a more “respectful” suggestion.

I’m a teacher. I’ll happily give up every federal holiday if it means I can get some paid work time to do work. Is it the right option? No, probably not. We deserve holidays just like workers in other professions. But would I accept it? Yes. Absolutely. I am so absurdly overloaded that I’ll take anything at this point to get my head above water.

But I have to disagree with you regarding the “listening” comment. I am rarely listened to on this site. People often disagree with me about my lived experiences, believing their assumptions about my working conditions are more accurate than my reality. If I try to explain something calmly and clearly, I’m told to stop whining. That’s what we mean by not listening, and that’s the most common way teachers are treated here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What I struggle to understand is the number of parents on this board who routinely imply (or even outright declare) that teachers are somehow less deserving of respect than other professionals.

I cannot imagine teaching children that any profession—surgeon, sanitation worker, nurse, architect, attorney, grocery clerk, EMT, detective, engineer, teacher, pharmacy tech, salesperson, librarian, soldier, president, athletic trainer, mechanic, mail carrier, and so on—is inherently more or less worthy of respect and/or dignity. A functioning, well-oiled society depends on the talents and contributions of all of us. Every role matters and every person fulfilling those roles deserves respect.

It is genuinely baffling to see parents here react with hostility and hatred when teachers simply assert that they too deserve to be treated with respect. It is mind-boggling to watch people compare teachers’ responsibilities to their own as though the goal is to prove superiority rather than to understand the complexity of a profession they cannot understand. It is disheartening to see teachers denigrated so casually while other professions are praised, as though respect is a finite resource.

Additionally, the idea that education is a “part‑time job” is not just inaccurate; it’s willfully ignorant.

If we want children to grow into adults who value community, collaboration, and shared responsibility, we should model that by recognizing the worth/value of every profession. We must stop modeling vitriol and denigration of any person who contributes to society, regardless of what their role may be. Not one single profession or person is more worthy or important than any other.

Just think:

-- Your child dreams of being a police officer, but he/she constantly hears you talk about how awful and violent police officers are. How would that make your child feel about the disrespect you will show them if they choose to enter that profession?

-- Your child dreams of being an attorney, but he/she constantly hears you talk about how dishonest and conniving attorneys are. How would that make your child feel about the disrespect you will show them if they choose to enter that profession?

-- Your child dreams of being an electrician, but he/she constantly hears you talk about how uneducated electricians are. How would that make your child feel about the disrespect you will show them if they choose to enter that profession?

-- Your child dreams of being a doctor, but he/she constantly hears you talk about how cold and selfish doctors are. How would that make your child feel about the disrespect you will show them if they choose to enter that profession?

-- Your child dreams of being a teacher, but he/she constantly hears you talk about how whiny and entitled teachers are. How would that make your child feel about the disrespect you will show them if they choose to enter that profession?

--

So many parents on this board need to grow up and leave their "mean girl" mentality in the past. Be an adult and be a better role model for your kids; they deserve better.

When the majority of these roles think of “respect and dignity” they are not asking for it at anyones expense.

If a sanitation worker said we need to miss nine collections every year to train, it’s not likely people would support that. It’s not a lack of respect to say we need hospitals staffed on Christmas. When people say the number of days of school missed for training and planning is too high and it is not a good use of taxpayer resources , that is similarly not disrespectful.

It is disrespectful because you’re not listening to the teachers who say they need the days. You’re discrediting their professional opinions and needs.

Disagreeing is not the same as not listening. I understand wanting more days to plan/train/catch up. I disagree it is the public interest to close school more often. That is not a disrespectful position.

There are ways to do teacher training days without closing school more often, like putting them on federal holidays as is done for indigenous peoples day. That is rarely perceived by teachers as a more “respectful” suggestion.

I’m a teacher. I’ll happily give up every federal holiday if it means I can get some paid work time to do work. Is it the right option? No, probably not. We deserve holidays just like workers in other professions. But would I accept it? Yes. Absolutely. I am so absurdly overloaded that I’ll take anything at this point to get my head above water.

But I have to disagree with you regarding the “listening” comment. I am rarely listened to on this site. People often disagree with me about my lived experiences, believing their assumptions about my working conditions are more accurate than my reality. If I try to explain something calmly and clearly, I’m told to stop whining. That’s what we mean by not listening, and that’s the most common way teachers are treated here.

Ok, if not Federal Holidays you feel you deserve what about some of the religious holidays? Surely you agree that the number of teachers observing both Eid and Rosh Hashanah is likely very limited?

Every day school is closed, the families of the children schools are intended to serve spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on childcare. Children go unsupervised. Children go without meals. Believing that the public is better served by limiting the number of days off doesn’t mean people don’t listen. It means they believe some things take higher priority in the public good than your experience. If you can only feel “listened to” when people agree with you, yes, you will struggle here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What I struggle to understand is the number of parents on this board who routinely imply (or even outright declare) that teachers are somehow less deserving of respect than other professionals.

I cannot imagine teaching children that any profession—surgeon, sanitation worker, nurse, architect, attorney, grocery clerk, EMT, detective, engineer, teacher, pharmacy tech, salesperson, librarian, soldier, president, athletic trainer, mechanic, mail carrier, and so on—is inherently more or less worthy of respect and/or dignity. A functioning, well-oiled society depends on the talents and contributions of all of us. Every role matters and every person fulfilling those roles deserves respect.

It is genuinely baffling to see parents here react with hostility and hatred when teachers simply assert that they too deserve to be treated with respect. It is mind-boggling to watch people compare teachers’ responsibilities to their own as though the goal is to prove superiority rather than to understand the complexity of a profession they cannot understand. It is disheartening to see teachers denigrated so casually while other professions are praised, as though respect is a finite resource.

Additionally, the idea that education is a “part‑time job” is not just inaccurate; it’s willfully ignorant.

If we want children to grow into adults who value community, collaboration, and shared responsibility, we should model that by recognizing the worth/value of every profession. We must stop modeling vitriol and denigration of any person who contributes to society, regardless of what their role may be. Not one single profession or person is more worthy or important than any other.

Just think:

-- Your child dreams of being a police officer, but he/she constantly hears you talk about how awful and violent police officers are. How would that make your child feel about the disrespect you will show them if they choose to enter that profession?

-- Your child dreams of being an attorney, but he/she constantly hears you talk about how dishonest and conniving attorneys are. How would that make your child feel about the disrespect you will show them if they choose to enter that profession?

-- Your child dreams of being an electrician, but he/she constantly hears you talk about how uneducated electricians are. How would that make your child feel about the disrespect you will show them if they choose to enter that profession?

-- Your child dreams of being a doctor, but he/she constantly hears you talk about how cold and selfish doctors are. How would that make your child feel about the disrespect you will show them if they choose to enter that profession?

-- Your child dreams of being a teacher, but he/she constantly hears you talk about how whiny and entitled teachers are. How would that make your child feel about the disrespect you will show them if they choose to enter that profession?

--

So many parents on this board need to grow up and leave their "mean girl" mentality in the past. Be an adult and be a better role model for your kids; they deserve better.

When the majority of these roles think of “respect and dignity” they are not asking for it at anyones expense.

If a sanitation worker said we need to miss nine collections every year to train, it’s not likely people would support that. It’s not a lack of respect to say we need hospitals staffed on Christmas. When people say the number of days of school missed for training and planning is too high and it is not a good use of taxpayer resources , that is similarly not disrespectful.

It is disrespectful because you’re not listening to the teachers who say they need the days. You’re discrediting their professional opinions and needs.

Disagreeing is not the same as not listening. I understand wanting more days to plan/train/catch up. I disagree it is the public interest to close school more often. That is not a disrespectful position.

There are ways to do teacher training days without closing school more often, like putting them on federal holidays as is done for indigenous peoples day. That is rarely perceived by teachers as a more “respectful” suggestion.

I’m a teacher. I’ll happily give up every federal holiday if it means I can get some paid work time to do work. Is it the right option? No, probably not. We deserve holidays just like workers in other professions. But would I accept it? Yes. Absolutely. I am so absurdly overloaded that I’ll take anything at this point to get my head above water.

But I have to disagree with you regarding the “listening” comment. I am rarely listened to on this site. People often disagree with me about my lived experiences, believing their assumptions about my working conditions are more accurate than my reality. If I try to explain something calmly and clearly, I’m told to stop whining. That’s what we mean by not listening, and that’s the most common way teachers are treated here.

Ok, if not Federal Holidays you feel you deserve what about some of the religious holidays? Surely you agree that the number of teachers observing both Eid and Rosh Hashanah is likely very limited?

Every day school is closed, the families of the children schools are intended to serve spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on childcare. Children go unsupervised. Children go without meals. Believing that the public is better served by limiting the number of days off doesn’t mean people don’t listen. It means they believe some things take higher priority in the public good than your experience. If you can only feel “listened to” when people agree with you, yes, you will struggle here.

Wait you are telling teachers they are being entitled by saying they need more planning time while complaining that parents should
Have free childcare paid by taxpayers on federal and school holidays? That parents are each paying hundreds of thousands of dollars for camps and you think that should be covered by the state taxes?

Get a grip!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What I struggle to understand is the number of parents on this board who routinely imply (or even outright declare) that teachers are somehow less deserving of respect than other professionals.

I cannot imagine teaching children that any profession—surgeon, sanitation worker, nurse, architect, attorney, grocery clerk, EMT, detective, engineer, teacher, pharmacy tech, salesperson, librarian, soldier, president, athletic trainer, mechanic, mail carrier, and so on—is inherently more or less worthy of respect and/or dignity. A functioning, well-oiled society depends on the talents and contributions of all of us. Every role matters and every person fulfilling those roles deserves respect.

It is genuinely baffling to see parents here react with hostility and hatred when teachers simply assert that they too deserve to be treated with respect. It is mind-boggling to watch people compare teachers’ responsibilities to their own as though the goal is to prove superiority rather than to understand the complexity of a profession they cannot understand. It is disheartening to see teachers denigrated so casually while other professions are praised, as though respect is a finite resource.

Additionally, the idea that education is a “part‑time job” is not just inaccurate; it’s willfully ignorant.

If we want children to grow into adults who value community, collaboration, and shared responsibility, we should model that by recognizing the worth/value of every profession. We must stop modeling vitriol and denigration of any person who contributes to society, regardless of what their role may be. Not one single profession or person is more worthy or important than any other.

Just think:

-- Your child dreams of being a police officer, but he/she constantly hears you talk about how awful and violent police officers are. How would that make your child feel about the disrespect you will show them if they choose to enter that profession?

-- Your child dreams of being an attorney, but he/she constantly hears you talk about how dishonest and conniving attorneys are. How would that make your child feel about the disrespect you will show them if they choose to enter that profession?

-- Your child dreams of being an electrician, but he/she constantly hears you talk about how uneducated electricians are. How would that make your child feel about the disrespect you will show them if they choose to enter that profession?

-- Your child dreams of being a doctor, but he/she constantly hears you talk about how cold and selfish doctors are. How would that make your child feel about the disrespect you will show them if they choose to enter that profession?

-- Your child dreams of being a teacher, but he/she constantly hears you talk about how whiny and entitled teachers are. How would that make your child feel about the disrespect you will show them if they choose to enter that profession?

--

So many parents on this board need to grow up and leave their "mean girl" mentality in the past. Be an adult and be a better role model for your kids; they deserve better.

When the majority of these roles think of “respect and dignity” they are not asking for it at anyones expense.

If a sanitation worker said we need to miss nine collections every year to train, it’s not likely people would support that. It’s not a lack of respect to say we need hospitals staffed on Christmas. When people say the number of days of school missed for training and planning is too high and it is not a good use of taxpayer resources , that is similarly not disrespectful.

It is disrespectful because you’re not listening to the teachers who say they need the days. You’re discrediting their professional opinions and needs.

Disagreeing is not the same as not listening. I understand wanting more days to plan/train/catch up. I disagree it is the public interest to close school more often. That is not a disrespectful position.

There are ways to do teacher training days without closing school more often, like putting them on federal holidays as is done for indigenous peoples day. That is rarely perceived by teachers as a more “respectful” suggestion.

I’m a teacher. I’ll happily give up every federal holiday if it means I can get some paid work time to do work. Is it the right option? No, probably not. We deserve holidays just like workers in other professions. But would I accept it? Yes. Absolutely. I am so absurdly overloaded that I’ll take anything at this point to get my head above water.

But I have to disagree with you regarding the “listening” comment. I am rarely listened to on this site. People often disagree with me about my lived experiences, believing their assumptions about my working conditions are more accurate than my reality. If I try to explain something calmly and clearly, I’m told to stop whining. That’s what we mean by not listening, and that’s the most common way teachers are treated here.

Ok, if not Federal Holidays you feel you deserve what about some of the religious holidays? Surely you agree that the number of teachers observing both Eid and Rosh Hashanah is likely very limited?

Every day school is closed, the families of the children schools are intended to serve spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on childcare. Children go unsupervised. Children go without meals. Believing that the public is better served by limiting the number of days off doesn’t mean people don’t listen. It means they believe some things take higher priority in the public good than your experience. If you can only feel “listened to” when people agree with you, yes, you will struggle here.

I think you just provided an example of “not listening.”

I already said I’d happily give up federal holidays. Seriously. I’ll go in on Thanksgiving if it means I can get some planned grading/planning time. I can still be home by 4 to eat with the family. And yes, I’ll give up religious holidays, too. That’s how desperate I am to get some time at work. I wish I were kidding, but I’m not. So clearly I am ready and willing to work with you to fix the calendar.

Yet you read it differently and then told me what I already know: teacher planning time is a burden on families.

This is, unfortunately, what the teacher experience is like on this site. I wish we could have a conversation that didn’t start with the assumption that teachers are asking for perks at the expense of the public or our students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What I struggle to understand is the number of parents on this board who routinely imply (or even outright declare) that teachers are somehow less deserving of respect than other professionals.

I cannot imagine teaching children that any profession—surgeon, sanitation worker, nurse, architect, attorney, grocery clerk, EMT, detective, engineer, teacher, pharmacy tech, salesperson, librarian, soldier, president, athletic trainer, mechanic, mail carrier, and so on—is inherently more or less worthy of respect and/or dignity. A functioning, well-oiled society depends on the talents and contributions of all of us. Every role matters and every person fulfilling those roles deserves respect.

It is genuinely baffling to see parents here react with hostility and hatred when teachers simply assert that they too deserve to be treated with respect. It is mind-boggling to watch people compare teachers’ responsibilities to their own as though the goal is to prove superiority rather than to understand the complexity of a profession they cannot understand. It is disheartening to see teachers denigrated so casually while other professions are praised, as though respect is a finite resource.

Additionally, the idea that education is a “part‑time job” is not just inaccurate; it’s willfully ignorant.

If we want children to grow into adults who value community, collaboration, and shared responsibility, we should model that by recognizing the worth/value of every profession. We must stop modeling vitriol and denigration of any person who contributes to society, regardless of what their role may be. Not one single profession or person is more worthy or important than any other.

Just think:

-- Your child dreams of being a police officer, but he/she constantly hears you talk about how awful and violent police officers are. How would that make your child feel about the disrespect you will show them if they choose to enter that profession?

-- Your child dreams of being an attorney, but he/she constantly hears you talk about how dishonest and conniving attorneys are. How would that make your child feel about the disrespect you will show them if they choose to enter that profession?

-- Your child dreams of being an electrician, but he/she constantly hears you talk about how uneducated electricians are. How would that make your child feel about the disrespect you will show them if they choose to enter that profession?

-- Your child dreams of being a doctor, but he/she constantly hears you talk about how cold and selfish doctors are. How would that make your child feel about the disrespect you will show them if they choose to enter that profession?

-- Your child dreams of being a teacher, but he/she constantly hears you talk about how whiny and entitled teachers are. How would that make your child feel about the disrespect you will show them if they choose to enter that profession?

--

So many parents on this board need to grow up and leave their "mean girl" mentality in the past. Be an adult and be a better role model for your kids; they deserve better.

When the majority of these roles think of “respect and dignity” they are not asking for it at anyones expense.

If a sanitation worker said we need to miss nine collections every year to train, it’s not likely people would support that. It’s not a lack of respect to say we need hospitals staffed on Christmas. When people say the number of days of school missed for training and planning is too high and it is not a good use of taxpayer resources , that is similarly not disrespectful.

It is disrespectful because you’re not listening to the teachers who say they need the days. You’re discrediting their professional opinions and needs.

Disagreeing is not the same as not listening. I understand wanting more days to plan/train/catch up. I disagree it is the public interest to close school more often. That is not a disrespectful position.

There are ways to do teacher training days without closing school more often, like putting them on federal holidays as is done for indigenous peoples day. That is rarely perceived by teachers as a more “respectful” suggestion.

I’m a teacher. I’ll happily give up every federal holiday if it means I can get some paid work time to do work. Is it the right option? No, probably not. We deserve holidays just like workers in other professions. But would I accept it? Yes. Absolutely. I am so absurdly overloaded that I’ll take anything at this point to get my head above water.

But I have to disagree with you regarding the “listening” comment. I am rarely listened to on this site. People often disagree with me about my lived experiences, believing their assumptions about my working conditions are more accurate than my reality. If I try to explain something calmly and clearly, I’m told to stop whining. That’s what we mean by not listening, and that’s the most common way teachers are treated here.

Ok, if not Federal Holidays you feel you deserve what about some of the religious holidays? Surely you agree that the number of teachers observing both Eid and Rosh Hashanah is likely very limited?

Every day school is closed, the families of the children schools are intended to serve spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on childcare. Children go unsupervised. Children go without meals. Believing that the public is better served by limiting the number of days off doesn’t mean people don’t listen. It means they believe some things take higher priority in the public good than your experience. If you can only feel “listened to” when people agree with you, yes, you will struggle here.

Wait you are telling teachers they are being entitled by saying they need more planning time while complaining that parents should
Have free childcare paid by taxpayers on federal and school holidays? That parents are each paying hundreds of thousands of dollars for camps and you think that should be covered by the state taxes?

Get a grip!

I didn’t say each. The total cost of the Fairfax economy for each day of school is in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Unemployment is up in the county, higher than it has been in years. The cost of living is higher. So when public institutions decide whether to close they need to take all of those matters into consideration, and yes, balance them against the teachers experience.

I am sure every ER doctor would love to be home on Christmas, but that would not be in the public good. Similarly, it is not in the public good to close school this often.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What I struggle to understand is the number of parents on this board who routinely imply (or even outright declare) that teachers are somehow less deserving of respect than other professionals.

I cannot imagine teaching children that any profession—surgeon, sanitation worker, nurse, architect, attorney, grocery clerk, EMT, detective, engineer, teacher, pharmacy tech, salesperson, librarian, soldier, president, athletic trainer, mechanic, mail carrier, and so on—is inherently more or less worthy of respect and/or dignity. A functioning, well-oiled society depends on the talents and contributions of all of us. Every role matters and every person fulfilling those roles deserves respect.

It is genuinely baffling to see parents here react with hostility and hatred when teachers simply assert that they too deserve to be treated with respect. It is mind-boggling to watch people compare teachers’ responsibilities to their own as though the goal is to prove superiority rather than to understand the complexity of a profession they cannot understand. It is disheartening to see teachers denigrated so casually while other professions are praised, as though respect is a finite resource.

Additionally, the idea that education is a “part‑time job” is not just inaccurate; it’s willfully ignorant.

If we want children to grow into adults who value community, collaboration, and shared responsibility, we should model that by recognizing the worth/value of every profession. We must stop modeling vitriol and denigration of any person who contributes to society, regardless of what their role may be. Not one single profession or person is more worthy or important than any other.

Just think:

-- Your child dreams of being a police officer, but he/she constantly hears you talk about how awful and violent police officers are. How would that make your child feel about the disrespect you will show them if they choose to enter that profession?

-- Your child dreams of being an attorney, but he/she constantly hears you talk about how dishonest and conniving attorneys are. How would that make your child feel about the disrespect you will show them if they choose to enter that profession?

-- Your child dreams of being an electrician, but he/she constantly hears you talk about how uneducated electricians are. How would that make your child feel about the disrespect you will show them if they choose to enter that profession?

-- Your child dreams of being a doctor, but he/she constantly hears you talk about how cold and selfish doctors are. How would that make your child feel about the disrespect you will show them if they choose to enter that profession?

-- Your child dreams of being a teacher, but he/she constantly hears you talk about how whiny and entitled teachers are. How would that make your child feel about the disrespect you will show them if they choose to enter that profession?

--

So many parents on this board need to grow up and leave their "mean girl" mentality in the past. Be an adult and be a better role model for your kids; they deserve better.

When the majority of these roles think of “respect and dignity” they are not asking for it at anyones expense.

If a sanitation worker said we need to miss nine collections every year to train, it’s not likely people would support that. It’s not a lack of respect to say we need hospitals staffed on Christmas. When people say the number of days of school missed for training and planning is too high and it is not a good use of taxpayer resources , that is similarly not disrespectful.

It is disrespectful because you’re not listening to the teachers who say they need the days. You’re discrediting their professional opinions and needs.

Disagreeing is not the same as not listening. I understand wanting more days to plan/train/catch up. I disagree it is the public interest to close school more often. That is not a disrespectful position.

There are ways to do teacher training days without closing school more often, like putting them on federal holidays as is done for indigenous peoples day. That is rarely perceived by teachers as a more “respectful” suggestion.

I’m a teacher. I’ll happily give up every federal holiday if it means I can get some paid work time to do work. Is it the right option? No, probably not. We deserve holidays just like workers in other professions. But would I accept it? Yes. Absolutely. I am so absurdly overloaded that I’ll take anything at this point to get my head above water.

But I have to disagree with you regarding the “listening” comment. I am rarely listened to on this site. People often disagree with me about my lived experiences, believing their assumptions about my working conditions are more accurate than my reality. If I try to explain something calmly and clearly, I’m told to stop whining. That’s what we mean by not listening, and that’s the most common way teachers are treated here.

Ok, if not Federal Holidays you feel you deserve what about some of the religious holidays? Surely you agree that the number of teachers observing both Eid and Rosh Hashanah is likely very limited?

Every day school is closed, the families of the children schools are intended to serve spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on childcare. Children go unsupervised. Children go without meals. Believing that the public is better served by limiting the number of days off doesn’t mean people don’t listen. It means they believe some things take higher priority in the public good than your experience. If you can only feel “listened to” when people agree with you, yes, you will struggle here.

I think you just provided an example of “not listening.”

I already said I’d happily give up federal holidays. Seriously. I’ll go in on Thanksgiving if it means I can get some planned grading/planning time. I can still be home by 4 to eat with the family. And yes, I’ll give up religious holidays, too. That’s how desperate I am to get some time at work. I wish I were kidding, but I’m not. So clearly I am ready and willing to work with you to fix the calendar.

Yet you read it differently and then told me what I already know: teacher planning time is a burden on families.

This is, unfortunately, what the teacher experience is like on this site. I wish we could have a conversation that didn’t start with the assumption that teachers are asking for perks at the expense of the public or our students.

At whose expense do you think days off should come?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teacher planning is the problem. There is too much burden on the teachers to plan. There used to be a centralized curriculum, with textbooks and ready material so there was no need for endless amounts of planning. Now that each teacher is required to basically make it up on their own, there is less consistency and more days off for planning. My friend is a new 3rd grade teacher and she was up all night the first few months trying to collect materials and plan the day. It's unnecessary.

Go back to more centralized materials. It worked better for the students and the teachers.

Totally agree. It’s absurd. It’s so wasteful to make every teacher repeatedly re-invent the wheel.

+1 Yes, please, we need centralized materials! I'm an HS math teacher, and I am teaching new subjects at a new high school this year. Why, oh, why does FCPS not have centralized math packets/activities for their classes? What in the world does the secondary math group at Gatehouse do all day long?