Will the WTU illegally strike? Not return on 2/1

[Anonymous]

Many of us didn't blame teachers, at least those without serious, documented health problems in the spring, or in the fall. Now plenty of us with children in DCPS do blame them.

As long as healthy teachers are allowed to refuse to teach in person en masse, tens of thousands of DC kids will continue to pay an unacceptably high price socially, mentally, physically and academically.

If teaching in person isn't acceptable to fairly healthy teachers this spring, let them find new jobs. I'd rather have competent grad students/educators willing to work in school buildings teach than open-ended DL. The Mayor just doesn't need to tolerate any more self-serving WTU hijinks.

[Anonymous]

I have no idea who has medical issues and why they aren’t returning. Our school can’t have everyone return anyway due to social distancing.
Now, once all the teachers are vaccinated, then I’m not sure what the objection is to coming back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Many of us didn't blame teachers, at least those without serious, documented health problems in the spring, or in the fall. Now plenty of us with children in DCPS do blame them.

As long as healthy teachers are allowed to refuse to teach in person en masse, tens of thousands of DC kids will continue to pay an unacceptably high price socially, mentally, physically and academically.

If teaching in person isn't acceptable to fairly healthy teachers this spring, let them find new jobs. I'd rather have competent grad students/educators willing to work in school buildings teach than open-ended DL. The Mayor just doesn't need to tolerate any more self-serving WTU hijinks.

You are ridiculous. As I’ve said before, no one is beating down the doors to teach your child. DCPS already has numerous vacancies for a reason. Stop asking good teachers to quit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Many of us didn't blame teachers, at least those without serious, documented health problems in the spring, or in the fall. Now plenty of us with children in DCPS do blame them.

As long as healthy teachers are allowed to refuse to teach in person en masse, tens of thousands of DC kids will continue to pay an unacceptably high price socially, mentally, physically and academically.

If teaching in person isn't acceptable to fairly healthy teachers this spring, let them find new jobs. I'd rather have competent grad students/educators willing to work in school buildings teach than open-ended DL. The Mayor just doesn't need to tolerate any more self-serving WTU hijinks.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have no idea who has medical issues and why they aren’t returning. Our school can’t have everyone return anyway due to social distancing.
Now, once all the teachers are vaccinated, then I’m not sure what the objection is to coming back.

It's DC Health's guidelines on social distancing and the number of people in a room that will be the issue. After teachers are vaccinated, they need to update the guidance. Our school has been saying this is the problem the entire time, but has failed to address whether the number of kids who are willing to go back exceeds the guidelines. I suspect the guidelines could currently accommodate the people who want to go back given many families want to stay home, but our school seems unwilling to pursue it given teachers' refusal to return.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many of us didn't blame teachers, at least those without serious, documented health problems in the spring, or in the fall. Now plenty of us with children in DCPS do blame them.

As long as healthy teachers are allowed to refuse to teach in person en masse, tens of thousands of DC kids will continue to pay an unacceptably high price socially, mentally, physically and academically.

If teaching in person isn't acceptable to fairly healthy teachers this spring, let them find new jobs. I'd rather have competent grad students/educators willing to work in school buildings teach than open-ended DL. The Mayor just doesn't need to tolerate any more self-serving WTU hijinks.

You are ridiculous. As I’ve said before, no one is beating down the doors to teach your child. DCPS already has numerous vacancies for a reason. Stop asking good teachers to quit.

DP, but I think you are also carrying things too far. I don't think we're there yet, but there is a line where it makes sense to consider what the optinos are to go forward with different personnel. Again, we're not there yet, but with the WTU behavior we're closer than we were in August. For me, if we find ourselves in a position where the other strains that have emerged today are escaping the vaccines and teachers continue to balk at finding more effective ways to instruct, it's time to consider more radical options with our schooling dollars.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many of us didn't blame teachers, at least those without serious, documented health problems in the spring, or in the fall. Now plenty of us with children in DCPS do blame them.

As long as healthy teachers are allowed to refuse to teach in person en masse, tens of thousands of DC kids will continue to pay an unacceptably high price socially, mentally, physically and academically.

If teaching in person isn't acceptable to fairly healthy teachers this spring, let them find new jobs. I'd rather have competent grad students/educators willing to work in school buildings teach than open-ended DL. The Mayor just doesn't need to tolerate any more self-serving WTU hijinks.

You are ridiculous. As I’ve said before, no one is beating down the doors to teach your child. DCPS already has numerous vacancies for a reason. Stop asking good teachers to quit.

DP, but I think you are also carrying things too far. I don't think we're there yet, but there is a line where it makes sense to consider what the optinos are to go forward with different personnel. Again, we're not there yet, but with the WTU behavior we're closer than we were in August. For me, if we find ourselves in a position where the other strains that have emerged today are escaping the vaccines and teachers continue to balk at finding more effective ways to instruct, it's time to consider more radical options with our schooling dollars.

That’s fine. But you still won’t find teachers willing to work in DCPS. Maybe you can teach your kids your self. Since apparently the charters are not opening either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many of us didn't blame teachers, at least those without serious, documented health problems in the spring, or in the fall. Now plenty of us with children in DCPS do blame them.

As long as healthy teachers are allowed to refuse to teach in person en masse, tens of thousands of DC kids will continue to pay an unacceptably high price socially, mentally, physically and academically.

If teaching in person isn't acceptable to fairly healthy teachers this spring, let them find new jobs. I'd rather have competent grad students/educators willing to work in school buildings teach than open-ended DL. The Mayor just doesn't need to tolerate any more self-serving WTU hijinks.

You are ridiculous. As I’ve said before, no one is beating down the doors to teach your child. DCPS already has numerous vacancies for a reason. Stop asking good teachers to quit.

DP, but I think you are also carrying things too far. I don't think we're there yet, but there is a line where it makes sense to consider what the optinos are to go forward with different personnel. Again, we're not there yet, but with the WTU behavior we're closer than we were in August. For me, if we find ourselves in a position where the other strains that have emerged today are escaping the vaccines and teachers continue to balk at finding more effective ways to instruct, it's time to consider more radical options with our schooling dollars.

This. I wasn't thinking along these lines in April or even August, but schools have now been closed for almost a year and are only partially reopening in February with no plan to fully reopen. Many students won't have ANY opportunity for in person learning with a teacher from March, 2020 until September, 2021 at the earliest in the BEST CASE SCENARIO (and much later if WTU gets their way). I'd like to see some innovative ways to provide job opportunities to teachers willing to go back. DCPS could offer tuition reimbursement to paras so they could get their foot in the door to a higher-paying career. Student loan repayments for college grads. Signing bonuses with agreement to work x number of years. Waive certifications for a period of time. COVID won't be eradicated anytime soon and children need to go to school. Not just elementary students, but MS and HS too.

PS, we're not asking teachers to quit now. Rather DCPS would require teaching to be in person and the teacher could decide whether to meet the job requirements and return to work, quit, or if necessary then be removed for being AWOL. Keeping schools closed is a public health crisis and can't continue indefinitely.

[Anonymous]

I think DCPS jumped the gun. They should have waited one more month until teachers were fully vaccinated with both doses and then bring 50% or more of the kids back. Some kids will want to stay virtual. Opening now just seems a mess. Our chancellor is disappointing. I wish we had someone better

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think DCPS jumped the gun. They should have waited one more month until teachers were fully vaccinated with both doses and then bring 50% or more of the kids back. Some kids will want to stay virtual. Opening now just seems a mess. Our chancellor is disappointing. I wish we had someone better

40%+ of students at our school will be back.

[Anonymous]

If they strike I will never ever support teachers, the union again. This is insane. Over and over, the science shows that schools are not a place of spread. If my kids teacher doesnt show on monday, he will definitely here it from me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If they strike I will never ever support teachers, the union again. This is insane. Over and over, the science shows that schools are not a place of spread. If my kids teacher doesnt show on monday, he will definitely here it from me.

But what will you really do about it? That's the rub. There's nothing parents can truly do to fight back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If they strike I will never ever support teachers, the union again. This is insane. Over and over, the science shows that schools are not a place of spread. If my kids teacher doesnt show on monday, he will definitely here it from me.

But what will you really do about it? That's the rub. There's nothing parents can truly do to fight back.

I cant get over how dysfunctional WTU is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If they strike I will never ever support teachers, the union again. This is insane. Over and over, the science shows that schools are not a place of spread. If my kids teacher doesnt show on monday, he will definitely here it from me.

But what will you really do about it? That's the rub. There's nothing parents can truly do to fight back.

Move, play the lottery for charters that will be opening, go private, never support the WTU.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sadly, I do think this situation is setting back the profession of teaching a couple of decades. The good will the profession has gained from families of school aged children has evaporated. The arguments about (supposedly) low salaries and IMPACT will be met with eye rolls.

Ok. But the lovely thing about schools is wools move on. In 5 more years these kids won’t be in elementary anymore and lots of parents will have graduated out of the system. No one is going to be thinking about this on 5-10 years. No one. Look how fast we have moved past Sandy Hook and other school shootings where children literally died. By this time next year, no one is going to care anymore. Life goes on.

The kids who are illiterate and can’t do math will plenty think about how they struggle in school and their parents. Most of these kids will be in the system until they fail out.

Also the city will plenty be thinking about this in 5 years with how it’s going to affect the achievement gap in a negative way and lose a decade of it improvement.

Lastly, everyone single resident in the city will be affected as taxes are raised to help fund huge support systems from the negative impact this will have and continue to have on some kids.

You are so naive