I'm so tired of the "think of the teachers and administrators" rhetoric on every thread.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I think this is the crux of this debate. If schools do not open full-time but parents are told they need to go to the office full time, they fear they will get fired.

First, I don’t think this will happen. If you run your own business I’m sure there is a lot to worry about, but if all the major school systems are doing distance learning then employers are not going to get away with simply firing all the parents.

Second, I think this is a fear that is based on relatively recent generational change. We are now living in a time when most people think it’s necessary for both parents to work in order to survive financially. Obviously this was not always the case. But given that we live in these times, we have come to assume schools are the social support that makes this possible. It turns out this was not a reliable assumption in these historic times. Unfortunately, the virus doesn’t care that you have to go to work to pay the bills.

No parents will be expected to spend even more money to get a babysitter/nanny and return to work or lose their job.

As a woman and a mom I have already had to quit my job since March to stay at Home with my two younger elementary school kids. And of course camp was canceled so there is that. So I can't even begin to look for another job until school goes back to normal.

It sucks. And it's reality. But the school systems don't seem to care about the crappy education that is being provided through DL especially to young elementary kids. They certainly don't care about parents. I just don't know what the solution is but I have never been so stressed in my life.

It’s really an awful situation, and I’m sorry to hear it. But what is your evidence that the school system doesn’t care about students and/or parents? A significant majority of teachers and administrators are themselves parents of MCPS students. They’re in the same boat as us. Half the posts on here claim DL is too hard and the other half claim it’s too easy. How is MCPS supposed to do this “right”? And they can’t even just decide to open if they want to, because the state of MD makes that call. We all want to blame people, but all we have to blame is the virus.

Teachers are NOT in the same boat. They're getting paid to stay home with their kids.

Just like the millions of other people currently working from home. Are you angry at all of those people, too? Or just the teachers? Because a lot of people are being paid a lot more to work from home than we are.

I am sorry but posting a youtube video, one graded assignment (which is automatically graded) and hosting a 10 minute zoom check-in once a week is not the same as my working 40 plus hours as week from home. I cannot fathom how, even with multiple subjects, that equates to a full week. When my child's teachers are teaching from home, available to answer questions in real time, post assignments that aren't based off of youtube, and check in more than 10 minutes a week is when I will equate it to what I do every day from home.

This. Exactly this.

And for many of us, we are working far longer hours than we did pre-Covid. My average week is now 50 - 60 weeks, not the 45 - 55 hours a week I previously enjoyed. For many of remote work means employers expect more from us; not less. Unfortunately for students, the county actually expects less from teachers now.

You keep telling teachers that they are lying and they aren't working as much as they say they are. Why should we believe you are working 60 hours a week? You are the only honest, hardworking person on DCUM? I'm sure.

I’m neighbors with several teachers and have a friend who is also a teacher. I can assure you, all are working fewer hours and loving it. No teacher will admit it on a forum like this and why would they?

This may be true...but let’s get real...many people who are now working from home due to COVID, are working less hours than before...my friends and neighbors are now able to exercise during the day, take care of their lawns and landscaping, play outside with their kids, take on new hobbies, complete house projects, etc...and what’s wrong with that? Why is it always a competition about who is working more? If the work can get done more efficiently, why is that a problem? Why is there always so much hate directed toward teachers? Some of you are acting like the teachers created this situation. The PUBLIC school system can’t please everybody. Some parents feel like it’s too much work...others feel like it’s too little...some parents want more ZOOM time...others want less...some parents want the kids to wear masks...others are outraged by that...some parents would send their kids to school tomorrow just like a normal school year...others can’t imagine doing that...it’s so exhausting...I would hate to be the ones making these big decisions because no matter what decision is made, they will make a large number of people angry.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think this is the crux of this debate. If schools do not open full-time but parents are told they need to go to the office full time, they fear they will get fired.

First, I don’t think this will happen. If you run your own business I’m sure there is a lot to worry about, but if all the major school systems are doing distance learning then employers are not going to get away with simply firing all the parents.

Second, I think this is a fear that is based on relatively recent generational change. We are now living in a time when most people think it’s necessary for both parents to work in order to survive financially. Obviously this was not always the case. But given that we live in these times, we have come to assume schools are the social support that makes this possible. It turns out this was not a reliable assumption in these historic times. Unfortunately, the virus doesn’t care that you have to go to work to pay the bills.

No parents will be expected to spend even more money to get a babysitter/nanny and return to work or lose their job.

As a woman and a mom I have already had to quit my job since March to stay at Home with my two younger elementary school kids. And of course camp was canceled so there is that. So I can't even begin to look for another job until school goes back to normal.

It sucks. And it's reality. But the school systems don't seem to care about the crappy education that is being provided through DL especially to young elementary kids. They certainly don't care about parents. I just don't know what the solution is but I have never been so stressed in my life.

It’s really an awful situation, and I’m sorry to hear it. But what is your evidence that the school system doesn’t care about students and/or parents? A significant majority of teachers and administrators are themselves parents of MCPS students. They’re in the same boat as us. Half the posts on here claim DL is too hard and the other half claim it’s too easy. How is MCPS supposed to do this “right”? And they can’t even just decide to open if they want to, because the state of MD makes that call. We all want to blame people, but all we have to blame is the virus.

Teachers are NOT in the same boat. They're getting paid to stay home with their kids.

Just like the millions of other people currently working from home. Are you angry at all of those people, too? Or just the teachers? Because a lot of people are being paid a lot more to work from home than we are.

I am sorry but posting a youtube video, one graded assignment (which is automatically graded) and hosting a 10 minute zoom check-in once a week is not the same as my working 40 plus hours as week from home. I cannot fathom how, even with multiple subjects, that equates to a full week. When my child's teachers are teaching from home, available to answer questions in real time, post assignments that aren't based off of youtube, and check in more than 10 minutes a week is when I will equate it to what I do every day from home.

This. Exactly this.

And for many of us, we are working far longer hours than we did pre-Covid. My average week is now 50 - 60 weeks, not the 45 - 55 hours a week I previously enjoyed. For many of remote work means employers expect more from us; not less. Unfortunately for students, the county actually expects less from teachers now.

You keep telling teachers that they are lying and they aren't working as much as they say they are. Why should we believe you are working 60 hours a week? You are the only honest, hardworking person on DCUM? I'm sure.

I’m neighbors with several teachers and have a friend who is also a teacher. I can assure you, all are working fewer hours and loving it. No teacher will admit it on a forum like this and why would they?

This may be true...but let’s get real...many people who are now working from home due to COVID, are working less hours than before...my friends and neighbors are now able to exercise during the day, take care of their lawns and landscaping, play outside with their kids, take on new hobbies, complete house projects, etc...and what’s wrong with that? Why is it always a competition about who is working more? If the work can get done more efficiently, why is that a problem? Why is there always so much hate directed toward teachers? Some of you are acting like the teachers created this situation. The PUBLIC school system can’t please everybody. Some parents feel like it’s too much work...others feel like it’s too little...some parents want more ZOOM time...others want less...some parents want the kids to wear masks...others are outraged by that...some parents would send their kids to school tomorrow just like a normal school year...others can’t imagine doing that...it’s so exhausting...I would hate to be the ones making these big decisions because no matter what decision is made, they will make a large number of people angry.

I’m repurposing my commute time - two hours a day - to exercise and kids. I’m certainly not working less. Demands at my work have increased and, at the same time, folks have been laid off or furloughed. That’s the norm for many people in private sector, small businesses all the way through large corporations.

Teachers now have fewer demands and no furloughs or layoffs - yet. This is the problem. Their tune would change if they were expected to deliver the same amount of class time - or even close to it - as they were before. Instead less is expected and they still get a full pay check. Fine, that’s not their fault. But it’s absolutely possible that’s something that factors into their desire to go back to in-person school. Why do 100% when you get paid a full salary for doing 50%?

[Anonymous]

I'm so glad I got out. 20 years was enough!