20 percent of teachers not likely to return to classrooms if schools reopen in fall

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teachers are essential personnel. If they refuse to go into work they can be fired and lose all retirement benefits. If they refuse to teach, they are an enemy of the American people.

I’m pretty sure they can use family leave due to losing childcare because the law was amended. They might not get paid but should be able to keep their jobs.

“An enemy of the American people”-you mean like our president? I think anyone trying to push other people into a potentially fatal position is an enemy of the American people. If your job doesn’t let you work from home then maybe you as a parent need to change careers. Pull yourself up by your bootstraps! You want lower taxes and less government, right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am surprised it is that low

Twenty percent seems to correspond to the common estimate of the population that is at some sort of elevated risk from COVID. So it implies that essentially all of the teachers who can return will. Considering the turnover in DCPS in the best of times it does seem low.

That's what I thought, too. Teachers at elevated risk, or who live with someone with elevated risk, are unlikely to return, but it sounds like most other teachers plan to return.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am surprised it is that low

Twenty percent seems to correspond to the common estimate of the population that is at some sort of elevated risk from COVID. So it implies that essentially all of the teachers who can return will. Considering the turnover in DCPS in the best of times it does seem low.

That's what I thought, too. Teachers at elevated risk, or who live with someone with elevated risk, are unlikely to return, but it sounds like most other teachers plan to return.

I plan to return if schools are open. But will I be able to return if my own children aren't in school so we don't have childcare? Not sure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am surprised it is that low

Twenty percent seems to correspond to the common estimate of the population that is at some sort of elevated risk from COVID. So it implies that essentially all of the teachers who can return will. Considering the turnover in DCPS in the best of times it does seem low.

That's what I thought, too. Teachers at elevated risk, or who live with someone with elevated risk, are unlikely to return, but it sounds like most other teachers plan to return.

I plan to return if schools are open. But will I be able to return if my own children aren't in school so we don't have childcare? Not sure.

+1

I really dislike DL and would love to be back in the classroom. But I have children and I worry that the hybrid method will make things much more difficult. I think my husband and I will have to alternate taking leave as stated earlier. And if my two kids end up going to school on different days from each other then I might just have to take a leave of absence.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Obtaining subs is a major issue in our Ward 3 school, as well. A majority of the time there is no sub so the children are split up and sent to other classrooms throughout the building. This will obviously not be an option if class size is capped at 10 in the fall, but subs won’t magically appear either (especially now) so I’m not quite sure what the solution will be.

Obtaining subs isn’t the problem. Administrators just don’t want to pay for them. Subs ARE available.

There’s a thread on this from months ago. My principal begged central office to hire subs and they said they already had enough. They had a huge packet of subs and went down the list calling them all and none would come.

[Anonymous]

The political reality is that once businesses start opening back up, the pressure on schools to reopen as well will become inexorable.

We're not going to be in a place where all the stores are open but the schools remain closed. That just isn't going to happen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am surprised it is that low

Twenty percent seems to correspond to the common estimate of the population that is at some sort of elevated risk from COVID. So it implies that essentially all of the teachers who can return will. Considering the turnover in DCPS in the best of times it does seem low.

That's what I thought, too. Teachers at elevated risk, or who live with someone with elevated risk, are unlikely to return, but it sounds like most other teachers plan to return.

I plan to return if schools are open. But will I be able to return if my own children aren't in school so we don't have childcare? Not sure.

+1

I really dislike DL and would love to be back in the classroom. But I have children and I worry that the hybrid method will make things much more difficult. I think my husband and I will have to alternate taking leave as stated earlier. And if my two kids end up going to school on different days from each other then I might just have to take a leave of absence.

Yes this will be a huge issue with PT school. It is clear that some in-person instruction is better than none, but it creates huge childcare headaches.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a teacher with a child in public PK. If school is 2 days a week for my child I will be taking leave 1-2 days a week (trading off with DH who also has to work). I know it’s disruptive but nannies and babysitters are expensive (and finding them will be challenging) and I need to do what’s best for my family.

How do you have a child and that much leave saved? That’s 18-36 days. Are you going to do unpaid leave?

I have two kids and have 25 days of leave. I worked in the district for 7 years before having kids and took maybe 1 or 2 days a year off during that period.

You took 1-2 days of maternity leave?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am surprised it is that low

Twenty percent seems to correspond to the common estimate of the population that is at some sort of elevated risk from COVID. So it implies that essentially all of the teachers who can return will. Considering the turnover in DCPS in the best of times it does seem low.

That's what I thought, too. Teachers at elevated risk, or who live with someone with elevated risk, are unlikely to return, but it sounds like most other teachers plan to return.

I plan to return if schools are open. But will I be able to return if my own children aren't in school so we don't have childcare? Not sure.

+1

I really dislike DL and would love to be back in the classroom. But I have children and I worry that the hybrid method will make things much more difficult. I think my husband and I will have to alternate taking leave as stated earlier. And if my two kids end up going to school on different days from each other then I might just have to take a leave of absence.

Yes this will be a huge issue with PT school. It is clear that some in-person instruction is better than none, but it creates huge childcare headaches.

The only solution I have come up with in that situation is to resign and sub on the days my kid is in school. I consider this a last resort

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a teacher with a child in public PK. If school is 2 days a week for my child I will be taking leave 1-2 days a week (trading off with DH who also has to work). I know it’s disruptive but nannies and babysitters are expensive (and finding them will be challenging) and I need to do what’s best for my family.

How do you have a child and that much leave saved? That’s 18-36 days. Are you going to do unpaid leave?

I have two kids and have 25 days of leave. I worked in the district for 7 years before having kids and took maybe 1 or 2 days a year off during that period.

You took 1-2 days of maternity leave?

No I took FMLA leave (which was unpaid the first time) and paid leave the second. The 1 to 2 days was before I had kids. I’ve been in DCPS over 16 years now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a teacher with a child in public PK. If school is 2 days a week for my child I will be taking leave 1-2 days a week (trading off with DH who also has to work). I know it’s disruptive but nannies and babysitters are expensive (and finding them will be challenging) and I need to do what’s best for my family.

How do you have a child and that much leave saved? That’s 18-36 days. Are you going to do unpaid leave?

I have two kids and have 25 days of leave. I worked in the district for 7 years before having kids and took maybe 1 or 2 days a year off during that period.

You took 1-2 days of maternity leave?

No I took FMLA leave (which was unpaid the first time) and paid leave the second. The 1 to 2 days was before I had kids. I’ve been in DCPS over 16 years now.

To add I work because I love my job. I can take unpaid leave and be fine. I’m fortunate my husband has a great job.

[Anonymous]

Teachers in DC are paid a lot compared to teachers in other areas. They'll find replacements.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Teachers in DC are paid a lot compared to teachers in other areas. They'll find replacements.

Do you not realize that we get paid more in DC because the cost of living is ridiculously high? And we still don’t get paid enough to afford the city? There was already a teacher shortage to begin with. We went all school year with vacancies. So no,
I really don’t think they will be able to find enough replacements.

[Anonymous]

It seems dumb to be panicking in May about what's going to happen in August. No one knows what the world will look like by then.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Teachers in DC are paid a lot compared to teachers in other areas. They'll find replacements.

Then why does DC still have a teacher shortage? 😂
You won’t find good teachers with money alone