DCPS survey

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP and another DCPS teacher here. I definitely understood this survey to be only for people who are requesting anything other than a full-time return to in-person teaching. OP, I don’t think you need to fill it out. I don’t think DCPS is trying to screw with us. They just need to know how many teachers they have available. This seems totally reasonable to me.

This was my impression. It left a lot of options (none of which actually covered my odd situation of using two different forms of leave starting 11/9), but I planned to fill it out after asking DCPS how to respond based on my situation. I was actually surprised to see the Union come out against it, though their explanation that it was sent out before they received a promised response seems fair too. I’m guess it was rushed out after the Council requested a plan and they announced some early re-openings.

I think DCPS will put out a decent plan to reopen, but will be hindered by staff taking leave. I’m very curious how they will end up handling even a small percentage of teachers being out. You only need 10-20% out to cause chaos in staffing. At my school that would only be 6-12 teachers.

Exactly If you just count classroom teachers (not specials,sped,ell) we only need between 3-6 teachers to take leave to cause chaos at my school.

If you have a self contained program it just takes 1 teacher from one of those classrooms...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The request for a virtual position if you’re not eligible is given in a first come first serve based on the survey return time stamp. If the survey stands the union is screwing with teachers that want virtual but hold off filling it out at their request.

This is not true. Nothing is first come first served. It is if you have a documented reason and or qualify for leave you get it.

Yes, the union is awful- but not because of your reasoning.

The request for 100% virtual WITHOUT a qualifying reason is what is first come first served.

Yes, my bad. In the panic of everything, I misread the quoted pp.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The request for a virtual position if you’re not eligible is given in a first come first serve based on the survey return time stamp. If the survey stands the union is screwing with teachers that want virtual but hold off filling it out at their request.

A very important point. DC has to determine how many kids they can bring back and can only do so with information on the number of teachers who will be available. Withholding information on whether you have a condition or other reason to not return in person hurts everyone -- the families who can't get timely notification, the students who are waiting to see if they can be accommodated in person, other teachers who want to know the plan. I don't understand the strategy here unless the goal is to just "stick it" to DC. If that's it, playing these games doesn't only hurt government and DCPS, it hurts families.

I didn’t hold off mine, I stand with the union but I can’t afford to pay for non public transportation 4 days a week. If there’s reimbursement I’ll gladly teach in person. Or hey they can run buses just for teachers...

DC should run buses or other transport for teachers. In other areas, they are asking people to get off of buses if there are school children who need to get on. We could do that here for teachers and students or find other ways to support transportation for schools. Thank you for being part of the solution for getting kids back to school.

THis is crazy. What areas are you talking about? Get off the bus in the middle of the ride?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP and another DCPS teacher here. I definitely understood this survey to be only for people who are requesting anything other than a full-time return to in-person teaching. OP, I don’t think you need to fill it out. I don’t think DCPS is trying to screw with us. They just need to know how many teachers they have available. This seems totally reasonable to me.

OP- I just don’t know why Dcps would design a “required” survey that you don’t want some teachers to fill out. How do you then know who has seen it? It’d be far better to have an option of in person so they’d have a true percentage/idea of the data. Plus I’ve been teaching 17 years, and I don’t trust downtown to be up front about anything.

The survey I saw said that it was not required. DCPS teachers are expected to return to work in November. The only ones who won't are those with approved leave or an accommodation. The survey is only to gauge the number who need accommodations. Sooner or later, we have to go back to work in person, get approval to not go back in person, or move on to other work/employment.

+1

I am a DCPS teacher and it feels like the union is being obstinate at this point. DCPS needs data from teachers to plan at this point. And they are giving lots of options to accommodate people. The optics of this are getting worse and worse. I fear after the pandemic is over the union will have squandered any good will people had towards teachers in this city.

[Anonymous]

I reached out to the survey writers and asked. They said any teacher willing to report in person is supposed to select #4.

[Anonymous]

I am a DCPS parent of two under 6 and very pro-union. I think the union had an opportunity to band with parents and together hold elected officials accountable to making our schools safer. I was with them, but they are losing me here. Why can’t they fill out the survey? What is their end game? (And please don’t come at me. I’m so very tired, but also still willing to listen.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a DCPS parent of two under 6 and very pro-union. I think the union had an opportunity to band with parents and together hold elected officials accountable to making our schools safer. I was with them, but they are losing me here. Why can’t they fill out the survey? What is their end game? (And please don’t come at me. I’m so very tired, but also still willing to listen.)

Pro union teacher and I filled out the survey.
Union said they saw this survey last week and & asked DCPS to include two additional options. I fit perfectly into one of the categories offered so there is/was no need to wait.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I reached out to the survey writers and asked. They said any teacher willing to report in person is supposed to select #4.

I'm one of the PP who said I thought that teachers didn't need to fill it out if they are prepared to return to in-person. That seems crazy. What about teachers who are willing to come back full-time? I know students aren't coming back full-time, but I thought that teachers might be full-time in-person with different groups of students different days. I wish DCPS could be more clear about that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I reached out to the survey writers and asked. They said any teacher willing to report in person is supposed to select #4.

I'm one of the PP who said I thought that teachers didn't need to fill it out if they are prepared to return to in-person. That seems crazy. What about teachers who are willing to come back full-time? I know students aren't coming back full-time, but I thought that teachers might be full-time in-person with different groups of students different days. I wish DCPS could be more clear about that.

+1, but really, are we surprised that downtown can’t even get this right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I reached out to the survey writers and asked. They said any teacher willing to report in person is supposed to select #4.

Ok but I’m willing to do in person...but I’m not willing to take an uber to school everyday or suddenly buy or rent a car.

I emailed to ask about making buses run the same or buses for students and staff but no response.

As a result I selected option 2, even though I’d like to work in person.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I reached out to the survey writers and asked. They said any teacher willing to report in person is supposed to select #4.

Ok but I’m willing to do in person...but I’m not willing to take an uber to school everyday or suddenly buy or rent a car.

I emailed to ask about making buses run the same or buses for students and staff but no response.

As a result I selected option 2, even though I’d like to work in person.

Just curious - if you were told to report to work tomorrow, what would you do? Quit? I'm a teacher too, but I am have a really hard time understanding the mentality that you think you are in a position of power to negotiate the terms for going back to work in person.

[Anonymous]

As a DCPS parent, it seems increasingly clear to me that the WTU leadership is as disconnected from the DCPS teacher population as DCPS central office is on the issue of going back into the classroom. Unions lose power when the general population begins to believe that the leadership doesn't actually speak for their members.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP and another DCPS teacher here. I definitely understood this survey to be only for people who are requesting anything other than a full-time return to in-person teaching. OP, I don’t think you need to fill it out. I don’t think DCPS is trying to screw with us. They just need to know how many teachers they have available. This seems totally reasonable to me.

OP- I just don’t know why Dcps would design a “required” survey that you don’t want some teachers to fill out. How do you then know who has seen it? It’d be far better to have an option of in person so they’d have a true percentage/idea of the data. Plus I’ve been teaching 17 years, and I don’t trust downtown to be up front about anything.

The survey I saw said that it was not required. DCPS teachers are expected to return to work in November. The only ones who won't are those with approved leave or an accommodation. The survey is only to gauge the number who need accommodations. Sooner or later, we have to go back to work in person, get approval to not go back in person, or move on to other work/employment.

+1

I am a DCPS teacher and it feels like the union is being obstinate at this point. DCPS needs data from teachers to plan at this point. And they are giving lots of options to accommodate people. The optics of this are getting worse and worse. I fear after the pandemic is over the union will have squandered any good will people had towards teachers in this city.

+1 Signed, a teacher

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I reached out to the survey writers and asked. They said any teacher willing to report in person is supposed to select #4.

Ok but I’m willing to do in person...but I’m not willing to take an uber to school everyday or suddenly buy or rent a car.

I emailed to ask about making buses run the same or buses for students and staff but no response.

As a result I selected option 2, even though I’d like to work in person.

Just curious - if you were told to report to work tomorrow, what would you do? Quit? I'm a teacher too, but I am have a really hard time understanding the mentality that you think you are in a position of power to negotiate the terms for going back to work in person.

No, I’d file a lawsuit. If there isn’t an adequate way for me to get to the school (as there was) then that should be something DCPS does something about. I’m not the only DCPS employee who takes public transportation.

Just curious what makes you think DCPS doesn’t care and know this is a concern when they put it on the survey? You can not fault an employee for a service the mayor can reinstate.

Thanks for your empathy though, nice to see teachers who care about each other.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I reached out to the survey writers and asked. They said any teacher willing to report in person is supposed to select #4.

Ok but I’m willing to do in person...but I’m not willing to take an uber to school everyday or suddenly buy or rent a car.

I emailed to ask about making buses run the same or buses for students and staff but no response.

As a result I selected option 2, even though I’d like to work in person.

Just curious - if you were told to report to work tomorrow, what would you do? Quit? I'm a teacher too, but I am have a really hard time understanding the mentality that you think you are in a position of power to negotiate the terms for going back to work in person.

No, I’d file a lawsuit. If there isn’t an adequate way for me to get to the school (as there was) then that should be something DCPS does something about. I’m not the only DCPS employee who takes public transportation.

Just curious what makes you think DCPS doesn’t care and know this is a concern when they put it on the survey? You can not fault an employee for a service the mayor can reinstate.

Thanks for your empathy though, nice to see teachers who care about each other.

Is it any other employer's duty to figure out how their employees get to work? Can any other employer be sued for it? Is this specific to teachers? I never knew employers were responsible for transportation to work. I'm self-employed, so I honestly don't know.