NPR Article on Public Schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:thank g-d the mainstream media is accurately reporting on school closures. finally!!!

I was a teacher and now I work in staffing. A lot of what I staff is for sub school nurses and teachers. Everyone wanted the Friday after Veterans Day off and today off…. I know teaching is stressful, so like I sympathize there but they’re given days off that many people just don’t get. Most people don’t get Veterans Day, Columbus Day, president’s day, MLK day off, never mind the days before and/or after those holidays or the whole week!! It’s super hard to find subs for those days and I do roll my eyes thinking “can’t they just hold on for one more day when they literally have all these other days off coming up??” But I’m obviously bias bc I don’t get those days or weeks or months off anymore.

Teaching is HARD!! But I find it a big selfish when teachers think they have the most important or hardest EVER. Yes, it’s very important. Yes, it can be SO hard and SO stressful! But imagine being a lawyer, nurse, doctor, surgeon, EMT, police officer, etc (could name more but will stop) and dealing with people’s LIVES and freedom at stake, and then the schools close last minute bc the teachers with weeks off coming up just can’t be bothered to not all request the day after Veterans Day off. Like that could possibly cause issues in hospitals and such. I’m sure that’s a rare stretch and professionals find childcare, but it can seem really selfish.

If teaching feels so stressful that the scheduled days off aren’t enough to rest and recover, then I’d suggest looking into other jobs. Many people work jobs that stress them out and they can’t get time off. Hospitals and police stations and fire houses and offices don’t just shut down bc everyone wants to request the minor holidays and the days after them off, and all the parents aren’t able to request every School vacation week off.

I really see both sides bc teaching is stressful, but rather than admin allowing everyone to take all those days off that aren’t scheduled, maybe just don’t let everyone take the same days before minor holidays and vacations off? Bc closing the schools bc no one wants to go in isn’t a good look. Sure the education system is a MESS, but many systems that employ people are. Education is up there for sure, but I think teachers who haven’t worked full time outside of teaching ever (or in a while) don’t really get it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parents are pushing so hard for school to become childcare. You want school to be longer and to eliminate breaks? It’s not developmentally appropriate. The kids can sit and play with a monitor for two hours at the end of the day and then be bussed home in rush hour traffic. Happy? There’s no way that elementary schoolers have two additional hours of learning left in them. They’re already falling apart and overstimulated at the end of the day.

It’s hard to afford having a SAHP anymore. A lot of people have to send kids to camps in summer and over the school breaks anyway.

That isn't a problem that schools can solve, though. There are all these systemic problems in our society, like lack of paid sick leave, that people keep trying to blame on schools. "I can't keep my son home when he has a cough! I have a job." The school can't solve that problem. We shouldn't be sending people into communal spaces with communicable illnesses even when we aren't in a pandemic. People need to stop expecting overcrowded, underfunded schools to solve all of these social issues. Why doesn't your boss offer you onsite aftercare? Why don't you have flexible time off to spend with your children if they are ill? It's bizarre that people want schools to fix everything, without investing in schools at all.

The point is that you're making up a problem. Of course kids could stay in school all day. We know that because so many already do that with before/after care programs. Many were already spending a full day at preschool before elementary school.

There's no question whether you could do this. It's just a matter of what it would look like.

Making up a problem? There are sick kids sitting in my classroom every day, and parents arguing that they just can't come pick them up because they have to work. This is one of the many problems that arise when we treat school like childcare. People feel entitled to it, no matter what.
Of course they "could" stay at school all day. Just as they "could" stay home all day. The problem is an economic one, either way. Who would staff this? What would it cost to run the buildings for all those additional hours? How much more would it cost to bus those kids? Teachers aren't available for additional hours, nor do they have the ability to take on additional responsibilities. Who are you hiring and what are the qualifications? What are you paying these people? How do you find people who are available for short shifts five days a week? Are you just going to let the kids have free time, or are you purchasing materials and curriculum for this? Are you feeding the kids an additional meal?

Yes, you’re making up a problem by initially suggesting kids wouldn’t be able to handle staying at school all day. Of course they could, as you’ve since acknowledged.

Would it be expensive to staff schools to accommodate that? A bit, but it would have tremendous advantages, economically, for parents, and for kids. And would certainly be more efficient than the hodgepodge of before/aftercare programs.

And of course schools also fill the role of child care for young kids. That’s been a fundamental aspect of free public education from the beginning, and will certainly continue to be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parents are pushing so hard for school to become childcare. You want school to be longer and to eliminate breaks? It’s not developmentally appropriate. The kids can sit and play with a monitor for two hours at the end of the day and then be bussed home in rush hour traffic. Happy? There’s no way that elementary schoolers have two additional hours of learning left in them. They’re already falling apart and overstimulated at the end of the day.

It’s hard to afford having a SAHP anymore. A lot of people have to send kids to camps in summer and over the school breaks anyway.

That isn't a problem that schools can solve, though. There are all these systemic problems in our society, like lack of paid sick leave, that people keep trying to blame on schools. "I can't keep my son home when he has a cough! I have a job." The school can't solve that problem. We shouldn't be sending people into communal spaces with communicable illnesses even when we aren't in a pandemic. People need to stop expecting overcrowded, underfunded schools to solve all of these social issues. Why doesn't your boss offer you onsite aftercare? Why don't you have flexible time off to spend with your children if they are ill? It's bizarre that people want schools to fix everything, without investing in schools at all.

The point is that you're making up a problem. Of course kids could stay in school all day. We know that because so many already do that with before/after care programs. Many were already spending a full day at preschool before elementary school.

There's no question whether you could do this. It's just a matter of what it would look like.

Making up a problem? There are sick kids sitting in my classroom every day, and parents arguing that they just can't come pick them up because they have to work. This is one of the many problems that arise when we treat school like childcare. People feel entitled to it, no matter what.
Of course they "could" stay at school all day. Just as they "could" stay home all day. The problem is an economic one, either way. Who would staff this? What would it cost to run the buildings for all those additional hours? How much more would it cost to bus those kids? Teachers aren't available for additional hours, nor do they have the ability to take on additional responsibilities. Who are you hiring and what are the qualifications? What are you paying these people? How do you find people who are available for short shifts five days a week? Are you just going to let the kids have free time, or are you purchasing materials and curriculum for this? Are you feeding the kids an additional meal?

Yes, you’re making up a problem by initially suggesting kids wouldn’t be able to handle staying at school all day. Of course they could, as you’ve since acknowledged.

Would it be expensive to staff schools to accommodate that? A bit, but it would have tremendous advantages, economically, for parents, and for kids. And would certainly be more efficient than the hodgepodge of before/aftercare programs.

And of course schools also fill the role of child care for young kids. That’s been a fundamental aspect of free public education from the beginning, and will certainly continue to be.

You didn’t answer a single question. Where’s your evidence that staying at school longer is good for kids? This is about wanting schools to provide free childcare at your convenience, nothing to do with the kids. If school is just a big babysitter, you need to adjust your expectations. I’m certainly not going home to grade work, write curriculum, or write legal documents for a childcare job. The kids can hang out like they do in daycare. Circle time, play outside, snack, read a book, do a craft. Sounds fine to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:thank g-d the mainstream media is accurately reporting on school closures. finally!!!

I was a teacher and now I work in staffing. A lot of what I staff is for sub school nurses and teachers. Everyone wanted the Friday after Veterans Day off and today off…. I know teaching is stressful, so like I sympathize there but they’re given days off that many people just don’t get. Most people don’t get Veterans Day, Columbus Day, president’s day, MLK day off, never mind the days before and/or after those holidays or the whole week!! It’s super hard to find subs for those days and I do roll my eyes thinking “can’t they just hold on for one more day when they literally have all these other days off coming up??” But I’m obviously bias bc I don’t get those days or weeks or months off anymore.

Teaching is HARD!! But I find it a big selfish when teachers think they have the most important or hardest EVER. Yes, it’s very important. Yes, it can be SO hard and SO stressful! But imagine being a lawyer, nurse, doctor, surgeon, EMT, police officer, etc (could name more but will stop) and dealing with people’s LIVES and freedom at stake, and then the schools close last minute bc the teachers with weeks off coming up just can’t be bothered to not all request the day after Veterans Day off. Like that could possibly cause issues in hospitals and such. I’m sure that’s a rare stretch and professionals find childcare, but it can seem really selfish.

If teaching feels so stressful that the scheduled days off aren’t enough to rest and recover, then I’d suggest looking into other jobs. Many people work jobs that stress them out and they can’t get time off. Hospitals and police stations and fire houses and offices don’t just shut down bc everyone wants to request the minor holidays and the days after them off, and all the parents aren’t able to request every School vacation week off.

I really see both sides bc teaching is stressful, but rather than admin allowing everyone to take all those days off that aren’t scheduled, maybe just don’t let everyone take the same days before minor holidays and vacations off? Bc closing the schools bc no one wants to go in isn’t a good look. Sure the education system is a MESS, but many systems that employ people are. Education is up there for sure, but I think teachers who haven’t worked full time outside of teaching ever (or in a while) don’t really get it.

Exactly. I have a very stressful job and while I can mostly take off when I want, I never get a day truly off because when something comes up on a day off, I have no choice but to drop everything to take care of it. Yesterday was a perfect example. I took the day off but a million things came up that had to be taken care of yesterday as it would greatly affect others that are working on Friday. Does it suck, kind of… but I knew this signing up for the job.

Also anyone who said education isn’t at least somewhat about childcare is lying to themselves. This country is structured so that the vast majority of families need 2 incomes to exist. School has not adjusted in the least. It is a societal expectation that schools are open roughly 8-3, allowing parents to work (albeit scrambling because the schedules don’t match up). For teachers to be shocked/mad that parents are upset about a last minute closure is honestly really tone deaf. What if their kid’s school did that but they still had to work? It’s honestly not that hard to understand.

[Anonymous]

I thought the NPR article made an excellent overarching point— parents have lost faith in public schools. When all of a sudden schools are going 4 days a week, cancelling days because teachers don’t want to work with little notice, can go full virtual for a year or more when closures of that length are no scientifically necessary, etc. parents stop trusting schools.

If I was a teacher or union leader, this would concern me. Parents who don’t trust public schools make different choices (private, virtual, homeschool, parochial) or vote for different choices, like vouchers and charters. See also, the VA election. Focus groups are saying that Biden-Youngkin voters number one issue was schools. And not really CRT or books. That VA kept schools closed long past what was reasonable or necessary, and was close to dead last to reopen. And that only happened because parents fought back.

When parents with resources who care about education flee, you get schools that only have children with challenges like SNs and FARMs in public. So teachers need to deal with even more challenges, or move to a charter/private for less pay, fewer benefits, and where they have less power. Or leave teaching and work year round with only two weeks off (1-3 year Fed is 13 vacation days). Private school teachers mostly taught in person last year and earned a lot less.

Teachers seem oblivious to the terms of employment in the real world. They were the only group that got to dictate that they stayed home. Who got to decide they weren’t essential, until it was vaxx time. And they won. Now, they are dealing with the fallout of THEIR CHOICES (and it’s not like it should be a shocker that kids struggled educationally or social-emotionally) and they want to insult parents who object to freebie days of of education.

When school has been in session about 12 weeks after a 2 month summer break, and teachers have gotten a 4 days weekend for Labor Day, Columbus Day, and 5 days for Thanksgiving off. Plus another other 4 day weekend at the end of the quarter, where most teachers I know were allowed to telework. Coming up: 2 more weeks off next month. Plus some early release days.

Do you realize how ridiculous you sound when you whine about time off to parents who might be lucky to get two weeks off a year? How much less do you want to work? Never mind, we know the answer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I thought the NPR article made an excellent overarching point— parents have lost faith in public schools. When all of a sudden schools are going 4 days a week, cancelling days because teachers don’t want to work with little notice, can go full virtual for a year or more when closures of that length are no scientifically necessary, etc. parents stop trusting schools.

If I was a teacher or union leader, this would concern me. Parents who don’t trust public schools make different choices (private, virtual, homeschool, parochial) or vote for different choices, like vouchers and charters. See also, the VA election. Focus groups are saying that Biden-Youngkin voters number one issue was schools. And not really CRT or books. That VA kept schools closed long past what was reasonable or necessary, and was close to dead last to reopen. And that only happened because parents fought back.

When parents with resources who care about education flee, you get schools that only have children with challenges like SNs and FARMs in public. So teachers need to deal with even more challenges, or move to a charter/private for less pay, fewer benefits, and where they have less power. Or leave teaching and work year round with only two weeks off (1-3 year Fed is 13 vacation days). Private school teachers mostly taught in person last year and earned a lot less.

Teachers seem oblivious to the terms of employment in the real world. They were the only group that got to dictate that they stayed home. Who got to decide they weren’t essential, until it was vaxx time. And they won. Now, they are dealing with the fallout of THEIR CHOICES (and it’s not like it should be a shocker that kids struggled educationally or social-emotionally) and they want to insult parents who object to freebie days of of education.

When school has been in session about 12 weeks after a 2 month summer break, and teachers have gotten a 4 days weekend for Labor Day, Columbus Day, and 5 days for Thanksgiving off. Plus another other 4 day weekend at the end of the quarter, where most teachers I know were allowed to telework. Coming up: 2 more weeks off next month. Plus some early release days.

Do you realize how ridiculous you sound when you whine about time off to parents who might be lucky to get two weeks off a year? How much less do you want to work? Never mind, we know the answer.

OP here. Exactly this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I thought the NPR article made an excellent overarching point— parents have lost faith in public schools. When all of a sudden schools are going 4 days a week, cancelling days because teachers don’t want to work with little notice, can go full virtual for a year or more when closures of that length are no scientifically necessary, etc. parents stop trusting schools.

If I was a teacher or union leader, this would concern me. Parents who don’t trust public schools make different choices (private, virtual, homeschool, parochial) or vote for different choices, like vouchers and charters. See also, the VA election. Focus groups are saying that Biden-Youngkin voters number one issue was schools. And not really CRT or books. That VA kept schools closed long past what was reasonable or necessary, and was close to dead last to reopen. And that only happened because parents fought back.

When parents with resources who care about education flee, you get schools that only have children with challenges like SNs and FARMs in public. So teachers need to deal with even more challenges, or move to a charter/private for less pay, fewer benefits, and where they have less power. Or leave teaching and work year round with only two weeks off (1-3 year Fed is 13 vacation days). Private school teachers mostly taught in person last year and earned a lot less.

Teachers seem oblivious to the terms of employment in the real world. They were the only group that got to dictate that they stayed home. Who got to decide they weren’t essential, until it was vaxx time. And they won. Now, they are dealing with the fallout of THEIR CHOICES (and it’s not like it should be a shocker that kids struggled educationally or social-emotionally) and they want to insult parents who object to freebie days of of education.


When school has been in session about 12 weeks after a 2 month summer break, and teachers have gotten a 4 days weekend for Labor Day, Columbus Day, and 5 days for Thanksgiving off. Plus another other 4 day weekend at the end of the quarter, where most teachers I know were allowed to telework. Coming up: 2 more weeks off next month. Plus some early release days.

Do you realize how ridiculous you sound when you whine about time off to parents who might be lucky to get two weeks off a year? How much less do you want to work? Never mind, we know the answer.

We already have that situation. My school is 90%+ FARMS. Wealthy, highly educated will always move to areas with schools filled with people like themselves. That leaves poor people with few choices to fill up public schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought the NPR article made an excellent overarching point— parents have lost faith in public schools. When all of a sudden schools are going 4 days a week, cancelling days because teachers don’t want to work with little notice, can go full virtual for a year or more when closures of that length are no scientifically necessary, etc. parents stop trusting schools.

If I was a teacher or union leader, this would concern me. Parents who don’t trust public schools make different choices (private, virtual, homeschool, parochial) or vote for different choices, like vouchers and charters. See also, the VA election. Focus groups are saying that Biden-Youngkin voters number one issue was schools. And not really CRT or books. That VA kept schools closed long past what was reasonable or necessary, and was close to dead last to reopen. And that only happened because parents fought back.

When parents with resources who care about education flee, you get schools that only have children with challenges like SNs and FARMs in public. So teachers need to deal with even more challenges, or move to a charter/private for less pay, fewer benefits, and where they have less power. Or leave teaching and work year round with only two weeks off (1-3 year Fed is 13 vacation days). Private school teachers mostly taught in person last year and earned a lot less.

Teachers seem oblivious to the terms of employment in the real world. They were the only group that got to dictate that they stayed home. Who got to decide they weren’t essential, until it was vaxx time. And they won. Now, they are dealing with the fallout of THEIR CHOICES (and it’s not like it should be a shocker that kids struggled educationally or social-emotionally) and they want to insult parents who object to freebie days of of education.


When school has been in session about 12 weeks after a 2 month summer break, and teachers have gotten a 4 days weekend for Labor Day, Columbus Day, and 5 days for Thanksgiving off. Plus another other 4 day weekend at the end of the quarter, where most teachers I know were allowed to telework. Coming up: 2 more weeks off next month. Plus some early release days.

Do you realize how ridiculous you sound when you whine about time off to parents who might be lucky to get two weeks off a year? How much less do you want to work? Never mind, we know the answer.

We already have that situation. My school is 90%+ FARMS. Wealthy, highly educated will always move to areas with schools filled with people like themselves. That leaves poor people with few choices to fill up public schools.

And now wealthy white and Asian parents are leaving public schools altogether, tanking even good schools. Teachers want parents to know they can quit. We get it. And after 2 years of constant threats of teachers shutting down schools, parents are over it and voting with their feet (and ballots for Youngkin). 10k kids lost in FCPS last year. How many more will leave this year, and never enter the school system to begin with? You would think it would dawn on teachers and unions that this is bad for them. But nope.

[Anonymous]

I think (hope) what comes out of this is a new way of doing school. One that embraces the 21st century and technology and the good parts of DL for kids who have issues that make it necessary. But, at the same time, diversifying school options and really getting creative with school choice so that charters, magnets, longer school days, year round school, vouchers for private and parochial, etc all co-exist, and parents can find accessible educational options that meet their kids’ and they family’s needs.

The great resignation is obvious in the broader world of work. The interesting thing is that the parents who shifted or are shifting jobs to better fit their lives now want their kids education to do the same. Hopefully education keeps up, and in 5-10 years there are many more options beyond traditional public school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought the NPR article made an excellent overarching point— parents have lost faith in public schools. When all of a sudden schools are going 4 days a week, cancelling days because teachers don’t want to work with little notice, can go full virtual for a year or more when closures of that length are no scientifically necessary, etc. parents stop trusting schools.

If I was a teacher or union leader, this would concern me. Parents who don’t trust public schools make different choices (private, virtual, homeschool, parochial) or vote for different choices, like vouchers and charters. See also, the VA election. Focus groups are saying that Biden-Youngkin voters number one issue was schools. And not really CRT or books. That VA kept schools closed long past what was reasonable or necessary, and was close to dead last to reopen. And that only happened because parents fought back.

When parents with resources who care about education flee, you get schools that only have children with challenges like SNs and FARMs in public. So teachers need to deal with even more challenges, or move to a charter/private for less pay, fewer benefits, and where they have less power. Or leave teaching and work year round with only two weeks off (1-3 year Fed is 13 vacation days). Private school teachers mostly taught in person last year and earned a lot less.

Teachers seem oblivious to the terms of employment in the real world. They were the only group that got to dictate that they stayed home. Who got to decide they weren’t essential, until it was vaxx time. And they won. Now, they are dealing with the fallout of THEIR CHOICES (and it’s not like it should be a shocker that kids struggled educationally or social-emotionally) and they want to insult parents who object to freebie days of of education.


When school has been in session about 12 weeks after a 2 month summer break, and teachers have gotten a 4 days weekend for Labor Day, Columbus Day, and 5 days for Thanksgiving off. Plus another other 4 day weekend at the end of the quarter, where most teachers I know were allowed to telework. Coming up: 2 more weeks off next month. Plus some early release days.

Do you realize how ridiculous you sound when you whine about time off to parents who might be lucky to get two weeks off a year? How much less do you want to work? Never mind, we know the answer.

We already have that situation. My school is 90%+ FARMS. Wealthy, highly educated will always move to areas with schools filled with people like themselves. That leaves poor people with few choices to fill up public schools.

And now wealthy white and Asian parents are leaving public schools altogether, tanking even good schools. Teachers want parents to know they can quit. We get it. And after 2 years of constant threats of teachers shutting down schools, parents are over it and voting with their feet (and ballots for Youngkin). 10k kids lost in FCPS last year. How many more will leave this year, and never enter the school system to begin with? You would think it would dawn on teachers and unions that this is bad for them. But nope.

Okay bye!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought the NPR article made an excellent overarching point— parents have lost faith in public schools. When all of a sudden schools are going 4 days a week, cancelling days because teachers don’t want to work with little notice, can go full virtual for a year or more when closures of that length are no scientifically necessary, etc. parents stop trusting schools.

If I was a teacher or union leader, this would concern me. Parents who don’t trust public schools make different choices (private, virtual, homeschool, parochial) or vote for different choices, like vouchers and charters. See also, the VA election. Focus groups are saying that Biden-Youngkin voters number one issue was schools. And not really CRT or books. That VA kept schools closed long past what was reasonable or necessary, and was close to dead last to reopen. And that only happened because parents fought back.

When parents with resources who care about education flee, you get schools that only have children with challenges like SNs and FARMs in public. So teachers need to deal with even more challenges, or move to a charter/private for less pay, fewer benefits, and where they have less power. Or leave teaching and work year round with only two weeks off (1-3 year Fed is 13 vacation days). Private school teachers mostly taught in person last year and earned a lot less.

Teachers seem oblivious to the terms of employment in the real world. They were the only group that got to dictate that they stayed home. Who got to decide they weren’t essential, until it was vaxx time. And they won. Now, they are dealing with the fallout of THEIR CHOICES (and it’s not like it should be a shocker that kids struggled educationally or social-emotionally) and they want to insult parents who object to freebie days of of education.


When school has been in session about 12 weeks after a 2 month summer break, and teachers have gotten a 4 days weekend for Labor Day, Columbus Day, and 5 days for Thanksgiving off. Plus another other 4 day weekend at the end of the quarter, where most teachers I know were allowed to telework. Coming up: 2 more weeks off next month. Plus some early release days.

Do you realize how ridiculous you sound when you whine about time off to parents who might be lucky to get two weeks off a year? How much less do you want to work? Never mind, we know the answer.

We already have that situation. My school is 90%+ FARMS. Wealthy, highly educated will always move to areas with schools filled with people like themselves. That leaves poor people with few choices to fill up public schools.

And now wealthy white and Asian parents are leaving public schools altogether, tanking even good schools. Teachers want parents to know they can quit. We get it. And after 2 years of constant threats of teachers shutting down schools, parents are over it and voting with their feet (and ballots for Youngkin). 10k kids lost in FCPS last year. How many more will leave this year, and never enter the school system to begin with? You would think it would dawn on teachers and unions that this is bad for them. But nope.

I would hope people would've figured out after a peek behind the curtain last year is that the school boards and higher-ups in the school districts are the ones to blame. They are inept on a good day. Now everyone can see that. Techers are merely minions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think (hope) what comes out of this is a new way of doing school. One that embraces the 21st century and technology and the good parts of DL for kids who have issues that make it necessary. But, at the same time, diversifying school options and really getting creative with school choice so that charters, magnets, longer school days, year round school, vouchers for private and parochial, etc all co-exist, and parents can find accessible educational options that meet their kids’ and they family’s needs.

The great resignation is obvious in the broader world of work. The interesting thing is that the parents who shifted or are shifting jobs to better fit their lives now want their kids education to do the same. Hopefully education keeps up, and in 5-10 years there are many more options beyond traditional public school.

Um, they can't even find enough bus drivers and subs this year. Unless they start offering a hell of a lot more money, this dream of free childcare for parents ain't happening.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought the NPR article made an excellent overarching point— parents have lost faith in public schools. When all of a sudden schools are going 4 days a week, cancelling days because teachers don’t want to work with little notice, can go full virtual for a year or more when closures of that length are no scientifically necessary, etc. parents stop trusting schools.

If I was a teacher or union leader, this would concern me. Parents who don’t trust public schools make different choices (private, virtual, homeschool, parochial) or vote for different choices, like vouchers and charters. See also, the VA election. Focus groups are saying that Biden-Youngkin voters number one issue was schools. And not really CRT or books. That VA kept schools closed long past what was reasonable or necessary, and was close to dead last to reopen. And that only happened because parents fought back.

When parents with resources who care about education flee, you get schools that only have children with challenges like SNs and FARMs in public. So teachers need to deal with even more challenges, or move to a charter/private for less pay, fewer benefits, and where they have less power. Or leave teaching and work year round with only two weeks off (1-3 year Fed is 13 vacation days). Private school teachers mostly taught in person last year and earned a lot less.

Teachers seem oblivious to the terms of employment in the real world. They were the only group that got to dictate that they stayed home. Who got to decide they weren’t essential, until it was vaxx time. And they won. Now, they are dealing with the fallout of THEIR CHOICES (and it’s not like it should be a shocker that kids struggled educationally or social-emotionally) and they want to insult parents who object to freebie days of of education.


When school has been in session about 12 weeks after a 2 month summer break, and teachers have gotten a 4 days weekend for Labor Day, Columbus Day, and 5 days for Thanksgiving off. Plus another other 4 day weekend at the end of the quarter, where most teachers I know were allowed to telework. Coming up: 2 more weeks off next month. Plus some early release days.

Do you realize how ridiculous you sound when you whine about time off to parents who might be lucky to get two weeks off a year? How much less do you want to work? Never mind, we know the answer.

We already have that situation. My school is 90%+ FARMS. Wealthy, highly educated will always move to areas with schools filled with people like themselves. That leaves poor people with few choices to fill up public schools.

And now wealthy white and Asian parents are leaving public schools altogether, tanking even good schools. Teachers want parents to know they can quit. We get it. And after 2 years of constant threats of teachers shutting down schools, parents are over it and voting with their feet (and ballots for Youngkin). 10k kids lost in FCPS last year. How many more will leave this year, and never enter the school system to begin with? You would think it would dawn on teachers and unions that this is bad for them. But nope.

We are in FCPS and it hasn’t seemed that we’ve had two years of constant threats. We are involved in the community. Our teachers seem to have been pretty happy about being back in person since last spring. I haven’t heard anything about closing schools since maybe last winter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:thank g-d the mainstream media is accurately reporting on school closures. finally!!!

I was a teacher and now I work in staffing. A lot of what I staff is for sub school nurses and teachers. Everyone wanted the Friday after Veterans Day off and today off…. I know teaching is stressful, so like I sympathize there but they’re given days off that many people just don’t get. Most people don’t get Veterans Day, Columbus Day, president’s day, MLK day off, never mind the days before and/or after those holidays or the whole week!! It’s super hard to find subs for those days and I do roll my eyes thinking “can’t they just hold on for one more day when they literally have all these other days off coming up??” But I’m obviously bias bc I don’t get those days or weeks or months off anymore.

Teaching is HARD!! But I find it a big selfish when teachers think they have the most important or hardest EVER. Yes, it’s very important. Yes, it can be SO hard and SO stressful! But imagine being a lawyer, nurse, doctor, surgeon, EMT, police officer, etc (could name more but will stop) and dealing with people’s LIVES and freedom at stake, and then the schools close last minute bc the teachers with weeks off coming up just can’t be bothered to not all request the day after Veterans Day off. Like that could possibly cause issues in hospitals and such. I’m sure that’s a rare stretch and professionals find childcare, but it can seem really selfish.

If teaching feels so stressful that the scheduled days off aren’t enough to rest and recover, then I’d suggest looking into other jobs. Many people work jobs that stress them out and they can’t get time off. Hospitals and police stations and fire houses and offices don’t just shut down bc everyone wants to request the minor holidays and the days after them off, and all the parents aren’t able to request every School vacation week off.

I really see both sides bc teaching is stressful, but rather than admin allowing everyone to take all those days off that aren’t scheduled, maybe just don’t let everyone take the same days before minor holidays and vacations off? Bc closing the schools bc no one wants to go in isn’t a good look. Sure the education system is a MESS, but many systems that employ people are. Education is up there for sure, but I think teachers who haven’t worked full time outside of teaching ever (or in a while) don’t really get it.

Do the nurses and other professions get any benefit for unused leave? My DW has over 700 hours of saved leave. I tell her she should use more of it since she will lose it when she leaves FCPS if she doesn’t use it. There’s no way she’ll use it all, but why save so much? I wouldn’t mind if her leave gets denied if necessary if she had some type of other compensation later on.

[Anonymous]

I dont know what to make of it. There seems no interest by anyone anymore in being a community. I work in government and we have issues too - some age groups don’t like the idea of not getting every holiday off, or having to taking turns. They aren’t willing to sacrifice for the greater good anymore. I spent years voluntarily doing my family Thanksgiving the week before real Thanksgiving so that I could work that week. It wasn’t a big deal and my family was fine with it.

As for teachers…I do think some frame of reference for the rest of our realities is lacking. It was very obvious during the pandemic…millions of us worked in person in crowded places with no mask or distance mandate like was provided for teachers. And then we had to find a way to be home to monitor virtual school. It often felt like the very vocal teachers thought all parents were work at home rich lawyers with nannies or some thing and were mad at them for that.

I have lost faith in schools. It doesn’t seem like any of the teachers actually enjoy teaching.