Constant teacher absences

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I mean “their teacher going on mat leave”

I know!! Couldn't she just drop the kid and keep teaching? And then she might have appointments. Why is she allowed to do that? I mean, is there a union or something?

Do you not know how to read? She was on mat leave for 4 months and just got back in Jan and ever since she has been back she is constantly absent at least two days every week. She was actually absent for one entire week in late Jan. She is allowed to do whatever she needs for her child and my child is also allowed to get a proper education form a teacher who takes her job responsibilities seriously.

You are a POS.

Yes let’s keep bending over backwards for teachers. Meanwhile poor nurses, doctors, physical therapists, grocery store workers are expected to show up to work on a consistent basis and arrange for childcare. But no teachers get a free pass. Never mind they are in charge of educating our kids. Gosh the animosity against anyone who dare say anything negative about teachers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I mean “their teacher going on mat leave”

I know!! Couldn't she just drop the kid and keep teaching? And then she might have appointments. Why is she allowed to do that? I mean, is there a union or something?

Do you not know how to read? She was on mat leave for 4 months and just got back in Jan and ever since she has been back she is constantly absent at least two days every week. She was actually absent for one entire week in late Jan. She is allowed to do whatever she needs for her child and my child is also allowed to get a proper education form a teacher who takes her job responsibilities seriously.

You are a POS.

Yes let’s keep bending over backwards for teachers. Meanwhile poor nurses, doctors, physical therapists, grocery store workers are expected to show up to work on a consistent basis and arrange for childcare. But no teachers get a free pass. Never mind they are in charge of educating our kids. Gosh the animosity against anyone who dare say anything negative about teachers.

To be clear, the free pass here included a woefully insufficient maternity leave, and potentially having to quarantine for a child with covid, or maybe having covid herself. This OP is a real stinker

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For the last time, I have absolutely no issue with her taking her mat leave. It’s sad that she could only take 4 months off and couldn’t be off for an entire year but we all know this is a bigger issue and requires the Congress to actually do something to help all working parents. My issue is now that she is back, she is only in class 2-3 days a week. She has been absent sporadically, then was was absent for a week and then she again left midday Friday because she got a call from daycare. Didn’t come Monday, shows up on Tuesday but then is absent again on Wednesday. I absolutely understand the need for qualified substitutes but her absences are so sporadic that even a substitute can only do so much. You can’t have a substitute show up for a day and be caught up on what the kids are doing. As I said, I was perfectly happy with the student teacher that taught in the fall. She had no experience but she was still a great teacher. I am just annoyed at this teacher’s sporadic absences. It would actually help if she takes the entire year off so the kids can once again get a long term sub.

HS teacher here, though my kids are older. I'm curious what you would have her do in this situation? Say the sporadic absences have been for childcare. Maybe her baby has a condition requiring more than average doctor appointments. Maybe daycare is calling for every sniffle. For me, I was the primary person in my 2 parent household to handle the kids bc my husband works a demanding, higher paying job, with a significantly longer commute. Do you want the teacher to get some kind of babysitter last minute? I doubt most teachers can afford a nanny. Should she just quit for the rest of the year and lose the paycheck? I am reading a lot of complaints/concerns but no solutions suggested. I get that OP is frustrated, but then this just becomes a vent and isn't productive at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I mean “their teacher going on mat leave”

I know!! Couldn't she just drop the kid and keep teaching? And then she might have appointments. Why is she allowed to do that? I mean, is there a union or something?

Do you not know how to read? She was on mat leave for 4 months and just got back in Jan and ever since she has been back she is constantly absent at least two days every week. She was actually absent for one entire week in late Jan. She is allowed to do whatever she needs for her child and my child is also allowed to get a proper education form a teacher who takes her job responsibilities seriously.

So the teacher does not take her job responsibilities seriously because she was on maternity leave and then took other leave during the height of the pandemic?! How do you know she or her family didn't have Covid? Would you have preferred her to come into the classroom? This statement says more about YOU than it does about the teacher.

I understand your frustration about your child but, as others here have explained, we have a teacher shortage. And we are in a pandemic. Maybe instead of complaining on DCUM you can ask yourself what you can do to help the situation.

+1. I’m a teacher and I was so angry when I read the OP’s comment above about demanding that the teacher take her job seriously. I’m calmer now. OP, you have no idea what the teacher is experiencing. Perhaps she is also upset about her frequent absences. It’s harder to miss work than to be at work when you are a teacher. I had to leave sub plans last week to go to my own daughter’s IEP meeting. It took me 3 hours to make a plan that will occupy my students for 40 minutes. I also returned to 40-50 emails from students or team members. I can’t imagine all of the stress these absences are probably causing your teacher.

It’s time to stop expecting teachers to be superhuman. We have outside responsibilities just like you. It is absolutely okay for us to take care of them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I mean “their teacher going on mat leave”

I know!! Couldn't she just drop the kid and keep teaching? And then she might have appointments. Why is she allowed to do that? I mean, is there a union or something?

Do you not know how to read? She was on mat leave for 4 months and just got back in Jan and ever since she has been back she is constantly absent at least two days every week. She was actually absent for one entire week in late Jan. She is allowed to do whatever she needs for her child and my child is also allowed to get a proper education form a teacher who takes her job responsibilities seriously.

You are a POS.

Yes let’s keep bending over backwards for teachers. Meanwhile poor nurses, doctors, physical therapists, grocery store workers are expected to show up to work on a consistent basis and arrange for childcare. But no teachers get a free pass. Never mind they are in charge of educating our kids. Gosh the animosity against anyone who dare say anything negative about teachers.

Why is it so hard to understand the concept of leave? Each of the professions you listed also has leave. And employees are allowed to use that leave as they see fit. This teacher just had a baby, and your expectation is that after four months, she will not have to use any more leave. And regarding the consistency, she probably is a consistent teacher. It's just that her life has changed this school year (you know, because she had a baby), and that has led to more frequent absences. You really are terrible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I mean “their teacher going on mat leave”

I know!! Couldn't she just drop the kid and keep teaching? And then she might have appointments. Why is she allowed to do that? I mean, is there a union or something?

Do you not know how to read? She was on mat leave for 4 months and just got back in Jan and ever since she has been back she is constantly absent at least two days every week. She was actually absent for one entire week in late Jan. She is allowed to do whatever she needs for her child and my child is also allowed to get a proper education form a teacher who takes her job responsibilities seriously.

You are a POS.

Yes let’s keep bending over backwards for teachers. Meanwhile poor nurses, doctors, physical therapists, grocery store workers are expected to show up to work on a consistent basis and arrange for childcare. But no teachers get a free pass. Never mind they are in charge of educating our kids. Gosh the animosity against anyone who dare say anything negative about teachers.

None of those people take leave?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I mean “their teacher going on mat leave”

I know!! Couldn't she just drop the kid and keep teaching? And then she might have appointments. Why is she allowed to do that? I mean, is there a union or something?

Do you not know how to read? She was on mat leave for 4 months and just got back in Jan and ever since she has been back she is constantly absent at least two days every week. She was actually absent for one entire week in late Jan. She is allowed to do whatever she needs for her child and my child is also allowed to get a proper education form a teacher who takes her job responsibilities seriously.

You are a POS.

Yes let’s keep bending over backwards for teachers. Meanwhile poor nurses, doctors, physical therapists, grocery store workers are expected to show up to work on a consistent basis and arrange for childcare. But no teachers get a free pass. Never mind they are in charge of educating our kids. Gosh the animosity against anyone who dare say anything negative about teachers.

None of those people take leave?

Doctors, nurses and PT's are paid a lot more so they can pay for a nanny. Grocery store workers are low income and can qualify for free child care.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I mean “their teacher going on mat leave”

I know!! Couldn't she just drop the kid and keep teaching? And then she might have appointments. Why is she allowed to do that? I mean, is there a union or something?

Do you not know how to read? She was on mat leave for 4 months and just got back in Jan and ever since she has been back she is constantly absent at least two days every week. She was actually absent for one entire week in late Jan. She is allowed to do whatever she needs for her child and my child is also allowed to get a proper education form a teacher who takes her job responsibilities seriously.

You are a POS.

Yes let’s keep bending over backwards for teachers. Meanwhile poor nurses, doctors, physical therapists, grocery store workers are expected to show up to work on a consistent basis and arrange for childcare. But no teachers get a free pass. Never mind they are in charge of educating our kids. Gosh the animosity against anyone who dare say anything negative about teachers.

None of those people take leave?

Doctors, nurses and PT's are paid a lot more so they can pay for a nanny. Grocery store workers are low income and can qualify for free child care.

Please. Given the value that they add ($0) teachers are paid MORE than they should be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I mean “their teacher going on mat leave”

I know!! Couldn't she just drop the kid and keep teaching? And then she might have appointments. Why is she allowed to do that? I mean, is there a union or something?

Do you not know how to read? She was on mat leave for 4 months and just got back in Jan and ever since she has been back she is constantly absent at least two days every week. She was actually absent for one entire week in late Jan. She is allowed to do whatever she needs for her child and my child is also allowed to get a proper education form a teacher who takes her job responsibilities seriously.

You are a POS.

+1000

[Anonymous]

Gosh I’m so sorry I expected the teacher to have reliable childcare when she came back to work. You know how every other professional does when they have to go back to work? Yes we have been in this pandemic for the last two years!! Of course there will be closures and kids getting sick. So have all of us not planned for this so we are not constantly running around last minute when we have to show up to work? Like I said most of the teachers have little kids too but I don’t see them being absent so frequently. Those teachers take their job seriously

Taking a few hours off or a day off for an appointment or child’s sickness is completely different than literally not showing up 2-3 days every single week! Please stop being so defensive. And FYI other professionals get fired or get a warning if they are sporadically and frequently absent.

[Anonymous]

Wow. Just when I thought DCUM couldnt stoop any lower. Teachers get sick leave. It works out to roughly one day and change per month that you accrue. When I took maternity leave, I had to use 14 days of my leave or go unpaid before my short term disability kicked in. The short term disability doesnt pay 100%, so many teachers use additional days they have built up to get full pay. That is assuming they have been in the county for a long time and have been saving leave.

When I went back to teaching after maternity leave, my baby was in daycare and was often sick. I am not the breadwinner in my family, so I stayed home every time with the sick baby. My husbands job is high stress and what allows us to live in Fairfax County. Yes, I was super stressed out about my students missing out on quality instruction. It was a really crappy 2-3 years at work while I tried to balance it.

Read the room. There is a teacher and sub shortage. It sucks, but calling out a new working mom and complaining to the principal is a pretty dick move.

[Anonymous]

Op you know that some of those could be work related, right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Gosh I’m so sorry I expected the teacher to have reliable childcare when she came back to work. You know how every other professional does when they have to go back to work? Yes we have been in this pandemic for the last two years!! Of course there will be closures and kids getting sick. So have all of us not planned for this so we are not constantly running around last minute when we have to show up to work? Like I said most of the teachers have little kids too but I don’t see them being absent so frequently. Those teachers take their job seriously

Taking a few hours off or a day off for an appointment or child’s sickness is completely different than literally not showing up 2-3 days every single week! Please stop being so defensive. And FYI other professionals get fired or get a warning if they are sporadically and frequently absent.

Reliable child care…so you expect this teacher to be able to afford a nanny? Because babies in group daycare settings get sick. With covid, they end up in a revolving quarentine situation because they arent vaccinated. You have no idea why she is absent so frequently. Sure, she could be lazy, but she or her child could be really sick. She likely has burned through her sick leave and is not getting paid for days she is taking off.

[Anonymous]

Just a note to you, OP…the person in the fall was not “the student teacher.” A student teacher has to be supervised by the classroom teacher at all times. Perhaps this person was a college student working on their degree and student teaching in the spring, but if they were truly “the student teacher” then they were breaking some serious rules.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I mean “their teacher going on mat leave”

I know!! Couldn't she just drop the kid and keep teaching? And then she might have appointments. Why is she allowed to do that? I mean, is there a union or something?

Do you not know how to read? She was on mat leave for 4 months and just got back in Jan and ever since she has been back she is constantly absent at least two days every week. She was actually absent for one entire week in late Jan. She is allowed to do whatever she needs for her child and my child is also allowed to get a proper education form a teacher who takes her job responsibilities seriously.

You are a POS.

Yes let’s keep bending over backwards for teachers. Meanwhile poor nurses, doctors, physical therapists, grocery store workers are expected to show up to work on a consistent basis and arrange for childcare. But no teachers get a free pass. Never mind they are in charge of educating our kids. Gosh the animosity against anyone who dare say anything negative about teachers.

None of those people take leave?

Doctors, nurses and PT's are paid a lot more so they can pay for a nanny. Grocery store workers are low income and can qualify for free child care.

Have you ever tried to get subsidized child care? Waitlists can be years long