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

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Then they shouldn’t be paid

This! Plenty of unemployed people happy to take their place.

[Anonymous]

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

I think my pay is fine (as a teacher), and I'm not asking for more money, but I am unconvinced that the school system can find replacements if a lot of teachers resign or take leave, especially if DCPS doesn't announce their plan for the fall until the last minute so all those resignations and leave requests are coming in at the last minute. A great part about being a teacher is that you can always get a job if you're flexible, but that means that there aren't a lot of teachers out there looking for jobs.

[Anonymous]

Isn’t that $13 for essential workers paid by the federal government? So states aren’t actually paying for it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: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.

Yes, we do. It will look like this, only it will be August.
There will be no in person classes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Then they shouldn’t be paid

This! Plenty of unemployed people happy to take their place.

Plenty of unemployed people who have teaching experience? Or have any clue how to teach children? Who have subject specific knowledge? Who are certified teachers or able to become certified? Where are you hiding all these people? We need them!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: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.

I'm not panicking. I'm considering my options.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

The unemployment rate is 15 percent. There are art and music and gym teachers in DC who make six figures. I think they'll find people.

https://dchr.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/dchr/publication/attachments/public_body_employee_information_200331.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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

I think my pay is fine (as a teacher), and I'm not asking for more money, but I am unconvinced that the school system can find replacements if a lot of teachers resign or take leave, especially if DCPS doesn't announce their plan for the fall until the last minute so all those resignations and leave requests are coming in at the last minute. A great part about being a teacher is that you can always get a job if you're flexible, but that means that there aren't a lot of teachers out there looking for jobs.

DC COSTS MORE than other areas. Also DC already had a teacher shortage before this, if too many leave it will not be good.
I agree, if DC doesn’t announce before July I’m sure many teachers will leave.

[Anonymous]

Nah if businesses open they will be enforcing a limit on how many people.

Doesn’t necessarily mean schools will open.

All I know is that if schools do open and I’m not treated as an essential worker but I have to do the job of one and don’t get the benefits I’ll be leaving.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

The unemployment rate is 15 percent. There are art and music and gym teachers in DC who make six figures. I think they'll find people.

https://dchr.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/dchr/publication/attachments/public_body_employee_information_200331.pdf

How many of those 15% unemployed have a bachelor’s degree, are eligible for teacher certification, and can pass a background check? How many years experience until they get to $100k? And are they working at your WOTP school or will you demand they work at the EOTP schools?

[Anonymous]

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.

Not true. Teachers can quit anytime they want. And because there's such a severe shortage, we could all be easily hired back the following year. No one loses retirement benefits because they quit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Then they shouldn’t be paid

This! Plenty of unemployed people happy to take their place.

Plenty of unemployed people who have teaching experience? Or have any clue how to teach children? Who have subject specific knowledge? Who are certified teachers or able to become certified? Where are you hiding all these people? We need them!

Exactly.
I don't plan to return, have an autoimmune disease and just can't take the chance. My life is more important to me than a particular job.

[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?

One can take leave without using their sick days. Smart teachers do this because they know after the baby comes, if they choose to go back to work, they're going to need those sick days. I took all of my sick days when I had my baby because I knew I wasn't going back for many years and when I did, that I would not return to the same district. I had 10 weeks worth of pay when I went on maternity leave because of that.

[Anonymous]

And I find it's funny that one troll poster here thinks I am an "enemy of the American people" because I have an autoimmune disease.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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.

Yes, we do. It will look like this, only it will be August.
There will be no in person classes.

That just seems foolish. Every month so far of this has been completely different from the one that preceded it. If you actually knew what August will be like, you could make a killing in the stock market.