Williamsburg MS (APS)

[Anonymous]

Teachers went to Target, the mall, the grocery store, Disney World and to the doctors office last year and were greeted with an in person employee. Somehow, despite having 2 vaccines, masks, upgraded ventilation, the teachers at WMS still felt too good to actually come to the building and do their jobs and be with the students who needed them more than ever. Their unreasonable demands held our students, the parents and the school system hostage.

I blame Boykin and his leadership.
Next door at Discovery, almost 100 percent of the teachers came back.

This tells me everything l need to know about the dedication and professionalism of the teachers at this school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Teachers went to Target, the mall, the grocery store, Disney World and to the doctors office last year and were greeted with an in person employee. Somehow, despite having 2 vaccines, masks, upgraded ventilation, the teachers at WMS still felt too good to actually come to the building and do their jobs and be with the students who needed them more than ever. Their unreasonable demands held our students, the parents and the school system hostage.

I blame Boykin and his leadership.
Next door at Discovery, almost 100 percent of the teachers came back.

This tells me everything l need to know about the dedication and professionalism of the teachers at this school.

yes, agreed. and I blame Duran - because at the top, he did not set proper expectations and guidance to schools that put the students/education first. Per usual, he took the easy route, and left it to school principals to figure out. The easiest path is his motto.

[Anonymous]

But WHY did they not want to return and do the job they signed up for? This has been discussed over and over and over, but there are so many professions that being in-person is required and teaching is one of them. Why was this such a battle for many (not all) teachers to return in-person when they were fully vaccinated, able to stay 6+ feet apart from students in a half-full classroom, etc etc. This is the part that is so bothersome. These kids were facing an incredibly difficult time and it is really sad that teachers were turning their backs to them when they really needed them. Shameful.

Mostly teachers did not believe their schools had good enough mitigation in place. WMS is a very old building and at the MS level parents had to really push for outdoor lunch to even be offered. What do yo know about the individual teachers’ family situations? Kids were not eligible for vaccines at the time of return last year at the MS and early HS levels either. Again, teachers were not being lazy and they weren’t being demanding. They were willing to take an UNPAID leave of absence or quit. It was APS who asked them to keep teaching remotely vs have no teacher. You all want to say “if you don’t like it, leave”. The teachers who didn’t want to return in person were willing to do just that. But then your precious child would have no teacher.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

But WHY did they not want to return and do the job they signed up for? This has been discussed over and over and over, but there are so many professions that being in-person is required and teaching is one of them. Why was this such a battle for many (not all) teachers to return in-person when they were fully vaccinated, able to stay 6+ feet apart from students in a half-full classroom, etc etc. This is the part that is so bothersome. These kids were facing an incredibly difficult time and it is really sad that teachers were turning their backs to them when they really needed them. Shameful.

Mostly teachers did not believe their schools had good enough mitigation in place. WMS is a very old building and at the MS level parents had to really push for outdoor lunch to even be offered. What do yo know about the individual teachers’ family situations? Kids were not eligible for vaccines at the time of return last year at the MS and early HS levels either. Again, teachers were not being lazy and they weren’t being demanding. They were willing to take an UNPAID leave of absence or quit. It was APS who asked them to keep teaching remotely vs have no teacher. You all want to say “if you don’t like it, leave”. The teachers who didn’t want to return in person were willing to do just that. But then your precious child would have no teacher.

Because N Arl is different from every other school system/city/county out there - so much more risk than anyplace else, ever!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

But WHY did they not want to return and do the job they signed up for? This has been discussed over and over and over, but there are so many professions that being in-person is required and teaching is one of them. Why was this such a battle for many (not all) teachers to return in-person when they were fully vaccinated, able to stay 6+ feet apart from students in a half-full classroom, etc etc. This is the part that is so bothersome. These kids were facing an incredibly difficult time and it is really sad that teachers were turning their backs to them when they really needed them. Shameful.

Mostly teachers did not believe their schools had good enough mitigation in place. WMS is a very old building and at the MS level parents had to really push for outdoor lunch to even be offered. What do yo know about the individual teachers’ family situations? Kids were not eligible for vaccines at the time of return last year at the MS and early HS levels either. Again, teachers were not being lazy and they weren’t being demanding. They were willing to take an UNPAID leave of absence or quit. It was APS who asked them to keep teaching remotely vs have no teacher. You all want to say “if you don’t like it, leave”. The teachers who didn’t want to return in person were willing to do just that. But then your precious child would have no teacher.

Because N Arl is different from every other school system/city/county out there - so much more risk than anyplace else, ever!

This issue was not unique to Williamsburg.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

But WHY did they not want to return and do the job they signed up for? This has been discussed over and over and over, but there are so many professions that being in-person is required and teaching is one of them. Why was this such a battle for many (not all) teachers to return in-person when they were fully vaccinated, able to stay 6+ feet apart from students in a half-full classroom, etc etc. This is the part that is so bothersome. These kids were facing an incredibly difficult time and it is really sad that teachers were turning their backs to them when they really needed them. Shameful.

Mostly teachers did not believe their schools had good enough mitigation in place. WMS is a very old building and at the MS level parents had to really push for outdoor lunch to even be offered. What do yo know about the individual teachers’ family situations? Kids were not eligible for vaccines at the time of return last year at the MS and early HS levels either. Again, teachers were not being lazy and they weren’t being demanding. They were willing to take an UNPAID leave of absence or quit. It was APS who asked them to keep teaching remotely vs have no teacher. You all want to say “if you don’t like it, leave”. The teachers who didn’t want to return in person were willing to do just that. But then your precious child would have no teacher.

Because N Arl is different from every other school system/city/county out there - so much more risk than anyplace else, ever!

This issue was not unique to Williamsburg.

You are right - Arlington as a whole is much riskier than any place else, for sure.

[Anonymous]

Someone is being very dramatic. The majority of teachers were there.

[Anonymous]

I have a middle schooler who attends a Catholic school very close to Williamsburg. Her teachers all returned, not only this year, but also last year, and taught in person. These teachers included those with babies and elderly relatives who lived with them. I'm not saying it is the right choice for everyone, but please do not blame all teachers. Some have really come through when we needed them. And it sounds as if several Williamsburg teachers did as well. They wanted to quit, and agreed to teach remotely only because the school was desperate.

[Anonymous]

Why is it ok to be a teacher and threaten to quit for no good sound scientific reason when that teacher knows school is short staffed and the kids and parents are desperate to have an in person education. Teachers everywhere in the US were working with much less mitigation. This was all well calculated in adv. Threaten to quit and then take advantage of a desperate school system. You stay home and get paid and the kids don’t get a proper education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why is it ok to be a teacher and threaten to quit for no good sound scientific reason when that teacher knows school is short staffed and the kids and parents are desperate to have an in person education. Teachers everywhere in the US were working with much less mitigation. This was all well calculated in adv. Threaten to quit and then take advantage of a desperate school system. You stay home and get paid and the kids don’t get a proper education.

Why is it ok? Um. Because this isn't prison? Anyone with a job can decide that they will or will not tolerate certain things. And if they wont abide, they can decide they are willing to walk away from their job. If teachers decided they would not be able to work in person, for whatever reason, and were willing to 1. Take leave without pay or 2. Quit, well, those are their choices because a job isn't forced freaking labor. As it turns out, there wasn't a pipeline of other teachers willing to step on, so accommodations were made for those who were willing to vote with their feet and leave. If these teachers were so unreasonable it seems like there would be others clamoring to.fill their spots, yet that wasn't the case, was it?

My God, you're like the jerks who complain about their local restaurant being short staffed or having reduced hours because HOW DARE the workers make their own choices that the hours/risk/etc is not worth it...

[Anonymous]

Why is it ok to be a teacher and threaten to quit for no good sound scientific reason when that teacher knows school is short staffed and the kids and parents are desperate to have an in person education. Teachers everywhere in the US were working with much less mitigation. This was all well calculated in adv. Threaten to quit and then take advantage of a desperate school system. You stay home and get paid and the kids don’t get a proper education.



Why is it ok? Um. Because this isn't prison? Anyone with a job can decide that they will or will not tolerate certain things. And if they wont abide, they can decide they are willing to walk away from their job. If teachers decided they would not be able to work in person, for whatever reason, and were willing to 1. Take leave without pay or 2. Quit, well, those are their choices because a job isn't forced freaking labor. As it turns out, there wasn't a pipeline of other teachers willing to step on, so accommodations were made for those who were willing to vote with their feet and leave. If these teachers were so unreasonable it seems like there would be others clamoring to.fill their spots, yet that wasn't the case, was it?

My God, you're like the jerks who complain about their local restaurant being short staffed or having reduced hours because HOW DARE the workers make their own choices that the hours/risk/etc is not worth it...

+1
Unfortunately, PP, APS parents will continued to be entitled whiners. They've made up their minds that teachers personally caused the pandemic, and all that resulted from it, and nothing you can say or do will change that.