Constant teacher absences

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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.

Your husband was the breadwinner and you were able to stay in FFX county because of him. You think it’s ok to have 2-3 crappy years at work TEACHING STUDENTS? This is an AAP class so the students are at least ahead of their peers and generally more focused on learning. But do you not realize in those 2-3 crappy years, some students must have missed out on quality instruction or failed to form a solid base during their elementary school years? How entitled are you? Why did you not take a leave of absence for those 2-3 years so you can focus on your family and some other teacher can come in to teach those students? Surely you weren’t the breadwinner and surely there wasn’t a teacher shortage during those 2-3 years. Gosh the entitlement some of you have! This isn’t some admin job where you have a crappy couple of years and it’s no big deal! It IS A BIG DEAL.

I am extremely appreciative of all teachers and make it a point to express that to them throughout the year! I have the utmost respect for this profession and always vote for candidates that are big proponents of increased funding in education. I have an issue with ONE teacher who constantly seems frazzled and the reason I am venting is because it’s affecting the students and they are all acting out and nobody is learning anything. But the teacher brigade gets so upset as if I threw all the teachers under the bus! Unbelievable!

Private school seems very enticing indeed. My husband and I have decided if this goes on, our kids are definitely going to private in high school! I am sure there will be no teacher brigade there getting upset if we have the audacity to question the quality of education our kids are getting.

It is not a “teacher brigade” disagreeing with you. You sound like a child. It is a few teachers and several others of us who are PARENTS.

Enjoy private. Your snotty, entitled attitude is sure to be well-received there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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.

Your husband was the breadwinner and you were able to stay in FFX county because of him. You think it’s ok to have 2-3 crappy years at work TEACHING STUDENTS? This is an AAP class so the students are at least ahead of their peers and generally more focused on learning. But do you not realize in those 2-3 crappy years, some students must have missed out on quality instruction or failed to form a solid base during their elementary school years? How entitled are you? Why did you not take a leave of absence for those 2-3 years so you can focus on your family and some other teacher can come in to teach those students? Surely you weren’t the breadwinner and surely there wasn’t a teacher shortage during those 2-3 years. Gosh the entitlement some of you have! This isn’t some admin job where you have a crappy couple of years and it’s no big deal! It IS A BIG DEAL.

I am extremely appreciative of all teachers and make it a point to express that to them throughout the year! I have the utmost respect for this profession and always vote for candidates that are big proponents of increased funding in education. I have an issue with ONE teacher who constantly seems frazzled and the reason I am venting is because it’s affecting the students and they are all acting out and nobody is learning anything. But the teacher brigade gets so upset as if I threw all the teachers under the bus! Unbelievable!

Private school seems very enticing indeed. My husband and I have decided if this goes on, our kids are definitely going to private in high school! I am sure there will be no teacher brigade there getting upset if we have the audacity to question the quality of education our kids are getting.

It is not a “teacher brigade” disagreeing with you. You sound like a child. It is a few teachers and several others of us who are PARENTS.

Enjoy private. Your snotty, entitled attitude is sure to be well-received there.

+1 OP threw this post up assuming she’d get sympathy and cannot for a second fathom they are the ones in the wrong here.

[Anonymous]

New normal. Get used to it. Supplement yourself or pay for a tutor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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.

Your husband was the breadwinner and you were able to stay in FFX county because of him. You think it’s ok to have 2-3 crappy years at work TEACHING STUDENTS? This is an AAP class so the students are at least ahead of their peers and generally more focused on learning. But do you not realize in those 2-3 crappy years, some students must have missed out on quality instruction or failed to form a solid base during their elementary school years? How entitled are you? Why did you not take a leave of absence for those 2-3 years so you can focus on your family and some other teacher can come in to teach those students? Surely you weren’t the breadwinner and surely there wasn’t a teacher shortage during those 2-3 years. Gosh the entitlement some of you have! This isn’t some admin job where you have a crappy couple of years and it’s no big deal! It IS A BIG DEAL.

I am extremely appreciative of all teachers and make it a point to express that to them throughout the year! I have the utmost respect for this profession and always vote for candidates that are big proponents of increased funding in education. I have an issue with ONE teacher who constantly seems frazzled and the reason I am venting is because it’s affecting the students and they are all acting out and nobody is learning anything. But the teacher brigade gets so upset as if I threw all the teachers under the bus! Unbelievable!

Private school seems very enticing indeed. My husband and I have decided if this goes on, our kids are definitely going to private in high school! I am sure there will be no teacher brigade there getting upset if we have the audacity to question the quality of education our kids are getting.

It is not a “teacher brigade” disagreeing with you. You sound like a child. It is a few teachers and several others of us who are PARENTS.

Enjoy private. Your snotty, entitled attitude is sure to be well-received there.

+1 I am not a teacher. I am a parent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

+1 OP threw this post up assuming she’d get sympathy and cannot for a second fathom they are the ones in the wrong here.

Definitely didn’t come here looking for sympathy. Was just wondering if that’s the norm because none of my other kids have had that experience with any of their teachers and I’ve always loved all their teachers. Seems like this is definitely not the norm but DCUM teachers get very upset if they are questioned about the quality of education they are providing. Some sort of guilty conscience I guess. Oh well, I don’t wish to add anything else to this topic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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.

Your husband was the breadwinner and you were able to stay in FFX county because of him. You think it’s ok to have 2-3 crappy years at work TEACHING STUDENTS? This is an AAP class so the students are at least ahead of their peers and generally more focused on learning. But do you not realize in those 2-3 crappy years, some students must have missed out on quality instruction or failed to form a solid base during their elementary school years? How entitled are you? Why did you not take a leave of absence for those 2-3 years so you can focus on your family and some other teacher can come in to teach those students? Surely you weren’t the breadwinner and surely there wasn’t a teacher shortage during those 2-3 years. Gosh the entitlement some of you have! This isn’t some admin job where you have a crappy couple of years and it’s no big deal! It IS A BIG DEAL.

I am extremely appreciative of all teachers and make it a point to express that to them throughout the year! I have the utmost respect for this profession and always vote for candidates that are big proponents of increased funding in education. I have an issue with ONE teacher who constantly seems frazzled and the reason I am venting is because it’s affecting the students and they are all acting out and nobody is learning anything. But the teacher brigade gets so upset as if I threw all the teachers under the bus! Unbelievable!

Private school seems very enticing indeed. My husband and I have decided if this goes on, our kids are definitely going to private in high school! I am sure there will be no teacher brigade there getting upset if we have the audacity to question the quality of education our kids are getting.

It is not a “teacher brigade” disagreeing with you. You sound like a child. It is a few teachers and several others of us who are PARENTS.

Enjoy private. Your snotty, entitled attitude is sure to be well-received there.

Actually, I’m a private school teacher. I disagree with you, OP. I have leave and I will use it when it’s necessary. This is my job and I do it very well, but I also have a family. Sometimes I have to go to the doctor, which is only open during school hours. Sometimes I have to leave work and pick up my own child because she developed symptoms at her school. My admin is very understanding. If you do choose to send your children to a private school, I hope you understand the teachers there are human. We are not robots who remain in the classroom to exclusively serve your needs. Sometimes we check in on our own.

[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.

So volunteer to watch the teachers kid!

I have a full time job where I am expected to show up everyday and where I am expected to arrange for childcare so my work doesn’t suffer.

If you are a woman, did you take maternity leave? Do you take sick leave when you are ill? If your children were exposed to or had Covid, did you arrange for outside childcare? (As if that's even appropriate.) Do you want teachers who may have Covid to be in the classroom with your children?

Some of the parents here are so grossly entitled and out of touch, even by DCUM standards, that it's surreal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

+1 OP threw this post up assuming she’d get sympathy and cannot for a second fathom they are the ones in the wrong here.

Definitely didn’t come here looking for sympathy. Was just wondering if that’s the norm because none of my other kids have had that experience with any of their teachers and I’ve always loved all their teachers. Seems like this is definitely not the norm but DCUM teachers get very upset if they are questioned about the quality of education they are providing. Some sort of guilty conscience I guess. Oh well, I don’t wish to add anything else to this topic.

Once again, most of us are parents, not teachers, but enjoy your self-created persecution complex, I guess. Shrug.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

+1 OP threw this post up assuming she’d get sympathy and cannot for a second fathom they are the ones in the wrong here.

Definitely didn’t come here looking for sympathy. Was just wondering if that’s the norm because none of my other kids have had that experience with any of their teachers and I’ve always loved all their teachers. Seems like this is definitely not the norm but DCUM teachers get very upset if they are questioned about the quality of education they are providing. Some sort of guilty conscience I guess. Oh well, I don’t wish to add anything else to this topic.

It's the norm NOW because of a teacher/sub shortage, pandemic, and quarantine protocols.

[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.

They were out a lot... in January... during... the surge... of... ... ... COVID ... ... cases.

What
A
Terrible
Woman.

Oh being worried about my child’s lack of education makes me a terrible woman? You don’t know how appreciative I always am of teachers but I also expect them to take their job seriously and teach my child. I understand it’s a hard time with an infant and maybe she should have taken an entire year off and given someone else this job while she takes care of her kids and gets into a routine.

But your kid will never be more important than hers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

+1 OP threw this post up assuming she’d get sympathy and cannot for a second fathom they are the ones in the wrong here.

Definitely didn’t come here looking for sympathy. Was just wondering if that’s the norm because none of my other kids have had that experience with any of their teachers and I’ve always loved all their teachers. Seems like this is definitely not the norm but DCUM teachers get very upset if they are questioned about the quality of education they are providing. Some sort of guilty conscience I guess. Oh well, I don’t wish to add anything else to this topic.

It's telling that you dismiss anyone who disagrees with you as a teacher with a "guilty conscience." Some of us just understand that we're in a pandemic with a teacher shortage. You are hopeless.

[Anonymous]

I work at a private school. Hate to break it you, but there are a lot of teachers out. More than other years. Because of COVID, plus I think the “normal” bugs are resurgent this year.

Private school teachers also get paid leave.

[Anonymous]

I haven’t read through all the pages, but I’m confused about the student teacher teaching the class. Did the student teacher teach the class through the entire maternity leave? If so then who was the cooperating teacher? Student teachers aren’t “the teacher”. There has to be a certified teacher there with 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.

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.

Unless the teacher is negligent, which doesn’t seem to be the case, the real problem is with the system’s struggle to hire and retain quality substitutes. Sometimes difficult things happen in teachers’ lives, and we shouldn’t dump on them because their class isn’t covered adequately. Put the blame where it belongs.

+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:I haven’t read through all the pages, but I’m confused about the student teacher teaching the class. Did the student teacher teach the class through the entire maternity leave? If so then who was the cooperating teacher? Student teachers aren’t “the teacher”. There has to be a certified teacher there with them.

I’m sure that all of those protocols are out the window now. It’ll get worse.