Can I ask. If you're screaming about teachers taking childcare leave

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just looked at the teachers' contract in the county I live in. It actually provides that teachers may be given a leave of absence, without pay, for up to two years for "child rearing." The leave being granted might be a matter of contract that is a benefit that teachers receive, but that other professions do not receive.

Does it say they can take it at any time? Anyway, I'm fine with it, particularly the "without pay" part.

Ditto. You've got a benefit that you are entitled to take. I haven't seen anyone mad about teachers taking benefits allowed to them.

Certainly does put the lie to the idea that teachers are the most put-upon profession. Good salaries, good benefits, 10 month employment, etc.

Perhaps posters here should step back, stop whining, and think why this is included in a teacher's contract.

Women go into the teaching profession, work a few years, get married and start having kids. They take maternity leave and when it's time to come back, ultimately decide they want to stay home with their child then go back to a job that is hard, stressful, and thankless. I know so many former teachers who did this. And they were all great teachers and are wonderful parents.

Contracts like the above help keep those women in the workforce, especially when there is a shortage. If parents want great teachers then these are the kind of benefits they need to demand for teachers. And if you want them for yourself, no one is stopping from making it happen.

Ahahahaha! I was a teacher for a decade. Then I got a harder and better job. If you believe a teaching job is "hard, stressful, and thankless," try getting a real job with actual responsibility.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think this is the childcare leave people are talking about. Parents have been unable to work because teachers aren't back in person. Teachers and school districts have no sympathy- they said to hire childcare. And now teachers are saying they can't work because of daycare and childcare issues.

Yes, this.

Yes, the issue is teachers saying they can't work because they have kids at home. It's mindblowing.

"Parental leave" is generally related to birth or adoption of a newborn. Is that what OP is talking about? Because I don't see anyone in the schools debate talking about preventing people from taking leave related to a newborn.

+1

People are not mad that a teacher gave birth and wants to stay home and bond with their 5 week old. They are mad for the hypocritical reasons listed above- they have a 3 year old and didn't secure childcare and now say they can't go back in person.

maybe they should also be mad that there's a lot of shortages of daycare spaces at the moment due to reduce staffing and a lot of people weren't able to secure spots specially at the last minute?

One of the reasons there's a shortage of childcare also has to do with the fact that schools aren't open. Teachers caused this problem and now want to keep schools closed BECAUSE of the problem they created. Hilarious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think this is the childcare leave people are talking about. Parents have been unable to work because teachers aren't back in person. Teachers and school districts have no sympathy- they said to hire childcare. And now teachers are saying they can't work because of daycare and childcare issues.

Yes, this.

Yes, the issue is teachers saying they can't work because they have kids at home. It's mindblowing.

"Parental leave" is generally related to birth or adoption of a newborn. Is that what OP is talking about? Because I don't see anyone in the schools debate talking about preventing people from taking leave related to a newborn.

+1

People are not mad that a teacher gave birth and wants to stay home and bond with their 5 week old. They are mad for the hypocritical reasons listed above- they have a 3 year old and didn't secure childcare and now say they can't go back in person.

maybe they should also be mad that there's a lot of shortages of daycare spaces at the moment due to reduce staffing and a lot of people weren't able to secure spots specially at the last minute?

One of the reasons there's a shortage of childcare also has to do with the fact that schools aren't open. Teachers caused this problem and now want to keep schools closed BECAUSE of the problem they created. Hilarious.

It really would be hilarious, except it's not, because some people seriously don't get it. They cannot follow basic logical thought. So it's more like completely horrifying. I can't believe people are allowed to vote when they have NO reasoning skills at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think this is the childcare leave people are talking about. Parents have been unable to work because teachers aren't back in person. Teachers and school districts have no sympathy- they said to hire childcare. And now teachers are saying they can't work because of daycare and childcare issues.

Yes, this.

Yes, the issue is teachers saying they can't work because they have kids at home. It's mindblowing.

"Parental leave" is generally related to birth or adoption of a newborn. Is that what OP is talking about? Because I don't see anyone in the schools debate talking about preventing people from taking leave related to a newborn.

+1

People are not mad that a teacher gave birth and wants to stay home and bond with their 5 week old. They are mad for the hypocritical reasons listed above- they have a 3 year old and didn't secure childcare and now say they can't go back in person.

maybe they should also be mad that there's a lot of shortages of daycare spaces at the moment due to reduce staffing and a lot of people weren't able to secure spots specially at the last minute?

One of the reasons there's a shortage of childcare also has to do with the fact that schools aren't open. Teachers caused this problem and now want to keep schools closed BECAUSE of the problem they created. Hilarious.

It really would be hilarious, except it's not, because some people seriously don't get it. They cannot follow basic logical thought. So it's more like completely horrifying. I can't believe people are allowed to vote when they have NO reasoning skills at all.

I often laugh at really depressing, aggravating irony, or infuriatingly illogical thought.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think this is the childcare leave people are talking about. Parents have been unable to work because teachers aren't back in person. Teachers and school districts have no sympathy- they said to hire childcare. And now teachers are saying they can't work because of daycare and childcare issues.

Yes, this.

Yes, the issue is teachers saying they can't work because they have kids at home. It's mindblowing.

If their child was not born this year, they were previously in childcare, and the teacher could afford childcare. So... the problem is that they don't want to send their child who is not at risk for poor COVID outcomes to daycare where there have not been outbreaks? OK. (Or they just want to save the quid.) (Or they just don't want to come to work.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think this is the childcare leave people are talking about. Parents have been unable to work because teachers aren't back in person. Teachers and school districts have no sympathy- they said to hire childcare. And now teachers are saying they can't work because of daycare and childcare issues.

Yes, this.

Yes, the issue is teachers saying they can't work because they have kids at home. It's mindblowing.

If their child was not born this year, they were previously in childcare, and the teacher could afford childcare. So... the problem is that they don't want to send their child who is not at risk for poor COVID outcomes to daycare where there have not been outbreaks? OK. (Or they just want to save the quid.) (Or they just don't want to come to work.)

Parents shouldn't use schools as childcare. We are horrible parents.
Teachers: Oh wait, I can't go back to work because I have children and I don't have childcare.

Or...
Parents: What do you mean schools will become virtual tomorrow for a year. Scrambling for childcare. No sympathy from school districts.
Teachers: We only got 2 weeks notice to find childcare. That's impossible.

Mind:Blowing

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think this is the childcare leave people are talking about. Parents have been unable to work because teachers aren't back in person. Teachers and school districts have no sympathy- they said to hire childcare. And now teachers are saying they can't work because of daycare and childcare issues.

Yes, this.

Yes, the issue is teachers saying they can't work because they have kids at home. It's mindblowing.

You can't have it both ways (I'm not a teacher).

And FTR, teachers don't make nearly the money that a lot of the folks on here complaining -and who CAN afford childcare-do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think this is the childcare leave people are talking about. Parents have been unable to work because teachers aren't back in person. Teachers and school districts have no sympathy- they said to hire childcare. And now teachers are saying they can't work because of daycare and childcare issues.

Agreed. This is what people are taking about OP.

+1. Part of it is that some parents simply missed the boat when spots were widely available. Our daycare just recently filled its last spots (at the reduced capacity as we are in MoCo). I think many were hedging their bets that there would be no return to in person this year and decided to make due with the kids at home for xyz reasons (health concerns, to save $$, etc.).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think this is the childcare leave people are talking about. Parents have been unable to work because teachers aren't back in person. Teachers and school districts have no sympathy- they said to hire childcare. And now teachers are saying they can't work because of daycare and childcare issues.

Agreed. This is what people are taking about OP.

+1. Part of it is that some parents simply missed the boat when spots were widely available. Our daycare just recently filled its last spots (at the reduced capacity as we are in MoCo). I think many were hedging their bets that there would be no return to in person this year and decided to make due with the kids at home for xyz reasons (health concerns, to save $$, etc.).

It might be that parents need to be flexible about where they enroll their kid, but for all this talk of daycare shortages I know of places that continue to have openings. Our DD attends an in-home daycare that was almost always at capacity pre-covid, but has been around 2/3 full since reopening over the summer. My friend whose kids attend an MCCA center said that there are openings at several of those facilities too, they've had very few covid cases but parents are still scared to send their kids back. Not sure if there is a mismatch with particular age groups- infant spots are always more limited so I don't know how easy it is to find one with short notice, but at the same time I'm amazed at how many teachers have seemingly been teaching DL with little ones at home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think this is the childcare leave people are talking about. Parents have been unable to work because teachers aren't back in person. Teachers and school districts have no sympathy- they said to hire childcare. And now teachers are saying they can't work because of daycare and childcare issues.

Agreed. This is what people are taking about OP.

+1. Part of it is that some parents simply missed the boat when spots were widely available. Our daycare just recently filled its last spots (at the reduced capacity as we are in MoCo). I think many were hedging their bets that there would be no return to in person this year and decided to make due with the kids at home for xyz reasons (health concerns, to save $$, etc.).

It might be that parents need to be flexible about where they enroll their kid, but for all this talk of daycare shortages I know of places that continue to have openings. Our DD attends an in-home daycare that was almost always at capacity pre-covid, but has been around 2/3 full since reopening over the summer. My friend whose kids attend an MCCA center said that there are openings at several of those facilities too, they've had very few covid cases but parents are still scared to send their kids back. Not sure if there is a mismatch with particular age groups- infant spots are always more limited so I don't know how easy it is to find one with short notice, but at the same time I'm amazed at how many teachers have seemingly been teaching DL with little ones at home.

+1
Why were their kids home when they were working if they are daycare age? How could they focus? Even with my elementary school aged kids, it was tough to manage DL and my own job when I was working from home in the spring.

I would assume the quality of teaching will go up if they don't need to supervise a toddler at the same time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think this is the childcare leave people are talking about. Parents have been unable to work because teachers aren't back in person. Teachers and school districts have no sympathy- they said to hire childcare. And now teachers are saying they can't work because of daycare and childcare issues.

Agreed. This is what people are taking about OP.

+1. Part of it is that some parents simply missed the boat when spots were widely available. Our daycare just recently filled its last spots (at the reduced capacity as we are in MoCo). I think many were hedging their bets that there would be no return to in person this year and decided to make due with the kids at home for xyz reasons (health concerns, to save $$, etc.).

It might be that parents need to be flexible about where they enroll their kid, but for all this talk of daycare shortages I know of places that continue to have openings. Our DD attends an in-home daycare that was almost always at capacity pre-covid, but has been around 2/3 full since reopening over the summer. My friend whose kids attend an MCCA center said that there are openings at several of those facilities too, they've had very few covid cases but parents are still scared to send their kids back. Not sure if there is a mismatch with particular age groups- infant spots are always more limited so I don't know how easy it is to find one with short notice, but at the same time I'm amazed at how many teachers have seemingly been teaching DL with little ones at home.

+1
Why were their kids home when they were working if they are daycare age? How could they focus? Even with my elementary school aged kids, it was tough to manage DL and my own job when I was working from home in the spring.

I would assume the quality of teaching will go up if they don't need to supervise a toddler at the same time.

1) fear of looking like a hypocrite (see Berkeley teachers union thread).

2) belief that if schools aren’t safe, daycares aren’t either.

That said, I know several teachers who did return their kids to childcare, and they have either returned to the classroom or (if local) are willing to do so.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think this is the childcare leave people are talking about. Parents have been unable to work because teachers aren't back in person. Teachers and school districts have no sympathy- they said to hire childcare. And now teachers are saying they can't work because of daycare and childcare issues.

Agreed. This is what people are taking about OP.

+1. Part of it is that some parents simply missed the boat when spots were widely available. Our daycare just recently filled its last spots (at the reduced capacity as we are in MoCo). I think many were hedging their bets that there would be no return to in person this year and decided to make due with the kids at home for xyz reasons (health concerns, to save $$, etc.).

It might be that parents need to be flexible about where they enroll their kid, but for all this talk of daycare shortages I know of places that continue to have openings. Our DD attends an in-home daycare that was almost always at capacity pre-covid, but has been around 2/3 full since reopening over the summer. My friend whose kids attend an MCCA center said that there are openings at several of those facilities too, they've had very few covid cases but parents are still scared to send their kids back. Not sure if there is a mismatch with particular age groups- infant spots are always more limited so I don't know how easy it is to find one with short notice, but at the same time I'm amazed at how many teachers have seemingly been teaching DL with little ones at home.

+1
Why were their kids home when they were working if they are daycare age? How could they focus? Even with my elementary school aged kids, it was tough to manage DL and my own job when I was working from home in the spring.

I would assume the quality of teaching will go up if they don't need to supervise a toddler at the same time.

1) fear of looking like a hypocrite (see Berkeley teachers union thread).

2) belief that if schools aren’t safe, daycares aren’t either.

That said, I know several teachers who did return their kids to childcare, and they have either returned to the classroom or (if local) are willing to do so.

Many people hired in house babysitters or nannies when working from home. If you are working from home and you have young children, you need childcare. I can work from home and supervise my school aged children. I'm not sure what schools or daycares being safe has to do with looking like hypocrites. Daycares have been opened for essential workers throughout the pandemic. THose who didn't or couldn't use them hired sitters or nannies.

It's what professionals do. If you can't afford care or don't want to bring someone into your home, you have a significant work issue, correct? Especially with mobile toddlers until school age. I would prefer it if a teacher can focus and teach a class without interruption and use a daycare versus have a class go off the rails.

It was okay for everyone to be working from home without childcare or a routine when the pandemic was first happening. It was all a transition and new. I think by now, people are expected to have a routine and childcare for young children if they are working from home. I'm not talking abotu school aged children or infants in arms, I mean like a 2 year old who needs attention.

Someone has to be getting the short end of the stick. Either your child or the class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wait - people are saying teachers can't take parental leave?

Yes. All over DCUM people are upset about teachers who aren't returning to in person learning. Parental leave is a major portion of that. DCUM women all are in favor of parental leave, unless it impacts them in some way.

Nailed it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All the parents whining amuses me. You were warned this would happen. People said if teachers were forced back into the classroom and they weren't interested - either because of safety or care reasons - they would leave work.

YOU said 'well we'll hire new teachers'.

Okay then. Go find that mysterious flock of certified, educated teachers who are free to come into your classrooms. Go on. Shoo.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did you take parental leave for your children's birth? Do you think family leave is something that should only be offered to you and not other people? Or only in professions that aren't female dominated?

How does it feel, if you're a woman who has benefited from feminism to be on the other side?

I am not screaming about this or anything else. But I'd ask you, what were these teachers doing for childcare pre-Covid? Some teachers are saying they can't afford to pay for childcare, but are also saying that parents that have to work outside ( as more and more things continue to open) should go hire someone and stop complaining.

The few teachers who have had to quit are not complaining; they are taking the hit by leaving their jobs or taking a leave of absence. For many people, their pre-covid childcare plans have disappeared. Not sure why you would expect teachers to not have similar problems.

No, there is a difference between leaving the workforce and taking a leave of absence. A leave of absence is granted by an employer, giving the employee a period of time during which they continue the employment relationship, but do not have to work. A leave of absence can be paid or unpaid.

Teachers, like other professionals, have a right to do what they need to do for their families. However, teachers, like other professionals, can be judged for their level of professionalism in meeting the needs of those they serve. If a contractor took a leave of absence in the middle of your renovation or your accountant quit in the middle of doing your taxes, you would be upset.

This has been a pet peeve of mine for years. It might not be a teacher problem, but more of a systemic problem. For some reason, the expectation is that teachers are free to use every day of leave they have, routinely missing school to care for their children or any other reason, with regard for the impact that has on a class. It's ok because the teacher has good reasons. Unfortunately, there is no safety net in place to make sure that a class with a chronically absent teacher has an alternative consistent presence to keep children on track. I would love to see this issue addressed at a systemic level, whether through job sharing, floater teachers/subs, or better support for teachers who are chronically absent to promote better consistency for students. It is well documented that chronic absenteeism on the part of teachers is associated with lower student performance.

This is why I said they are leaving the workforce OR taking a leave of absence (in most cases, unpaid). Chronic absenteeism is a red herring. An important issue, but not relevant here.

I don't see any point in judging teachers or other professionals who had to leave the workforce (one way or the other) because of the situation surrounding a PANDEMIC. The situation is not the same as it would be in ordinary times, and at any rate, I would like to think if my contractor or accountant had to take an LOA or quit, I would have some empathy for whatever precipitated that decision, even if it were inconvenient and/or detrimental.

Some problems can't be disappeared by being angry at the people experiencing them.

A leave of absence is an employment benefit that most other professionals are not given for a reason like not having childcare.

Um, OK. So if they want that benefit, they should take the likely massive pay cut and become teachers. Problem solved!