Carroll County teachers' own kids can attend school 4 days per week when most kids get two days
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Anonymous
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What do you think about this? The solution was arrived at to address the teacher shortage after many teachers requested leave to stay home with their own children. I see why they had to do it, but also understand why struggling families are frustrated.
https://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/carroll/education/cc-staff-students-attends-four-days-20201102-eofr2u3omvht5prezimizzvis4-story.html Carroll County educators have the option of sending their school-age children to public school buildings four days per week instead of the maximum of two for most families, a decision made by the school system in response to teachers applying for leave to stay home with their kids. One parent who can only send his children two days a week under the hybrid learning model, said that isn’t fair. “Everybody’s struggling with COVID and I think it’s newsworthy that certain people get special treatment,” Richard Duncan, of Westminster, said in an interview. A majority of elementary and middle school students returned to buildings Oct. 19 for hybrid learning. To mitigate the spread of COVID-19, students were split into two cohorts, with the A group able to attend school in person on Mondays and Tuesdays and the and B group able to attend school in person on Thursdays and Fridays. Through Oct. 29, CCPS had approved 64 requests from educators to have their children attend in-person learning four days a week, according to Director of Human Resources Chantress Baptist. Duncan said his wife cannot return to work because she monitored two of their four children who attended Friendship Valley Elementary School until he and his wife took their youngest son out of CCPS and enrolled him in a private school. He said he needed the in-person instruction five days a week but it’s costing them $350 a month. “I just feel like it’s a struggle,” he said. Duncan said it isn’t fair the hybrid model has caused financial ramifications and stress for his family when “teachers haven’t missed a paycheck since Day One” of school closures. He said the public schools should be back to five days a week for in-person instruction and called the hybrid learning model a “cop-out.” Superintendent Steve Lockard said he understands the criticisms from parents but allowing staff’s children to attend more often was inspired by their teacher shortage. More than 300 teachers applied for leave weeks before hybrid learning began. Lockard said the accommodation, which was discussed ahead of time at school board meetings, allowed them to put staff in place for in-person learning. “So we can actually get schools open a couple days a week for everybody,” he said. “This was one solution to help alleviate the shortage of a qualified adults in the classroom,” Teresa McCulloh, president of Carroll’s education association, said in an email. “The only other recourse was for the teacher with daycare needs to telework.” Only a small amount of teachers took advantage, Lockard added. Who was approved was on a case-by-case basis. Baptist said employees had to apply for consideration. HR staff then spoke with the leadership of the school building the employee’s child would be attending “to ensure that we can accommodate student attendance” and health care guidelines were being followed. CDC changes guidance on close contacts, but Carroll County Public Schools expects little impact » Lockard said the health department approved the accommodation though students of staff would interact with both A and B groups. It wasn’t enough students of staff to be considered a risk, he said, and people like bus drivers and teachers, already interact with both groups. The superintendent said the best strategies to slow the spread of the virus is wearing masks and social distancing. Ed Singer, county health officer, told county commissioners on Thursday that there had been no outbreaks or transmission spread within the school system. But there will be eventually. The health officer confirmed cases at the school system have been identified. He spoke at the commissioners' weekly meeting one day after Carroll County Health Department reported 29 new cases of COVID-19, putting Carroll County on pace for its highest number of positive tests among community members in a week since July. Through Friday, 90 community cases had been announced. With 29 new COVID-19 cases, Carroll County on pace for worst week since July » It is unclear whether the potential spike this week has anything to do with reopening under the hybrid model Oct. 19, although few school-age children have tested positive since then. The day schools reopened, the local health department had reported a cumulative total of 28 community cases among those younger than 10 years old and 188 among those between ages 10 and 19. Through Friday, there had been four confirmed under-10 cases and nine confirmed 10-19 cases since. |
Anonymous
| I thought school wasn't child care. Isn't that what the teachers have been saying for months? |
Anonymous
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It's a perk schools can offer that doesn't cost them any extra money, that allows their workers to come to work instead of needing to take leave without pay which would be their other option.
Believe me, if school districts could find suitable subs to take over they would choose that route. |
Anonymous
| some people are more equal |
Anonymous
The other option is teachers paying for child care, like so many other families have been forced to do. What are the contract rules around leave without pay? How much can they take? I don't actually card they're doing this, even that they're only offering to teachers. But can we finally acknowledge that school does double as child care for elementary students? |
Anonymous
| Coming to you from the sh-show that is DCPS. I think this is a FINE idea. It shows that teachers support in-school learning and are voting with their own kids. Thank your lucky stars teachers are willing to go back at all. |
Anonymous
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Anonymous
https://www.carrollk12.org/admin/hr/Pages/COVID-19-.aspx WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS AVAILABLE TO EMPLOYEES IN RESPONSE TO THE CORONAVIRUS?
I'm just one teacher (and parent) but yes, I will agree that schools do provide an economic benefit in our society in that they provide child care. It isn't the main purpose of school, but it is definitely a side benefit. |
Anonymous
If they can find it, right? Many families have been finding it hard to find childcare for their children -- this is why many parents, esp moms are leaving their jobs right now. Teachers are just the same, and I'm sure some would have to leave their jobs (LWOP) or even resign. |
Anonymous
| Wow. You really do hate teachers. |
Anonymous
Most would just stay home. I don’t work in this district, but I worked at a loss until my kids entered public school FT. |
Anonymous
| Employer-provided child care may be a new thing for teachers, but it is not a new thing in general, nothing to see here. |
Anonymous
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This is a small compensation for working as teachers. Plus, having your kids 4 days at school doubles their exposure too.
I wouldn't think this was some kind of prize at all. Just so sad. This is such a backward country. |
Anonymous
+ 1 Teachers should also get extra hazard pay. - Not a teacher. A parent of DL student who will not be sending my kid for in-person instruction. |
Anonymous
| Ok, so whats the problem? If you want child care for your kids from them, they also need it. |