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

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]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? [/quote]

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. [/quote]

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.[/quote]

[b]No, there is a difference between leaving the workforce and taking a leave of absence.[/b] 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.[/quote]

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.[/quote]

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

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