Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have wondered that too, I assume the spouses are high earners and don’t feel they can take off?

I have an in-person required job (public librarian) and my spouse makes more money than me. We don't just assume I will call out every time there is a snow day. In fact, libraries were open today and are hardly ever closed when schools are closed.

DP here. That's nice. But if my spouse takes off, he just has to make up the work later. I don't.

Yes, I'm in the same position but feel some obligation to my workplace and colleagues and patrons of our library so try to work out an equal arrangement with my spouse. People are counting on me.

Ok? It’s my leave and I am free to use it as I see fit. I don't feel any guilt or obligation. I have leave for a reason.

DP. You are absolutely entitled to your leave. I don’t understand why people feel as if they can comment on a teacher’s leave. This is a job, just like any other.

You all really can't see that there are many, many jobs that are part of providing a public service or critical function that if everyone used their leave whenever it was convenient for them, all of us would have a serious problem getting basic services, food, gas? You've clearly never had to manage one of these types of functions. Sure people have leave but they can't all take it whenever they feel like it. Someone is doing all this stuff, even on holidays, weekends, during storms. All of it.

Teachers don't see themselves as in this bucket of services is the answer. Our kids going to school is a nice to have if everything else is going great. Which is fine for most kids and terrible for others.

This is so ridiculously insulting. Do you have ANY proof at all that teachers take excessive leave? Do you have ANY proof that teachers take more leave than people in other essential roles? Frankly, this simply sounds like the usual “teachers must be martyrs” silliness.

It's not about excessive leave. It's about many of them calling out on the same day. I don't think we need much proof. APS closes all the time simply because FCPS is closed because of this issue. Their teachers live in Fairfax and too many call out if FCPS is closed for them to be open even when conditions in Arlington are better. The staff and School Board will tell you that if you ask them.

I don't get the defensiveness. Genuinely. Do you think APS needs to be closed every single day FCPS is closed? Fairfax is a massively bigger County with far broader geographic reach. What is your reasoning for why APS (and ACPS for that matter) always follow FCPS's calls?

If teachers live in Fairfax, they may not be able to safely get to their school locations in APS. Does their safety matter? Would you really want a teacher to dive on treacherous roads to get to your school?

Teachers have leave they can use. Period. You may not like that, but it isn’t going to change anything. Teachers are welcome to put their needs before yours, and they shouldn’t be made to feel bad about it.

Anonymous wrote:2 hr delay - what are the chances they switch to cancellation early in the morning???

Anonymous wrote:Two hour delay on website

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not sure if you're talking about Arlington (APS) or Alexandria (ACPS), but I just drove side roads in Alexandria and they seemed fine. That said, there will likely be a delay or closure tomorrow, since ACPS closes for anything and everything nowadays.

I'm talking about APS but I live in Alexandria- so referenced the roads there. I just got in from a run and the side roads in Del Ray are NOT fine.

Are you a teacher or do you work for APS?

No, just a random Alexandria resident wondering of the status of Arlington Public Schools.

Yes, I am a teacher in Arlington.

2 hr delay - 99% chance
Closed - 66% chance

Predicted to be 10* at 10am?
Revising to 80% chance closed

+1. Fairfax’ll close, then APS will close. I can only think of 1 time in the past 6 years when APS didn’t follow FCPS.

Yeah sorry about that. It is because of teachers like me and lack of subs. I can’t afford Arlington so I take off when my FCPS kids have snow days. They can’t legally stay home alone.

Serious question that I have always wanted to ask teachers. Why is it a spouse can never stay home with the kids on snow days? It's not even ever mentioned as a possibility. It's a default that all the teachers have to stay home with their own kids.

1. Not all teachers have spouses.
2. Some teachers have teacher spouses
3. Some teachers (me) have spouses with a much higher paying job that is very demanding and their job comes first. I have tons of paid leave. If my DH "takes off" to watch our kids, he will just be up until all hours of the night making up for it.

It's a weird default assumption that just further devalues the profession, in my opinion.

And of course we know all teachers don't have spouses but most of those, their children should have another parent somewhere.

I'm not the one "devaluing" the profession. Its a mathematical fact that his salary is far more important to our bottom line than mine is. And families should THANK these breadwinner husbands because many teachers like me wouldn't be teachers if not for our higher earning spouses. But at the end of the day, he'd have tons of work to make up and I don't, so I take off.

Facts are lots of similarly low paid professions don't behave this way. Nurses and techs in the medical field as an example. Library workers as already mentioned by another person. Really any municipal worker. You think the people plowing the snow or picking up trash during this are making a lot of money? They're not.

Teachers don't see themselves as essential and never have and I think that's just a societal view. Also, teachers are more likely to be women and little kids are the women's problem. Also zero chance there are any repercussions for teachers not showing up. It's expected at this point and no blowback from their employer.

I’m the teacher who just commented and I’m going to challenge you on this. We don’t see ourselves as essential? Seriously? Just because we feel (gasp) like we can use our leave when we need to? Are you telling me that librarians and nurses and medical techs all heroically refuse to use their leave?

This is nonsense. Frankly, all I see is the usual assumption that a teacher’s job is to put others first because somehow teachers are not doing their jobs if they attend to other facets of their own lives. That’s a privilege reserved for other professions, correct?

I am the librarian and I am telling you that we get denied leave at times to cover open days around the holidays and days like today, people show up somehow and we're open without fail. Call it nonsense if you want.

There are many professions where people get denied leave all the time.

And I definitely wouldn't agree to work in one of those professions. Also, sick leave doesn't have to be approved.

That's fine. Feel appreciative that many people are willing to work in those professions and are working in a whole lot of jobs you don't even think twice about but make your life run or even just more pleasant when other people don't want to be working.

Not really true on sick leave but I won't bother to go into it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:so 10 and 13 alone at home is OK? asking for a friend.

Of course! Unless they have a mental illness or something. When I was 13 I was babysitting for families with 3-4 children, including babies.

“A mental illness or something”— do you mean a disability?

I hate you. I mean HATE you.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have wondered that too, I assume the spouses are high earners and don’t feel they can take off?

I have an in-person required job (public librarian) and my spouse makes more money than me. We don't just assume I will call out every time there is a snow day. In fact, libraries were open today and are hardly ever closed when schools are closed.

DP here. That's nice. But if my spouse takes off, he just has to make up the work later. I don't.

Yes, I'm in the same position but feel some obligation to my workplace and colleagues and patrons of our library so try to work out an equal arrangement with my spouse. People are counting on me.

Ok? It’s my leave and I am free to use it as I see fit. I don't feel any guilt or obligation. I have leave for a reason.

DP. You are absolutely entitled to your leave. I don’t understand why people feel as if they can comment on a teacher’s leave. This is a job, just like any other.

You all really can't see that there are many, many jobs that are part of providing a public service or critical function that if everyone used their leave whenever it was convenient for them, all of us would have a serious problem getting basic services, food, gas? You've clearly never had to manage one of these types of functions. Sure people have leave but they can't all take it whenever they feel like it. Someone is doing all this stuff, even on holidays, weekends, during storms. All of it.

Teachers don't see themselves as in this bucket of services is the answer. Our kids going to school is a nice to have if everything else is going great. Which is fine for most kids and terrible for others.

This is so ridiculously insulting. Do you have ANY proof at all that teachers take excessive leave? Do you have ANY proof that teachers take more leave than people in other essential roles? Frankly, this simply sounds like the usual “teachers must be martyrs” silliness.

It's not about excessive leave. It's about many of them calling out on the same day. I don't think we need much proof. APS closes all the time simply because FCPS is closed because of this issue. Their teachers live in Fairfax and too many call out if FCPS is closed for them to be open even when conditions in Arlington are better. The staff and School Board will tell you that if you ask them.

I don't get the defensiveness. Genuinely. Do you think APS needs to be closed every single day FCPS is closed? Fairfax is a massively bigger County with far broader geographic reach. What is your reasoning for why APS (and ACPS for that matter) always follow FCPS's calls?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not sure if you're talking about Arlington (APS) or Alexandria (ACPS), but I just drove side roads in Alexandria and they seemed fine. That said, there will likely be a delay or closure tomorrow, since ACPS closes for anything and everything nowadays.

I'm talking about APS but I live in Alexandria- so referenced the roads there. I just got in from a run and the side roads in Del Ray are NOT fine.

Are you a teacher or do you work for APS?

No, just a random Alexandria resident wondering of the status of Arlington Public Schools.

Yes, I am a teacher in Arlington.

2 hr delay - 99% chance
Closed - 66% chance

Predicted to be 10* at 10am?
Revising to 80% chance closed

+1. Fairfax’ll close, then APS will close. I can only think of 1 time in the past 6 years when APS didn’t follow FCPS.

Yeah sorry about that. It is because of teachers like me and lack of subs. I can’t afford Arlington so I take off when my FCPS kids have snow days. They can’t legally stay home alone.

Serious question that I have always wanted to ask teachers. Why is it a spouse can never stay home with the kids on snow days? It's not even ever mentioned as a possibility. It's a default that all the teachers have to stay home with their own kids.

1. Not all teachers have spouses.
2. Some teachers have teacher spouses
3. Some teachers (me) have spouses with a much higher paying job that is very demanding and their job comes first. I have tons of paid leave. If my DH "takes off" to watch our kids, he will just be up until all hours of the night making up for it.

It's a weird default assumption that just further devalues the profession, in my opinion.

And of course we know all teachers don't have spouses but most of those, their children should have another parent somewhere.

I'm not the one "devaluing" the profession. Its a mathematical fact that his salary is far more important to our bottom line than mine is. And families should THANK these breadwinner husbands because many teachers like me wouldn't be teachers if not for our higher earning spouses. But at the end of the day, he'd have tons of work to make up and I don't, so I take off.

Facts are lots of similarly low paid professions don't behave this way. Nurses and techs in the medical field as an example. Library workers as already mentioned by another person. Really any municipal worker. You think the people plowing the snow or picking up trash during this are making a lot of money? They're not.

Teachers don't see themselves as essential and never have and I think that's just a societal view. Also, teachers are more likely to be women and little kids are the women's problem. Also zero chance there are any repercussions for teachers not showing up. It's expected at this point and no blowback from their employer.

I’m the teacher who just commented and I’m going to challenge you on this. We don’t see ourselves as essential? Seriously? Just because we feel (gasp) like we can use our leave when we need to? Are you telling me that librarians and nurses and medical techs all heroically refuse to use their leave?

This is nonsense. Frankly, all I see is the usual assumption that a teacher’s job is to put others first because somehow teachers are not doing their jobs if they attend to other facets of their own lives. That’s a privilege reserved for other professions, correct?

I am the librarian and I am telling you that we get denied leave at times to cover open days around the holidays and days like today, people show up somehow and we're open without fail. Call it nonsense if you want.

There are many professions where people get denied leave all the time.

And I definitely wouldn't agree to work in one of those professions. Also, sick leave doesn't have to be approved.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have wondered that too, I assume the spouses are high earners and don’t feel they can take off?

I have an in-person required job (public librarian) and my spouse makes more money than me. We don't just assume I will call out every time there is a snow day. In fact, libraries were open today and are hardly ever closed when schools are closed.

DP here. That's nice. But if my spouse takes off, he just has to make up the work later. I don't.

Yes, I'm in the same position but feel some obligation to my workplace and colleagues and patrons of our library so try to work out an equal arrangement with my spouse. People are counting on me.

Ok? It’s my leave and I am free to use it as I see fit. I don't feel any guilt or obligation. I have leave for a reason.

DP. You are absolutely entitled to your leave. I don’t understand why people feel as if they can comment on a teacher’s leave. This is a job, just like any other.

You all really can't see that there are many, many jobs that are part of providing a public service or critical function that if everyone used their leave whenever it was convenient for them, all of us would have a serious problem getting basic services, food, gas? You've clearly never had to manage one of these types of functions. Sure people have leave but they can't all take it whenever they feel like it. Someone is doing all this stuff, even on holidays, weekends, during storms. All of it.

Teachers don't see themselves as in this bucket of services is the answer. Our kids going to school is a nice to have if everything else is going great. Which is fine for most kids and terrible for others.

This is so ridiculously insulting. Do you have ANY proof at all that teachers take excessive leave? Do you have ANY proof that teachers take more leave than people in other essential roles? Frankly, this simply sounds like the usual “teachers must be martyrs” silliness.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not sure if you're talking about Arlington (APS) or Alexandria (ACPS), but I just drove side roads in Alexandria and they seemed fine. That said, there will likely be a delay or closure tomorrow, since ACPS closes for anything and everything nowadays.

I'm talking about APS but I live in Alexandria- so referenced the roads there. I just got in from a run and the side roads in Del Ray are NOT fine.

Are you a teacher or do you work for APS?

No, just a random Alexandria resident wondering of the status of Arlington Public Schools.

Yes, I am a teacher in Arlington.

2 hr delay - 99% chance
Closed - 66% chance

Predicted to be 10* at 10am?
Revising to 80% chance closed

+1. Fairfax’ll close, then APS will close. I can only think of 1 time in the past 6 years when APS didn’t follow FCPS.

Yeah sorry about that. It is because of teachers like me and lack of subs. I can’t afford Arlington so I take off when my FCPS kids have snow days. They can’t legally stay home alone.

Serious question that I have always wanted to ask teachers. Why is it a spouse can never stay home with the kids on snow days? It's not even ever mentioned as a possibility. It's a default that all the teachers have to stay home with their own kids.

1. Not all teachers have spouses.
2. Some teachers have teacher spouses
3. Some teachers (me) have spouses with a much higher paying job that is very demanding and their job comes first. I have tons of paid leave. If my DH "takes off" to watch our kids, he will just be up until all hours of the night making up for it.

It's a weird default assumption that just further devalues the profession, in my opinion.

And of course we know all teachers don't have spouses but most of those, their children should have another parent somewhere.

I'm not the one "devaluing" the profession. Its a mathematical fact that his salary is far more important to our bottom line than mine is. And families should THANK these breadwinner husbands because many teachers like me wouldn't be teachers if not for our higher earning spouses. But at the end of the day, he'd have tons of work to make up and I don't, so I take off.

Facts are lots of similarly low paid professions don't behave this way. Nurses and techs in the medical field as an example. Library workers as already mentioned by another person. Really any municipal worker. You think the people plowing the snow or picking up trash during this are making a lot of money? They're not.

Teachers don't see themselves as essential and never have and I think that's just a societal view. Also, teachers are more likely to be women and little kids are the women's problem. Also zero chance there are any repercussions for teachers not showing up. It's expected at this point and no blowback from their employer.

I’m the teacher who just commented and I’m going to challenge you on this. We don’t see ourselves as essential? Seriously? Just because we feel (gasp) like we can use our leave when we need to? Are you telling me that librarians and nurses and medical techs all heroically refuse to use their leave?

This is nonsense. Frankly, all I see is the usual assumption that a teacher’s job is to put others first because somehow teachers are not doing their jobs if they attend to other facets of their own lives. That’s a privilege reserved for other professions, correct?

I am the librarian and I am telling you that we get denied leave at times to cover open days around the holidays and days like today, people show up somehow and we're open without fail. Call it nonsense if you want.

There are many professions where people get denied leave all the time.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have wondered that too, I assume the spouses are high earners and don’t feel they can take off?

I have an in-person required job (public librarian) and my spouse makes more money than me. We don't just assume I will call out every time there is a snow day. In fact, libraries were open today and are hardly ever closed when schools are closed.

DP here. That's nice. But if my spouse takes off, he just has to make up the work later. I don't.

Yes, I'm in the same position but feel some obligation to my workplace and colleagues and patrons of our library so try to work out an equal arrangement with my spouse. People are counting on me.

Ok? It’s my leave and I am free to use it as I see fit. I don't feel any guilt or obligation. I have leave for a reason.

DP. You are absolutely entitled to your leave. I don’t understand why people feel as if they can comment on a teacher’s leave. This is a job, just like any other.

You all really can't see that there are many, many jobs that are part of providing a public service or critical function that if everyone used their leave whenever it was convenient for them, all of us would have a serious problem getting basic services, food, gas? You've clearly never had to manage one of these types of functions. Sure people have leave but they can't all take it whenever they feel like it. Someone is doing all this stuff, even on holidays, weekends, during storms. All of it.

Teachers don't see themselves as in this bucket of services is the answer. Our kids going to school is a nice to have if everything else is going great. Which is fine for most kids and terrible for others.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have wondered that too, I assume the spouses are high earners and don’t feel they can take off?

I have an in-person required job (public librarian) and my spouse makes more money than me. We don't just assume I will call out every time there is a snow day. In fact, libraries were open today and are hardly ever closed when schools are closed.

DP here. That's nice. But if my spouse takes off, he just has to make up the work later. I don't.

Yes, I'm in the same position but feel some obligation to my workplace and colleagues and patrons of our library so try to work out an equal arrangement with my spouse. People are counting on me.

Ok? It’s my leave and I am free to use it as I see fit. I don't feel any guilt or obligation. I have leave for a reason.

DP. You are absolutely entitled to your leave. I don’t understand why people feel as if they can comment on a teacher’s leave. This is a job, just like any other.

You all really can't see that there are many, many jobs that are part of providing a public service or critical function that if everyone used their leave whenever it was convenient for them, all of us would have a serious problem getting basic services, food, gas? You've clearly never had to manage one of these types of functions. Sure people have leave but they can't all take it whenever they feel like it. Someone is doing all this stuff, even on holidays, weekends, during storms. All of it.

Teachers don't see themselves as in this bucket of services is the answer. Our kids going to school is a nice to have if everything else is going great. Which is fine for most kids and terrible for others.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not sure if you're talking about Arlington (APS) or Alexandria (ACPS), but I just drove side roads in Alexandria and they seemed fine. That said, there will likely be a delay or closure tomorrow, since ACPS closes for anything and everything nowadays.

I'm talking about APS but I live in Alexandria- so referenced the roads there. I just got in from a run and the side roads in Del Ray are NOT fine.

Are you a teacher or do you work for APS?

No, just a random Alexandria resident wondering of the status of Arlington Public Schools.

Yes, I am a teacher in Arlington.

2 hr delay - 99% chance
Closed - 66% chance

Predicted to be 10* at 10am?
Revising to 80% chance closed

+1. Fairfax’ll close, then APS will close. I can only think of 1 time in the past 6 years when APS didn’t follow FCPS.

Yeah sorry about that. It is because of teachers like me and lack of subs. I can’t afford Arlington so I take off when my FCPS kids have snow days. They can’t legally stay home alone.

Serious question that I have always wanted to ask teachers. Why is it a spouse can never stay home with the kids on snow days? It's not even ever mentioned as a possibility. It's a default that all the teachers have to stay home with their own kids.

1. Not all teachers have spouses.
2. Some teachers have teacher spouses
3. Some teachers (me) have spouses with a much higher paying job that is very demanding and their job comes first. I have tons of paid leave. If my DH "takes off" to watch our kids, he will just be up until all hours of the night making up for it.

It's a weird default assumption that just further devalues the profession, in my opinion.

And of course we know all teachers don't have spouses but most of those, their children should have another parent somewhere.

I'm not the one "devaluing" the profession. Its a mathematical fact that his salary is far more important to our bottom line than mine is. And families should THANK these breadwinner husbands because many teachers like me wouldn't be teachers if not for our higher earning spouses. But at the end of the day, he'd have tons of work to make up and I don't, so I take off.

Facts are lots of similarly low paid professions don't behave this way. Nurses and techs in the medical field as an example. Library workers as already mentioned by another person. Really any municipal worker. You think the people plowing the snow or picking up trash during this are making a lot of money? They're not.

Teachers don't see themselves as essential and never have and I think that's just a societal view. Also, teachers are more likely to be women and little kids are the women's problem. Also zero chance there are any repercussions for teachers not showing up. It's expected at this point and no blowback from their employer.

I’m the teacher who just commented and I’m going to challenge you on this. We don’t see ourselves as essential? Seriously? Just because we feel (gasp) like we can use our leave when we need to? Are you telling me that librarians and nurses and medical techs all heroically refuse to use their leave?

This is nonsense. Frankly, all I see is the usual assumption that a teacher’s job is to put others first because somehow teachers are not doing their jobs if they attend to other facets of their own lives. That’s a privilege reserved for other professions, correct?