Anonymous
08/19/2025 05:31
Subject: New High School Teacher Contract Times
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Teachers have been told by their admin that this new set contract time is because of the collective bargaining agreement worked out by the combined unions. (FEU)
Teachers are told “you can come in as early as you care to but you must stay until the contract end time” - at many HS 3:30.
Students are told they must not come in before 7:45. No exceptions. And then when the weapon detectors are in place, go through them.
Teachers are frustrated and very unhappy.
Unions keep saying that they got the teachers a 6% raise -so hooray! But many ask at what expense?
Admin keeps saying that, but nowhere in the CBA does it say we need to come in at 8:00. This is admin discretion and are forcing teachers to do more.
The CBA doesn’t have to state that you have to come in at 8am. That’s well within the bounds of the administrators’ discretion as the leaders of the school. They set the workday hours for their school. No admin is forcing you to do more. Was your workday expanded beyond the 7.5 hours?
The CBA says that teachers have to be allotted a specific number of planning hours within the 7.5 hour workday across the week. Once the administrator assures that is in place, the administrator can absolutely determine what duties the teacher has to do whether it’s hall duty or the cafeteria or wherever inside that 7.5 hour day. And the administrators can absolutely set the work start/end time. It’s about the operations of the school.
If teachers don’t like it, they’re welcome to speak with their collective bargaining representatives. This is what they voted for.
Anonymous
08/19/2025 05:13
Subject: New High School Teacher Contract Times
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:
Good. Too many teachers were waltzing out the door as soon as the kids left. There was no chance for a kid to even go get help or ask a question unless it was scheduled in advance. Now teachers have to stay after until 3:30 and I think that is ultimately better for the kids.
Every Middle and High School has a built in "remediation" time. It's usually called [mascot] time. That is a built in time for students to get extra help. So after school isn't the only option
Yep. Even with the time after now, kids should be setting up time. Teachers will be pulled into meetings etc and aren't likely to be sitting there waiting for someone to need help.
I was running out the door to my second job.
Why don’t you just get a different job altogether that pays more?
Why? I want to teach. I didn't spend four years in college and two years in grad school to not teach. I'm a good teacher and I don't want another job altogether.
Well you know what the job is. Quit complaining or quit. You have choices.
DP. I’ve heard this argument so many times: you knew what you were signing up for.
No, I didn’t.
I wasn’t aware I’d be planning lessons from 9-11pm most nights after my own children are in bed.
I wasn’t aware that I’d be spending 10-12 hours on a Saturday grading papers.
I wasn’t aware that I’d only have 30-45 minutes a day to respond to the massive wave of emails— from parents, administrators, my 170 students. And that I’d have to eat lunch while I’m doing this.
I can go on and on. If people were truly aware of the conditions, we wouldn’t have a single person applying.
And I also don’t get your call for teachers to quit. Do you think there’s a line of people waiting to teach your children right now? How do you benefit, losing a teacher and gaining a revolving door of overworked subs?
I didn’t say you knew what you were signing up for. I said you know what the job is now. You’ve obviously been doing it for some time now. You are free to seek employment elsewhere if you choose to. Life is all about choices.
I taught for 7 years in FCPS. It was hard as hell but rewarding. I loved having two weeks off at Christmas, the whole summer off, random holidays and of course snow days. I loved field trips. I loved the camaraderie of the job with fellow staff and my students. I loved the freedom I had to determine my lessons within the parameters of the curriculum. I loved most of my room parents. However, after 7 years I felt burned out and I decided to be done.
And, like the PP, I don’t WANT to quit. I want the conditions of the job to change so they are more sustainable. Yes, summer is nice… but I work absurd hours the other 10 months. And the conditions are an attack on my senses, my energy, my emotions.
So sure…. I can quit like so many others. Then you’re down yet another amazing teacher because the job, as you personally know, contributes to burnout.
Or we can make it better and talented teachers can stay. And it wouldn’t be hard—- just a sincere effort to listen to teachers and lighten workloads.
My way improves education. Yours way destroys it.
And regarding this thread: if a teacher leaves at contract time, that doesn’t mean they are done for the day. They are simply taking care of their own needs (as they are allowed to do) before going home and getting to work again.
Anonymous
08/19/2025 00:14
Subject: New High School Teacher Contract Times
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:
Good. Too many teachers were waltzing out the door as soon as the kids left. There was no chance for a kid to even go get help or ask a question unless it was scheduled in advance. Now teachers have to stay after until 3:30 and I think that is ultimately better for the kids.
Every Middle and High School has a built in "remediation" time. It's usually called [mascot] time. That is a built in time for students to get extra help. So after school isn't the only option
Yep. Even with the time after now, kids should be setting up time. Teachers will be pulled into meetings etc and aren't likely to be sitting there waiting for someone to need help.
I was running out the door to my second job.
Why don’t you just get a different job altogether that pays more?
Why? I want to teach. I didn't spend four years in college and two years in grad school to not teach. I'm a good teacher and I don't want another job altogether.
Well you know what the job is. Quit complaining or quit. You have choices.
DP. I’ve heard this argument so many times: you knew what you were signing up for.
No, I didn’t.
I wasn’t aware I’d be planning lessons from 9-11pm most nights after my own children are in bed.
I wasn’t aware that I’d be spending 10-12 hours on a Saturday grading papers.
I wasn’t aware that I’d only have 30-45 minutes a day to respond to the massive wave of emails— from parents, administrators, my 170 students. And that I’d have to eat lunch while I’m doing this.
I can go on and on. If people were truly aware of the conditions, we wouldn’t have a single person applying.
And I also don’t get your call for teachers to quit. Do you think there’s a line of people waiting to teach your children right now? How do you benefit, losing a teacher and gaining a revolving door of overworked subs?
I didn’t say you knew what you were signing up for. I said you know what the job is now. You’ve obviously been doing it for some time now. You are free to seek employment elsewhere if you choose to. Life is all about choices.
I taught for 7 years in FCPS. It was hard as hell but rewarding. I loved having two weeks off at Christmas, the whole summer off, random holidays and of course snow days. I loved field trips. I loved the camaraderie of the job with fellow staff and my students. I loved the freedom I had to determine my lessons within the parameters of the curriculum. I loved most of my room parents. However, after 7 years I felt burned out and I decided to be done.