Anonymous
Post 12/22/2025 10:09     Subject: Teachers absent for days before winter break

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Many teachers plan medical procedures for which they need time to recover right before a break.


These teachers told the kids where they are going on vacation.


I’d tell kids that before I disclosed my medical information. I had a family get very invasive about my chronic illness to the point of the mom offering medical advice!
Anonymous
Post 12/22/2025 09:26     Subject: Teachers absent for days before winter break

Anonymous wrote:Imagine an employee taking leave they are entitled to!!


Gasp! A teacher taking their entitled leave! What a travesty. Call the Pyle parent police!
Anonymous
Post 12/22/2025 01:07     Subject: Teachers absent for days before winter break

Imagine an employee taking leave they are entitled to!!
Anonymous
Post 12/21/2025 22:08     Subject: Teachers absent for days before winter break

This has been one of the most ignorant threads I’ve followed on this forum, and that’s saying something. For those of you suggesting we teachers are getting tons of vacation days already, I’d like to provide you some clarity.
According to the contract with MCPS, 10 month employees shall not work more than 195 duty days. With our present schedule, we have 181 days of instruction, 11 days of professional days (grading or professional development), 1 day for the transition day, and 16 hours (2 days) of our choosing for work beyond our duty day, which I can guarantee underestimates the actual time we work beyond the classroom. That makes 195 duty days, which is what we are paid to do. Our pay for those 195 duty days are broken up over a period of 219 days. Some counties break up the pay over 365 days (or 366 in a leap year), but we don’t in MCPS. Christmas, Thanksgiving, New Year’s Day are not part of the 195 days I’m contracted to work, therefore you can’t call them vacation days for me. They’re no different than the weekend
Many people remind teachers that we chose to be teachers. I agree with that. I chose to provide 195 days of labor under the terms of a contract for a certain wage and benefits. One of those benefits is that I get leave that I can use.


Anonymous
Post 12/21/2025 20:39     Subject: Teachers absent for days before winter break

Parents think nothing of taking kids out of school for vacations whenever they want. Teachers can also take vacations whenever they want.
Anonymous
Post 12/21/2025 20:30     Subject: Teachers absent for days before winter break

Anonymous wrote:Another issue here, though, is that when there’s a sub, NO INSTRUCTION takes place. Instead there’s maybe a movie put on and general chaos. For something like elementary school, when the kids spend most of their day with their homeroom teacher, this truly makes for a wasted day. I wouldn’t care if the teacher was absent if actual instruction was still going on. I’m not OP, and I agree that teachers should take their leave as needed, but I also can see why it’s frustrating.


This is not true.
Anonymous
Post 12/21/2025 20:05     Subject: Teachers absent for days before winter break

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:As a current Pyle parent I am horrified by this post. Teachers are human beings just like everyone else and entitled to their leave. Stay in your lane SAHM. If you’re that concerned your kid won’t get a quality education because their teacher took a well deserved vacation a couple of days before winter break, you’re out of your mind.


Why slam SAHMs? Seems like plenty of WOHMs complaining that they don’t get two weeks off at Christmas so why should teachers?

Or do you like fighting the mommy wars all over again?



Oh not all SAHMs, only the ones like OP (who hate on their kid’s teachers for doing things that normal human beings do and accuse working moms of being jealous). Like I said before, my son is so lucky to have fabulous teachers at Pyle. I will gladly take on any parent, working or not, who comes for my son’s teachers


Where does OP indicate they are a SAHM? Or a mom, for that matter?

Any targeted criticism of the many WOH parents who post that they don’t get leave that teachers get?



OP clearly stated that her kid is a student at Pyle. When someone asked if OP was a SAHM, her response was “Jealous that you have to work?”


Why take digs on someone who doesn’t work? You are wealthy at Pyle.


Nobody cares if OP works or not. The issue is that OP is unfairly attacking her kid’s teachers


That's not the issue. The issue is that an anonymous poster is being attacked for pointing out the obvious. The teachers union agreed to a two day work week and then teachers do not want to show up for work but students must show up.


What do you mean that students must show up? Many students are not coming Monday or Tuesday. They are free to miss school if they want.


Not in HS, and many teachers don't allow make up work.
Anonymous
Post 12/21/2025 19:39     Subject: Teachers absent for days before winter break

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:As a current Pyle parent I am horrified by this post. Teachers are human beings just like everyone else and entitled to their leave. Stay in your lane SAHM. If you’re that concerned your kid won’t get a quality education because their teacher took a well deserved vacation a couple of days before winter break, you’re out of your mind.


Why slam SAHMs? Seems like plenty of WOHMs complaining that they don’t get two weeks off at Christmas so why should teachers?

Or do you like fighting the mommy wars all over again?



Oh not all SAHMs, only the ones like OP (who hate on their kid’s teachers for doing things that normal human beings do and accuse working moms of being jealous). Like I said before, my son is so lucky to have fabulous teachers at Pyle. I will gladly take on any parent, working or not, who comes for my son’s teachers


Where does OP indicate they are a SAHM? Or a mom, for that matter?

Any targeted criticism of the many WOH parents who post that they don’t get leave that teachers get?



OP clearly stated that her kid is a student at Pyle. When someone asked if OP was a SAHM, her response was “Jealous that you have to work?”


Why take digs on someone who doesn’t work? You are wealthy at Pyle.


Nobody cares if OP works or not. The issue is that OP is unfairly attacking her kid’s teachers


That's not the issue. The issue is that an anonymous poster is being attacked for pointing out the obvious. The teachers union agreed to a two day work week and then teachers do not want to show up for work but students must show up.


What do you mean that students must show up? Many students are not coming Monday or Tuesday. They are free to miss school if they want.
Anonymous
Post 12/21/2025 19:28     Subject: Teachers absent for days before winter break

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:As a current Pyle parent I am horrified by this post. Teachers are human beings just like everyone else and entitled to their leave. Stay in your lane SAHM. If you’re that concerned your kid won’t get a quality education because their teacher took a well deserved vacation a couple of days before winter break, you’re out of your mind.


Why slam SAHMs? Seems like plenty of WOHMs complaining that they don’t get two weeks off at Christmas so why should teachers?

Or do you like fighting the mommy wars all over again?



Oh not all SAHMs, only the ones like OP (who hate on their kid’s teachers for doing things that normal human beings do and accuse working moms of being jealous). Like I said before, my son is so lucky to have fabulous teachers at Pyle. I will gladly take on any parent, working or not, who comes for my son’s teachers


Where does OP indicate they are a SAHM? Or a mom, for that matter?

Any targeted criticism of the many WOH parents who post that they don’t get leave that teachers get?



OP clearly stated that her kid is a student at Pyle. When someone asked if OP was a SAHM, her response was “Jealous that you have to work?”


The poster asked “Are you just a stay at home mommy?“

Which was unprovoked and just lovely, don’t you agree?

And someone (?) responded with the jealous comment. You assume that was OP.

WOHMs attacking SAHMs. Nice.


They could be a SAHM too but want a specific lifestyle and cannot afford it on one salary. That's on them. They are jealous!
Anonymous
Post 12/21/2025 17:11     Subject: Teachers absent for days before winter break

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:As a current Pyle parent I am horrified by this post. Teachers are human beings just like everyone else and entitled to their leave. Stay in your lane SAHM. If you’re that concerned your kid won’t get a quality education because their teacher took a well deserved vacation a couple of days before winter break, you’re out of your mind.


Why slam SAHMs? Seems like plenty of WOHMs complaining that they don’t get two weeks off at Christmas so why should teachers?

Or do you like fighting the mommy wars all over again?



Oh not all SAHMs, only the ones like OP (who hate on their kid’s teachers for doing things that normal human beings do and accuse working moms of being jealous). Like I said before, my son is so lucky to have fabulous teachers at Pyle. I will gladly take on any parent, working or not, who comes for my son’s teachers


Where does OP indicate they are a SAHM? Or a mom, for that matter?

Any targeted criticism of the many WOH parents who post that they don’t get leave that teachers get?



OP clearly stated that her kid is a student at Pyle. When someone asked if OP was a SAHM, her response was “Jealous that you have to work?”


The poster asked “Are you just a stay at home mommy?“

Which was unprovoked and just lovely, don’t you agree?

And someone (?) responded with the jealous comment. You assume that was OP.

WOHMs attacking SAHMs. Nice.
Anonymous
Post 12/21/2025 12:58     Subject: Teachers absent for days before winter break

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Doesn’t MCPS have some kind of policy about teachers taking planned leave right before a break? Multiple of my kid’s teachers at Pyle were already gone on vacation yesterday or have announced they will be gone Monday and Tuesday.

I get having easy/review lessons or even playing movies, but to be already gone on vacation seems unprofessional.


Are you just a stay at home mommy? Stay in your lane.


Jealous that you have to work? Stay in your lane.

No reason why a teacher cannot travel at Christmas, but it does seem a bit absurd to take an entire week off given there is a longer holiday. We have several teachers out frequently and it ends up being they don't get through the curriculum.


+1 to the bolded. What makes it absurd is how much time teachers already get off. Even if you don't count the summer, the breaks during the year are about as much time as most people get off in a 12 month job. That's fine, but it feels like a very minimal expectation to say you need to be there on the days students are, unless you're sick. If my office were about to close for two weeks, I wouldn't be allowed to take the two days before that off. My boss and clients would object.


My family and my health will ALWAYS come first. I know we like to martyr our teachers because they should care more about their students than their own families, but many of us increasingly are putting ourselves first. And that’s a good thing because it’ll keep us from spectacularly burning out like so many of our colleagues before us.



Going to work on your scheduled days doesn't make you a martyr. You get two weeks off for Christmas which is more than most of us. It won't hurt your family or your health to go to work.


10 month teachers don’t get annual leave. We get winter break and spring break instead. Whomever said teachers get a lot of leave probably works from home with a flexible schedule and doesn’t even have to use the leave that they’re allotted. Eye roll.

Before someone mentions summer “break” that is unpaid leave!! We have to put money aside to use during the summer. We don’t get year round pay in MCPS (other counties do).



It always is amazing to me that people still don’t seem to understand how contracts work. I don’t see anyone complaining about contracted workers who work 6 months a year and make enough in that time to not have to contract for the other 6, but consistently slam teachers for having summers “off.” If you don’t like your lifestyle or work schedule, change it. We’re all tired of listening to you moan about teacher schedules. You should be angry at everyone who doesn’t work year round then.
Anonymous
Post 12/21/2025 12:15     Subject: Teachers absent for days before winter break

Another issue here, though, is that when there’s a sub, NO INSTRUCTION takes place. Instead there’s maybe a movie put on and general chaos. For something like elementary school, when the kids spend most of their day with their homeroom teacher, this truly makes for a wasted day. I wouldn’t care if the teacher was absent if actual instruction was still going on. I’m not OP, and I agree that teachers should take their leave as needed, but I also can see why it’s frustrating.
Anonymous
Post 12/21/2025 11:45     Subject: Teachers absent for days before winter break

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:As a current Pyle parent I am horrified by this post. Teachers are human beings just like everyone else and entitled to their leave. Stay in your lane SAHM. If you’re that concerned your kid won’t get a quality education because their teacher took a well deserved vacation a couple of days before winter break, you’re out of your mind.


Why slam SAHMs? Seems like plenty of WOHMs complaining that they don’t get two weeks off at Christmas so why should teachers?

Or do you like fighting the mommy wars all over again?



Oh not all SAHMs, only the ones like OP (who hate on their kid’s teachers for doing things that normal human beings do and accuse working moms of being jealous). Like I said before, my son is so lucky to have fabulous teachers at Pyle. I will gladly take on any parent, working or not, who comes for my son’s teachers


Where does OP indicate they are a SAHM? Or a mom, for that matter?

Any targeted criticism of the many WOH parents who post that they don’t get leave that teachers get?



OP clearly stated that her kid is a student at Pyle. When someone asked if OP was a SAHM, her response was “Jealous that you have to work?”


Why take digs on someone who doesn’t work? You are wealthy at Pyle.


Nobody cares if OP works or not. The issue is that OP is unfairly attacking her kid’s teachers


That's not the issue. The issue is that an anonymous poster is being attacked for pointing out the obvious. The teachers union agreed to a two day work week and then teachers do not want to show up for work but students must show up.

MCEA does not dictate the calendar. The BOE does that.
Anonymous
Post 12/21/2025 11:17     Subject: Teachers absent for days before winter break

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Doesn’t MCPS have some kind of policy about teachers taking planned leave right before a break? Multiple of my kid’s teachers at Pyle were already gone on vacation yesterday or have announced they will be gone Monday and Tuesday.

I get having easy/review lessons or even playing movies, but to be already gone on vacation seems unprofessional.


Are you just a stay at home mommy? Stay in your lane.


Jealous that you have to work? Stay in your lane.

No reason why a teacher cannot travel at Christmas, but it does seem a bit absurd to take an entire week off given there is a longer holiday. We have several teachers out frequently and it ends up being they don't get through the curriculum.


+1 to the bolded. What makes it absurd is how much time teachers already get off. Even if you don't count the summer, the breaks during the year are about as much time as most people get off in a 12 month job. That's fine, but it feels like a very minimal expectation to say you need to be there on the days students are, unless you're sick. If my office were about to close for two weeks, I wouldn't be allowed to take the two days before that off. My boss and clients would object.


My family and my health will ALWAYS come first. I know we like to martyr our teachers because they should care more about their students than their own families, but many of us increasingly are putting ourselves first. And that’s a good thing because it’ll keep us from spectacularly burning out like so many of our colleagues before us.



Going to work on your scheduled days doesn't make you a martyr. You get two weeks off for Christmas which is more than most of us. It won't hurt your family or your health to go to work.


10 month teachers don’t get annual leave. We get winter break and spring break instead. Whomever said teachers get a lot of leave probably works from home with a flexible schedule and doesn’t even have to use the leave that they’re allotted. Eye roll.

Before someone mentions summer “break” that is unpaid leave!! We have to put money aside to use during the summer. We don’t get year round pay in MCPS (other counties do).


I'm the one that said teachers get a lot of vacation, and I'm absolutely right (and, unlike teachers, I never worked from home). In ten months, you get as much as most people get in a year. Not counting the holidays most people get, this year MCPS teachers get:

Wednesday and Friday of the week of Thanksgiving
Six days at Christmas
Six days for Spring Break
Five additional non-instructional days

That's more than an average American gets in a year, but you get it in three quarters of the year. For working parents, lots of us use all or most of our leave for a 12 month job just keeping up with the days you get off during ten months. For us, it looks like you get plenty of leave without also jetting off for vacation early while our kids are expected to go to class.


Learn what non-instructional days are and then try again.
Anonymous
Post 12/21/2025 10:45     Subject: Teachers absent for days before winter break

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:As a current Pyle parent I am horrified by this post. Teachers are human beings just like everyone else and entitled to their leave. Stay in your lane SAHM. If you’re that concerned your kid won’t get a quality education because their teacher took a well deserved vacation a couple of days before winter break, you’re out of your mind.


Why slam SAHMs? Seems like plenty of WOHMs complaining that they don’t get two weeks off at Christmas so why should teachers?

Or do you like fighting the mommy wars all over again?



Oh not all SAHMs, only the ones like OP (who hate on their kid’s teachers for doing things that normal human beings do and accuse working moms of being jealous). Like I said before, my son is so lucky to have fabulous teachers at Pyle. I will gladly take on any parent, working or not, who comes for my son’s teachers


Where does OP indicate they are a SAHM? Or a mom, for that matter?

Any targeted criticism of the many WOH parents who post that they don’t get leave that teachers get?



OP clearly stated that her kid is a student at Pyle. When someone asked if OP was a SAHM, her response was “Jealous that you have to work?”


Why take digs on someone who doesn’t work? You are wealthy at Pyle.


Nobody cares if OP works or not. The issue is that OP is unfairly attacking her kid’s teachers


That's not the issue. The issue is that an anonymous poster is being attacked for pointing out the obvious. The teachers union agreed to a two day work week and then teachers do not want to show up for work but students must show up.


Haha. 😆 ok 👍 I think you’re the only one with the “issue” so weird