Community Chat

[Kalli]

In my district we had a contract stipulating how many sick days we got each year. Sick days could be used for dr appointments in addition to being used when we were not feeling well. Unused sick days rolled over to the next year. Sometimes sick days were used for surgery and recuperation time following the surgery. As long as they were used for the intended purposes, sick days were never denied.

When I was going to be absent, I always spent a lot of time setting out my plans and materials needed for each lesson. If I knew ahead that I’d be out, I’d stay after school for a few hours the day before to set up.  If I got sick during the night, I’d write my plans early and then go to school by 6am to set the materials out. 

[gertrudecloset]

---

@Grade1Teach wrote:

I have not had time to read the responses, but I can only speak for my own experience as a teacher.

There are MANY reasons for absences:

1.  Covid is still a big one and it does not have to be disclosed to students and families when a teacher is out with it.

2.  There are professional development classes/meetings that teachers MUST attend.  They are mandatory and happen several times throughout the course of the year.  We do this in my school/district all of time.  Teachers are not happy about being pulled out of their classes, but it's something they are forced to do.

3.  Things happen.  Many teachers have their own families.  Teachers get sick themselves.  People in their famillies die.  Doctor appointments must be made.  There are SO many reasons why a teacher might be out.

4.  Of course, the reason could also be that the teacher wants a 3 day weekend and decides to take off on a Friday or a Monday.  It happens all of the time, but it doesn't make it right.  Either way, you won't know the reason a teacher was out.

As long as the teachers are not going above their allocated sick and personal days, there really isn't anything parents can say.  I understand that parents get upset when a teacher is out, but they must remember that teachers are people too.  We don't have the kind of job that we can take off an hour here or there for a doctor's appointment or to go to our child's parent teacher conference.  Most districts require a teacher to take either a full day or half day to do these things.  Teaching and having your own family and problems do not work well together.  Sometimes a day off is a necessity.

---

^5

[hckynutjohn]

I have no kids! However, over 85% of my Property Taxes , goes to the School System. Thus I have a financial interest when I express my view on the present education system. 

Something has gone badly off center since the beginning of the pandemic. Billions of $$$ given to the 2 major teachers unions, to make the classrooms safer so children could actually return to a classroom.

Last I heard only 15% of those billions of $$$ can be accounted for right now. What/where and why?

It is my belief that whatever amount is being spent, per student, to attend a Public School! That money should not have the student following the money. The money should be given to the students so their parents can send them to any school(private/catholic, or home schooling).

When I hear the amount being spent per student, and the most recent results, of where our country ranks in simple education! There are words I would like to use, but won't, for obvious reasons. 

My sister/2 of her kids/my brother-in-law, and my partner in Auto Racing were all teachers. 3 of them quit teaching because of all the mandates being passed down by Administrators. Two of them stayed in the School System, but not teaching. All pretty much for the same, or very similar reasons.

Why would any parent not be in favor of the $$$ spent to educate their kids, be given to them, per child, as opposed to being given to A Failing School System, when it comes to their child's education? 

hckynut  🇺🇸

[gertrudecloset]

@hckynutjohn 

It is my belief that whatever amount is being spent, per student, to attend a Public School! That money should not have the student following the money. The money should be given to the students so their parents can send them to any school(private/catholic, or home schooling).

Why should taxpayer's subsidize or pay for Private Schooling for children?  It's "Private for a reason."  It's supposed to be free of bureaucratic red tape. 

The $$$ was supposed to (wherever necessary) help to remediate the buildings for better air circulation and retrofitting them with updated exhaust systems.  Then each State is different.  Not every state asked for money for the schools.  Lots of businesses asked for money to keep their staff paid, though.  Hopefully those were loans though and they will give that money back.

[hckynutjohn]

@gertrudecloset 

Thank you.

hckynut  🇺🇸

[Imaoldhippie]

@ScrapHappy ...................You need to pay a visit to the principals office to see just what the problem is.  If you get no satisfactory answer or there is a problem.  Set up a meeting with the school board and since this is October and school has been in session since August you need to do this ASAP.

[mimomof4]

Are the teachers calling in Sick or PTO time?  Often times teachers are out of the classroom for training and other meetings required by the District or State.  

[mimomof4]

---

@hckynutjohn wrote:

I have no kids! However, over 85% of my Property Taxes , goes to the School System. Thus I have a financial interest when I express my view on the present education system. 

Something has gone badly off center since the beginning of the pandemic. Billions of $$$ given to the 2 major teachers unions, to make the classrooms safer so children ciuld actually return to a classroom.

Last I heard only 15% of those billions of $$$ can be accounted for right now. What/where and why?

It is my belief that whatever amount is being spent, per student, to attend a Public School! That money should not have the student following the money. The money should be given to the students so their parents can send them to any school(private/catholic, or home schooling).

When I hear the amount being spent per student, and the most recent results, of where our country ranks in simple education! There are words I would like to use, but won't, for obvious reasons. 

My sister/2 of her kids/my brother-in-law, and my partner in Auto Racing were all teachers. 3 of them quit teaching because of all the mandates being passed down by Administrators. Two them stayed in the School System, but not teaching. All pretty much for the same, or very similar reasons.

Why would any parent not be in favor of the $$$ spent to educate their kids, be given to them, per child, as opposed to bring given to A Failing School System, when it comes to their child's education? 

hckynut  🇺🇸

---

@hckynutjohn Everything you said is exactly why everyone who I know that is a teacher is counting the days and years until they can retire from teaching and move onto a different profession altogether.  

[ScrapHappy]

---

@mimomof4 wrote:

Are the teachers calling in Sick or PTO time?  Often times teachers are out of the classroom for training and other meetings required by the District or State.  

---

The teacher I mentioned about the quiz and not being in school for 2 days and now saying she won't be there Friday or next week (though they have off 3 days next week so she'll really be gone another 2 days, told the class she's going to Mexico.  This teacher also missed the second day of school when it started and more inbetween.  

[ninjawife]

I work for a school district.  Training is done on inservice days when school is closed or is done on the staff's personal time in exchange for pay for days off the week of Thanksgiving. Our schools are closed the entire week but staff doesn't get paid unless they have completed a certain number of hours of training.