Districts struggling to provide basic information. Schools stuck in a downward spiral of lost purpose. If you needed a snapshot of our education crisis, this is it.
My goodness, you missed the GIANT elephant in the room. Teachers are SICK from catching COVID, and then catching everything else after catching COVID since it damages the immune system. Oh, and let’s add long COVID to the mix too. Schools haven’t upgraded their air filtration, everyone took off their masks, and now teachers are working in superspreader events every day. And since no one wants to admit COVID is an actual problem, no one is even remotely trying to fix it. You know how I know? I’ve been a teacher for 33 years. I’ve been teaching through the pandemic since it started. I introduced air filters in my classroom on our first day back in person. I’m still masking. I’m just about the only person I know who hasn’t been sick this pandemic. My students are suffering with long COVID and so are my colleagues. I’m just trying to get out with my health at this point.
Statistics from the state are notoriously inaccurate, in large part because the districts fiddle with the data to make themselves look good. As an example, in my district, the admin told the state that we had a 90% retention rate. Now, despite the fact that teachers. are leaving in significant numbers, the district uses the data they provided to the state. The data sent to the state is all about making the district "look good", and both the districts and the state are at fault.
Your piece implies educators miss school simply because they are somehow disenchanted with teaching. Where do you account for acute illness? Chronic health diagnoses? Caring for family due to healthcare, aging, or child care issues? Or even more mundane things like inability to pay for car repairs on a teacher’s salary and lack of public transportation or affordable housing near their place of employment? Please stop implying the issues will resolve if teachers adjust their goals in a system where goals are often dictated by others and adjust their attitudes when they are drowning
How did Indoor Air Quality escape this article ? 19% of teachers reported experiencing Long Covid by 2023. Teachers are exposed to a massive viral load from sick children. OPEN THE WINDOWS and ventilate schools. Display the CO2 levels, as Boston Public Schools Does. Add CR Boxes. Teach about indoor air quality. Stop infecting children & teachers needlessly.
My goodness, you missed the GIANT elephant in the room. Teachers are SICK from catching COVID, and then catching everything else after catching COVID since it damages the immune system. Oh, and let’s add long COVID to the mix too. Schools haven’t upgraded their air filtration, everyone took off their masks, and now teachers are working in superspreader events every day. And since no one wants to admit COVID is an actual problem, no one is even remotely trying to fix it. You know how I know? I’ve been a teacher for 33 years. I’ve been teaching through the pandemic since it started. I introduced air filters in my classroom on our first day back in person. I’m still masking. I’m just about the only person I know who hasn’t been sick this pandemic. My students are suffering with long COVID and so are my colleagues. I’m just trying to get out with my health at this point.
Statistics from the state are notoriously inaccurate, in large part because the districts fiddle with the data to make themselves look good. As an example, in my district, the admin told the state that we had a 90% retention rate. Now, despite the fact that teachers. are leaving in significant numbers, the district uses the data they provided to the state. The data sent to the state is all about making the district "look good", and both the districts and the state are at fault.
Your piece implies educators miss school simply because they are somehow disenchanted with teaching. Where do you account for acute illness? Chronic health diagnoses? Caring for family due to healthcare, aging, or child care issues? Or even more mundane things like inability to pay for car repairs on a teacher’s salary and lack of public transportation or affordable housing near their place of employment? Please stop implying the issues will resolve if teachers adjust their goals in a system where goals are often dictated by others and adjust their attitudes when they are drowning
https://bostonschoolsiaq.terrabase.com
How did Indoor Air Quality escape this article ? 19% of teachers reported experiencing Long Covid by 2023. Teachers are exposed to a massive viral load from sick children. OPEN THE WINDOWS and ventilate schools. Display the CO2 levels, as Boston Public Schools Does. Add CR Boxes. Teach about indoor air quality. Stop infecting children & teachers needlessly.