Anxiety over School

[Chris-duck]

When are you meant to be going back to class? What is the situation like where you are?

Can you take your own precautions when you go back to work? Like wearing a face mask or something?

 

[alwaysworkingthruit]

I am meant to return aug 10. No social distancing. 30 kids per class x 5 periods= 150 students. 5 days/we

With PTSD and GAD with panic, I know I cannot do it. If I cannot take a LOA, I'm afraid I can no longer teach.

It's so hard!

 

[joeylittle]

If I cannot take a LOA, I'm afraid I can no longer teach.

How complicated is the process to apply for a LOA? Can you start that process, and if you are denied, still decide whether or not you are willing to go back?

I'm also wondering - and please, there's no pressure to answer this - can you share where you are located?

(Different locations, different levels of threat.)

 

[alwaysworkingthruit]

So according to our contract, I needed to have requested a LOA 2 mos ago. However, these are unprecedented times, so not sure if the contract is form in the LOA respect.

I'm also considering FMLA, if necessary, but that's only 3 mos.

I'm in chicago suburbs. Numbers keep going up

You guys are all so valuable with your advice. That's why I reached out?

 

[joeylittle]

So according to our contract, I needed to have requested a LOA 2 mos ago. However, these are unprecedented times, so not sure if the contract is form in the LOA respect.

I'd suggest you go ahead and put in for it, with a note about the unprecedented times. If the worst that can happen is that they say "no" - then might as well give it a shot, since you sound very clear that your desires are to not go back to in-school activity in the Fall. And, if you're keeping your kids out on matter what, you'll probably need the LOA even if school reverts to distance learning, just to deal with homeschooling your own kids....does that sound accurate?

I'm in chicago suburbs. Numbers keep going up

Thanks for sharing - I'm familiar with that area. IL (chicago and suburbs esp.) is a tough call...big difference between counties. And IIRC, there was a recent re-districting to rollback the phased opening in some parts of the state? Seems like it's a moving target, how things will actually play out.

You might find this tool useful: interactive COVID map. Be warned, it's a LOT of data. But there are some extra-useful tools. There's a page where you can search by zip code and get a mini-breakdown on all the data with a few different ways to look at it, not just new cases. You can set the main map to only highlight the state you're interested in, or the region you're interested in. And, you can look at things like numbers of positive tests over time, and about 5 other data sets (number of hospitalized, also interesting)...hovering over any point on the graph gives you the detailed data for that point.

Like I said - it's a lot to sift through, but it's a much better way to see all the trends in the numbers, not just the big basics that get reported.

I'm also wondering if your districts are offering an all-online option? I'm seeing many places doing that, as a way of giving the parents more control over whether or not they are sending their kids to school. Makes me think that there might be an opportunity to request being an online-only teacher...

I know, it's hard.

 

[EmmaOwl]

But schools re-opening? We are going to sacrifice our children's lives and put our teachers- who already earn peanuts- on the frontlines? As a teacher and parent, I cannot fathom. I'd rather be jobless. So much anxiety over this

That's a bad spot. I'd be worried as well.

My brother teaches at a public high school, and my niece is supposed to be starting at a different public high school in their hometown, in new york state. They were making a fuss about 8th grade graduation; I know she was disappointed to miss that this past spring, but worse, we have brand new problems, the future of education in this country. I hope you're able to work it out out, so that you are able to continue teaching, or find other satisfying work in a safe and comfortable way!

 

[alwaysworkingthruit]

Thank you so much!

Health to your family as well!