4 Comments

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  lynda - 13 years ago

  As a retired teacher, I can understand the optics of 20 sick days angers the public.
  On the other hand, Arlene accurately describes the exposure teachers constantly have to all the sick children sent to school by their parents who don't have 20 sick days to keep their kids at home! It is a no win situation for all concerned. I would often have had two colds by Christmas break. Since retiring, I have had NO colds, because I have not spent every day of the fall term exposed to cold viruses. There is a good reason that there are 20 sick days in the contract.
  If the Separate School Board really wants to save money, take a good look at the salaries of ALL the administrators in the Sunshine Club. Good place to start cutting costs and the students and classrooms won't feel this cost-cutting at all.

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  j b - 13 years ago

  I recognize that teachers are exposed to viruses, but there are many professions in which this is true. Social Workers, Doctors, Nurses, ECE teachers, and so goes the list. Teachers also work nine months a year, so if we average those sick days it literally comes down to 2.2 days a month. For professionals that are highly paid compared to their public service counterparts. To work nine months a year. Teachers have highly effective unions, but that does not make them more deserving of sick time, and quite frankly when it is causing budgetary issues, it would seem to be an issue worth addressing.

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  arlene - 13 years ago

  teachers are exposed to probably hundreds of viruses every working day. Parents, particularly those with children in grade school send the kids to school when they are ill (ask any teacher), the probability of a teacher catching something is very high, and no, I am not a teacher.

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  norm soulliere - 13 years ago

  It should read . Is 4 principles for 680 kids to much. You do the math. For Janitors on some day loads it can be 550 to 1 or more. Regards. N Soulliere