Teacher Departures Leave Schools Searching for Substitutes
2020-09-23
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1Many schoolteachers in the United States are choosing not to return to the classroom this year because of the coronavirus health crisis.
2Now, schools around the country are looking to find substitute teachers.
3In some places, officials are lowering requirements to help get substitutes in classrooms.
4Several states have seen an increase in educators seeking retirement or taking time off from work.
5That is putting more pressure on school workers in places that were already dealing with a lack of teachers and substitutes.
6Among those leaving is Kay Orzechowicz, an English teacher at northwest Indiana's Griffith High School.
7The 57-year-old had hoped to teach for a few more years.
8But she felt her school's leadership did not fully support using recommended social distancing rules.
9She worried the school would not provide enough safety equipment to students and teachers.
10With the technology requirements and the pressure to record classes on video, Orzechowicz said it "just wasn't what I signed up for when I became a teacher."
11Teachers in at least three states have died after being infected with COVID-19 since the start of the new school year.
12It is unclear how many teachers in the U.S. have become ill with the disease.
13But Mississippi alone has reported at least 604 cases among teachers and other school workers.
14Some teachers could face pressure to return to the classroom after being exposed to the coronavirus.
15The administration of President Donald Trump has declared teachers to be "critical infrastructure workers."
16Officials in Indiana report that they have received more than 600 teacher retirements since July.
17Studies suggest more teachers could retire this year than usual, said Trish Whitcomb.
18She is executive director of the Indiana Retired Teachers Association.
19Whitcomb said, "I've gotten more (teachers) calling me back saying, 'Well, I'm going to go ahead and retire.' Some still wanted to go back in the classroom, but they didn't think the risk was worth it. They looked at their grandkids and the life they have, and I think they're saying, 'I'm just not going to do it.'"
20In Salt Lake County, Utah, more than 80 teachers have either resigned or retired early because of concerns about COVID-19 in schools.
21More than half of those happened in one of the county's five school districts, Granite School District.
22All of the district's teachers who left were fined $1,000 for failing to let officials know they were leaving at least 30 days before.
23Mike McDonough is president of the Granite Education Association teachers' union.
24He said teachers are resigning over concerns about how the schools have reopened.
25In Granite, most students will return to in-person classes for four days a week.
26There are few ways for teachers to give only online instruction.
27Some teachers waited to leave until just before school started in hopes that the district would change its reopening plan.
28But leaving the classroom was "the only way to keep themselves safe," McDonough said.
29He added, "I have heard from teachers that are just heartbroken to leave the classroom, but they didn't feel safe going back.
30They don't want that level of risk, and they have no other choice but to get out."
31Education leaders in states including Arizona, Kansas, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and Texas have said they are preparing for worsening teacher shortages.
32The Missouri Board of Education has made it easier to become a substitute teacher under an emergency rule.
33Instead of 60 hours of college credit, new substitutes now only need to have a high school diploma, complete a 20-hour online training class and pass a background check.
34The state of Iowa also eased college class requirements and lowered the working age for new substitutes.
35In Connecticut, college students have been asked to step in as substitutes.
36Michele Femc-Bagwell is director of the teacher education program at the University of Connecticut.
37She said the school has been getting requests to use fifth-year graduate students as substitute teachers.
38But class and work responsibilities limit their availability to one day a week.
39Many people who work as substitutes are retired teachers, such as 67-year-old Margaret Henderson.
40But the former teacher from Phoenix, Arizona, says she will not return as she had planned.
41Henderson said, "I don't want to get called into a classroom where a teacher has called out because of the virus or to quarantine. And we know that's going to happen more and more."
42I'm Jonathan Evans.
1Many schoolteachers in the United States are choosing not to return to the classroom this year because of the coronavirus health crisis. Now, schools around the country are looking to find substitute teachers. In some places, officials are lowering requirements to help get substitutes in classrooms. 2Several states have seen an increase in educators seeking retirement or taking time off from work. That is putting more pressure on school workers in places that were already dealing with a lack of teachers and substitutes. 3Among those leaving is Kay Orzechowicz, an English teacher at northwest Indiana's Griffith High School. The 57-year-old had hoped to teach for a few more years. But she felt her school's leadership did not fully support using recommended social distancing rules. She worried the school would not provide enough safety equipment to students and teachers. 4With the technology requirements and the pressure to record classes on video, Orzechowicz said it "just wasn't what I signed up for when I became a teacher." 5Teachers in at least three states have died after being infected with COVID-19 since the start of the new school year. It is unclear how many teachers in the U.S. have become ill with the disease. But Mississippi alone has reported at least 604 cases among teachers and other school workers. 6Some teachers could face pressure to return to the classroom after being exposed to the coronavirus. The administration of President Donald Trump has declared teachers to be "critical infrastructure workers." 7Officials in Indiana report that they have received more than 600 teacher retirements since July. Studies suggest more teachers could retire this year than usual, said Trish Whitcomb. She is executive director of the Indiana Retired Teachers Association. 8Whitcomb said, "I've gotten more (teachers) calling me back saying, 'Well, I'm going to go ahead and retire.' Some still wanted to go back in the classroom, but they didn't think the risk was worth it. They looked at their grandkids and the life they have, and I think they're saying, 'I'm just not going to do it.'" 9In Salt Lake County, Utah, more than 80 teachers have either resigned or retired early because of concerns about COVID-19 in schools. More than half of those happened in one of the county's five school districts, Granite School District. All of the district's teachers who left were fined $1,000 for failing to let officials know they were leaving at least 30 days before. 10Mike McDonough is president of the Granite Education Association teachers' union. He said teachers are resigning over concerns about how the schools have reopened. In Granite, most students will return to in-person classes for four days a week. There are few ways for teachers to give only online instruction. 11Some teachers waited to leave until just before school started in hopes that the district would change its reopening plan. But leaving the classroom was "the only way to keep themselves safe," McDonough said. 12He added, "I have heard from teachers that are just heartbroken to leave the classroom, but they didn't feel safe going back. They don't want that level of risk, and they have no other choice but to get out." 13Education leaders in states including Arizona, Kansas, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and Texas have said they are preparing for worsening teacher shortages. 14The Missouri Board of Education has made it easier to become a substitute teacher under an emergency rule. Instead of 60 hours of college credit, new substitutes now only need to have a high school diploma, complete a 20-hour online training class and pass a background check. 15The state of Iowa also eased college class requirements and lowered the working age for new substitutes. 16In Connecticut, college students have been asked to step in as substitutes. Michele Femc-Bagwell is director of the teacher education program at the University of Connecticut. She said the school has been getting requests to use fifth-year graduate students as substitute teachers. But class and work responsibilities limit their availability to one day a week. 17Many people who work as substitutes are retired teachers, such as 67-year-old Margaret Henderson. But the former teacher from Phoenix, Arizona, says she will not return as she had planned. 18Henderson said, "I don't want to get called into a classroom where a teacher has called out because of the virus or to quarantine. And we know that's going to happen more and more." 19I'm Jonathan Evans. 20Casey Smith reported this story for the Associated Press. Jonathan Evans adapted it story for Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor. 21_______________________________________________________________ 22Words in This Story 23exposed - adj. not protected or covered 24graduate - adj. of or relating to a course of studies taken at a college or university after earning a bachelor's degree or other first degree 25infrastructure - n. the basic equipment and structures such as roads and bridges that are needed for a country, region, or organization to function properly 26quarantine - v. to keep (a person or animal) away from others to prevent a disease from spreading