MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MARYLAND — Today, one full year after public schools here (like much of the country) shut down, less than 1% of students are back in school. Next week, a big chunk of students will return, although thousands of students will not be allowed to return for about six more weeks.
The “Memorandum of Understanding” between the county school board and the teachers has upset many members of teachers unions, who say that it doesn’t provide enough protection. There were two details in the document that jumped out at me.
Teachers are guaranteed “unusual and imperative leave with pay” for a handful of new circumstances, including “those who must care for a child whose school or place of care is unexpectedly shut down, or care provider is unavailable, for reasons related to COVID-19.”
This might sound familiar to some other working parents out there. Was it possibly a strain on you that your children were unable to be in school “for reasons related to COVID-19”? Did you think, Wow, if possible, I’d like my children to be back in school because them being sent home is very disruptive?
You’re not alone. Your public school teachers have this worry, too. They will get extra unpaid leave if, somehow, for some reason, your children were unexpectedly out of school for reasons related to COVID-19.
