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Online School Demands More of Teachers. Unions Are Pushing Back. Online School Demands More of Teachers. Unions Are Pushing Back.
(32 minutes later)
If it’s naptime and Becky Atherton Dukes’s 2-year-old won’t lie down, she bribes him to stay quiet with the promise of a Matchbox car. She has 380 other children depending on her.If it’s naptime and Becky Atherton Dukes’s 2-year-old won’t lie down, she bribes him to stay quiet with the promise of a Matchbox car. She has 380 other children depending on her.
As an art teacher in Tulsa, Okla., Ms. Dukes’s typical day includes creating and uploading video drawing lessons, corresponding with parents, attending remote staff meetings and training to use new online tools. She does it all while taking care of her son and 5-year-old daughter, as her husband works round-the-clock shifts as a firefighter, answering emergency calls for potential Covid-19 patients.As an art teacher in Tulsa, Okla., Ms. Dukes’s typical day includes creating and uploading video drawing lessons, corresponding with parents, attending remote staff meetings and training to use new online tools. She does it all while taking care of her son and 5-year-old daughter, as her husband works round-the-clock shifts as a firefighter, answering emergency calls for potential Covid-19 patients.
“It’s been extremely stressful,” she said.“It’s been extremely stressful,” she said.
Two years ago, Ms. Dukes was part of a nationwide effort by teachers and their unions to win higher pay and force lawmakers to increase budgets for public education. Many of the protests won concessions, in part because they attracted broad public support, especially from parents.Two years ago, Ms. Dukes was part of a nationwide effort by teachers and their unions to win higher pay and force lawmakers to increase budgets for public education. Many of the protests won concessions, in part because they attracted broad public support, especially from parents.
As the coronavirus outbreak has rapidly remade American education, teachers’ unions are asserting the power they have amassed over the last few years, this time in response to the changing demands being placed on educators in the midst of the pandemic.As the coronavirus outbreak has rapidly remade American education, teachers’ unions are asserting the power they have amassed over the last few years, this time in response to the changing demands being placed on educators in the midst of the pandemic.
Unlike many other college-educated workers, teachers are unaccustomed to spending the day tethered to screens. Many work under meticulously negotiated contracts that detail their work hours and break times, and the rules for how they engage with administrators — contracts that now seem all but irrelevant with students and teachers confined to their homes.Unlike many other college-educated workers, teachers are unaccustomed to spending the day tethered to screens. Many work under meticulously negotiated contracts that detail their work hours and break times, and the rules for how they engage with administrators — contracts that now seem all but irrelevant with students and teachers confined to their homes.
As the realities of online education have become starkly apparent, unions are seeking new protections for their members. But they are also trying not to jeopardize the public support they won, including in red states, during massive walkouts in 2018 and 2019 that shut down schools in places like Oklahoma, West Virginia, Los Angeles and Chicago.As the realities of online education have become starkly apparent, unions are seeking new protections for their members. But they are also trying not to jeopardize the public support they won, including in red states, during massive walkouts in 2018 and 2019 that shut down schools in places like Oklahoma, West Virginia, Los Angeles and Chicago.
Unions in some of America’s largest school districts have called for restrictions on the number of hours and days that teachers would be required to work from home during the pandemic. They have also pushed back against the expectation that teachers conduct lessons live at fixed times, and on the ability of principals to sit in on lessons conducted over Zoom or other video platforms.Unions in some of America’s largest school districts have called for restrictions on the number of hours and days that teachers would be required to work from home during the pandemic. They have also pushed back against the expectation that teachers conduct lessons live at fixed times, and on the ability of principals to sit in on lessons conducted over Zoom or other video platforms.
“Teachers are actually working harder right now than they ever have,” said Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, a national union. “A lot of superintendents are attempting to make remote learning act like what happened in schools,” she said — something that may be impossible.“Teachers are actually working harder right now than they ever have,” said Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, a national union. “A lot of superintendents are attempting to make remote learning act like what happened in schools,” she said — something that may be impossible.
The A.F.T. has suggested that schools transition to end-of-year projects, such as book reports or family-history interviews, that students and teachers could work on at flexible times. The projects would not necessarily require home computers or regular access to the internet, tools that are unavailable to many children from low-income families.The A.F.T. has suggested that schools transition to end-of-year projects, such as book reports or family-history interviews, that students and teachers could work on at flexible times. The projects would not necessarily require home computers or regular access to the internet, tools that are unavailable to many children from low-income families.
Complicating matters, there is little agreement among parents on what they want from teachers right now.Complicating matters, there is little agreement among parents on what they want from teachers right now.
Updated Aug. 5, 2020
The latest highlights as the first students return to U.S. schools.
Some parents of younger children — particularly professionals attempting to work from home — have begun to complain in op-eds and on social media that schools’ expectations during the shutdown are too high, and that parents do not have time to supervise Zoom conferences and help students plow through reams of worksheets. These parents say they are confident they can keep their own children afloat academically and emotionally through unstructured play, reading and art.Some parents of younger children — particularly professionals attempting to work from home — have begun to complain in op-eds and on social media that schools’ expectations during the shutdown are too high, and that parents do not have time to supervise Zoom conferences and help students plow through reams of worksheets. These parents say they are confident they can keep their own children afloat academically and emotionally through unstructured play, reading and art.
But if teachers step back from engaging with students and families, it is likely to be children from low-income households who are hurt the most, given existing achievement gaps.But if teachers step back from engaging with students and families, it is likely to be children from low-income households who are hurt the most, given existing achievement gaps.
Karina Garcia-Jerez, a single mother in the Bronx who worked as a house cleaner and babysitter before the coronavirus outbreak, said she used to complain about her daughters’ teachers on occasion. Since the crisis began, though, she said she has come to rely on them in ways she never anticipated.Karina Garcia-Jerez, a single mother in the Bronx who worked as a house cleaner and babysitter before the coronavirus outbreak, said she used to complain about her daughters’ teachers on occasion. Since the crisis began, though, she said she has come to rely on them in ways she never anticipated.
Ms. Garcia-Jerez’s younger daughter, Emely, has Down syndrome. The hours when Emely and her sister check in with their teachers and classmates online offer Ms. Garcia-Jerez her only moments of respite from the grind of solo housework and child care.Ms. Garcia-Jerez’s younger daughter, Emely, has Down syndrome. The hours when Emely and her sister check in with their teachers and classmates online offer Ms. Garcia-Jerez her only moments of respite from the grind of solo housework and child care.
Teaching is “a really awesome profession,” she said. “It has to come from your soul, like doctors.”Teaching is “a really awesome profession,” she said. “It has to come from your soul, like doctors.”
New York City has seen perhaps the most drastic display of unions pushing back against the new expectations placed on teachers.New York City has seen perhaps the most drastic display of unions pushing back against the new expectations placed on teachers.
By the time remote learning started in the nation’s largest school district in late March, many of the city’s roughly 75,000 teachers were already frustrated with New York’s leaders, who waited longer than those in some other major cities to close public schools. Then, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced that spring break, scheduled to begin in early April, would be canceled for schools across the state. (Many other places did the opposite, keeping or even extending their breaks.)By the time remote learning started in the nation’s largest school district in late March, many of the city’s roughly 75,000 teachers were already frustrated with New York’s leaders, who waited longer than those in some other major cities to close public schools. Then, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced that spring break, scheduled to begin in early April, would be canceled for schools across the state. (Many other places did the opposite, keeping or even extending their breaks.)
New York City’s teachers’ union, the United Federation of Teachers, held out hope that educators could still take off for Passover and Good Friday — and was furious when Mayor Bill de Blasio kept them on the job for those religious holidays.New York City’s teachers’ union, the United Federation of Teachers, held out hope that educators could still take off for Passover and Good Friday — and was furious when Mayor Bill de Blasio kept them on the job for those religious holidays.
Updated August 3, 2020
“Never once during this crisis has the mayor thanked you for your service,” the union’s president, Michael Mulgrew, wrote in a scathing email to his members. “Instead, he diminishes your work by describing it only as a vehicle to keep children at home.”“Never once during this crisis has the mayor thanked you for your service,” the union’s president, Michael Mulgrew, wrote in a scathing email to his members. “Instead, he diminishes your work by describing it only as a vehicle to keep children at home.”
Union officials said they were fighting to make sure New York’s teachers were not forced to work more in a day than the six hours and 20 minutes in their contracts. A politically progressive caucus within the union is calling on its leaders to push for “less academic work” during the coming months, and to lobby for a moratorium on student grades and teacher evaluations.Union officials said they were fighting to make sure New York’s teachers were not forced to work more in a day than the six hours and 20 minutes in their contracts. A politically progressive caucus within the union is calling on its leaders to push for “less academic work” during the coming months, and to lobby for a moratorium on student grades and teacher evaluations.
Other unions have fought for, and won, limits on teacher workloads. In Brevard County, east of Orlando, Fla., the union and district agreed in late March to limit teachers’ instructional time to three hours per day. The district also agreed that it would not require teachers to communicate with families using their personal cellphones, and that it would not formally evaluate teachers’ online instruction.Other unions have fought for, and won, limits on teacher workloads. In Brevard County, east of Orlando, Fla., the union and district agreed in late March to limit teachers’ instructional time to three hours per day. The district also agreed that it would not require teachers to communicate with families using their personal cellphones, and that it would not formally evaluate teachers’ online instruction.
Earlier this month, a statewide union delivered a petition to Gov. Jared Polis of Colorado asking him to direct superintendents to bargain with local unions on expectations for remote teaching, and to reimburse educators for out-of-pocket expenses related to working online from home.Earlier this month, a statewide union delivered a petition to Gov. Jared Polis of Colorado asking him to direct superintendents to bargain with local unions on expectations for remote teaching, and to reimburse educators for out-of-pocket expenses related to working online from home.
In Los Angeles Unified School District, the nation’s second largest, the local union has fought aggressively in recent weeks to protect teachers from what it called unreasonable demands on their time, such as long, repetitive remote staff meetings and inflexible schedules. The union and district announced an agreement to limit instruction and student support time to an average of four hours per day per teacher, and to limit staff meetings to one hour per week. Live teaching via video platforms will be encouraged, but not required.In Los Angeles Unified School District, the nation’s second largest, the local union has fought aggressively in recent weeks to protect teachers from what it called unreasonable demands on their time, such as long, repetitive remote staff meetings and inflexible schedules. The union and district announced an agreement to limit instruction and student support time to an average of four hours per day per teacher, and to limit staff meetings to one hour per week. Live teaching via video platforms will be encouraged, but not required.
But while unions seek new boundaries for their members, some teachers said they believed this was a moment in which those rules no longer apply.But while unions seek new boundaries for their members, some teachers said they believed this was a moment in which those rules no longer apply.
“Our jobs just became infinitely bigger,” said Thomas Pascarella, a union chapter leader at his Brooklyn elementary school. “There is no longer an amount of hours we work per day. We are on most of the day.”“Our jobs just became infinitely bigger,” said Thomas Pascarella, a union chapter leader at his Brooklyn elementary school. “There is no longer an amount of hours we work per day. We are on most of the day.”
Mr. Pascarella said he recently spent over two hours on the phone with one of his students trying to set up a device and get the student on Google Classroom — with the help of a translator, a paraprofessional and the school’s technology expert.Mr. Pascarella said he recently spent over two hours on the phone with one of his students trying to set up a device and get the student on Google Classroom — with the help of a translator, a paraprofessional and the school’s technology expert.
“We are retraining ourselves to look at things in a different way,” he said.“We are retraining ourselves to look at things in a different way,” he said.
Ms. Dukes, the art teacher in Tulsa, said that with two children under 6, she often feels like she has only about three hours in the day when she can work productively. But despite the challenges, she does want to stay engaged with her students, and maybe offer some relief for parents, too.Ms. Dukes, the art teacher in Tulsa, said that with two children under 6, she often feels like she has only about three hours in the day when she can work productively. But despite the challenges, she does want to stay engaged with her students, and maybe offer some relief for parents, too.
“I know what it’s like being at home with the kids,” she said. “Parents are at home freaking out.”“I know what it’s like being at home with the kids,” she said. “Parents are at home freaking out.”