DECEMBER 11, 2020 FEATURE
Opinion: In person learning dangerous to students and staff
Half-time a blessing and curse for teachers
By: Cael Baumgarten
COVID-19 has altered the schedules of teachers just as much as students, sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse. Though many teachers still see students throughout the whole school day, others have seen their time in class cut in half and below. Lauren Hannon, half-time sophomore English teacher, teaches three classes in the afternoon and enjoys the extra time she has at home in the morning. “In the mornings I am with my son, Hayes,” Hannon said. “I loved being at work the full day, because I absolutely love teaching, but half-time is a better balance for my personal life and professional life. I love the moments I am able to share with Hayes and be a more present mom.” Other teachers also see the benefit of the shortened schedule. Gunnar Williams, halftime photography teacher, feels similarly; the extra time allows for more productivity and time for relaxing. “I like working in the morning and getting done early,” Williams said. “If I need to catch up on school work I do that. Sometimes I grab one of my cameras and go looking for things to photograph. I also just might binge a show at home hanging out with my
dog Duchess.” However, less time at school, naturally, leads to lessened compensation. Therein lies the biggest setback to halftime teaching. “It isn’t full time,” Williams said. “Mrs. Williams and I are saving for a house, so full time would be good.” For some, however, the negatives far outweigh the positives. Amy Razor, remote geometry teacher, teaches more classes under the hybrid schedule. “Since the fall semester of 2015, I have taught 1st, 3rd, and 4th hour, so I was just at school in the morning,” Razor said. This is my first year with a change, and now the hybrid schedule also causes me to have to teach in the mornings and afternoons.” The increased intensity of her new schedule has made life a good bit more difficult for Razor, disproportionately so, considering she teaches part-time. “I already knew that being a part-time teacher wouldn’t really be ‘parttime,’” Razor said. During this school year I usually put in 50+ work hours per week. The reason I teach part time is because I have Multiple Sclerosis. Stress is a big trigger for my MS symptoms. Our current hybrid schedule is not sustainable for most (if not all) teachers.”
By Skylar Saragusa
After three weeks of hybrid learning, schools were shut down after cases spread like wild-fire throughout Olathe. With Christmas break coming and the end of the semester creeping up, administrators are struggling to decide what school should look like after break, and whether or not to return to hybrid learning. Returning to inperson school is a disaster waiting to happen, which is why schools should remain closed and online learning should prevail. The number of COVID-19 cases and lack of control in lessening these numbers in the United States is enough to show why staying home is necessary, but Olathe schools have done plenty to show why remote learning is the only safe option. One of the main reasons Olathe schools were forced to close was due to staffing issues. Many teachers were absent after being exposed to COVID-19. Once exposed, students and staff in Olathe schools must quarantine for 14 days. This meant that schools had to try and find substitutes that would be willing to teach until the teacher could come back to school. During a regular school year it’s hard enough to find teachers to cover classes for a day, let alone finding substitutes to cover for two weeks. I don’t blame these substitutes either, as it seems risky to come into contact with a group of students you’ve never seen before.
It’s hard to know if every student is following the COVID-19 guidelines outside of school, and whether or not the students have been exposed. We can’t expect this issue to change, regardless of whether or not the number of cases start to lessen and Olathe is no longer in the red zone. It’s too soon to expect substitutes to be willing to step in for teachers who are absent. Plus, unless substitutes are being tested before being allowed to step-in, we don’t know if that substitute has been exposed or not as well. Another problem with in-person learning is Olathe schools’ lack of regulation in regards to COVID-19. Some stores, such as Walmart, are taking steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19 by taking employees’ temperatures when they report for work, according to Walmart Corporate. While this is not always an accurate way to determine whether or not a person has COVID-19, as there are asymptomatic carriers and other types of symptoms, it is a precaution that should still be taken in schools. Read the full story at Eyrieonline.org! Scan for the direct link.
THE EYRIE 9
