WakeEd

The WakeEd blog is devoted to discussing and answering questions about the major issues facing the Wake County school system. How much will the new Democratic majority on the school board do to undo the changes made by Republicans since 2009? Will the new student assignment plan be a hybrid of the last two models or primarily be a return to the use of busing for diversity? Who will replace Tony Tata as the new superintendent of the state's largest district? How will voters react to a likely request in 2013 to borrow potentially more than $1 billion to build and renovate schools?

WakeEd is maintained by The News & Observer's Wake schools reporter, T. Keung Hui. While Keung posts information and analysis on the issues, keep us posted on your suggestions, questions, tips and what you're doing to cope with the changes in Wake's schools.

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Taking a personal day

Submitted by kwepps on 07/24/2008 - 10:05

Teachers can celebrate a small victory in being able to take a day off from work while school is in session and not have to pay for a substitute.

Included in the state budget is money to cover "personal leave" days for teachers. In the past, teachers had to pay $50 to take a personal day. The money went to help cover the cost of the substitute.

Jennifer Lanane, president of the Wake chapter of the North Carolina Association of Educators said the money included in the budget only includes one day for personal leave instead of the two days the association and others were lobbying for. Lanane also pointed out that the money will only cover one year, so teacher associations will have to fight for additional money next year.

According to an N&O article in April 2007, the policy had been on the books since the early 1960s. In 2006, 77,252 personal leave days were taken by teachers across the state, and it cost about $6 million to pay for substitutes. Teachers contributed about $3.8 million of that cost.

Teachers complained that they were being charged the $50, but a substitute was not always used. They said in many cases, other teachers covered their classes.

Under state policy, teachers earn two days each year for personal leave, which is often used for weddings, graduations or birthdays. Teachers don't have to pay for a sub when they are sick, but they had to pay the deduction when they took a personal leave day.

Comments

persibal leave

Tue, 09/30/2008 - 15:31 — tania (not verified)

I received my September paycheck today and saw that my accumulated 4.60 personal days had been taken away from me. Wiped right off my pay check. Not because I had used them but because of this bill. They may have gave classroom teachers a break but they stuck it to teachers who are out of the classroom. I teach ESL and they don't get a sub for me when I'm out. Because of this bill, I not don't even have the option of taking a personal day and must use my annual leave for Holiday's and personal days. This doesn't seem fair. I feel like I'm being discriminated against because I'm not in the classroom. I'm a teacher, and have my master's degree, and in some cases have more qualifications than classroom teachers and yet I don't recieve all the benefits that classroom teachers recieve- thanks to this bill. This just doesn't seem fair at all!

Personal Leave

Tue, 09/30/2008 - 15:24 — tania (not verified)

I just had all my personal days taken away from me because of this bill. I teach ESL. My system doesn't get subs for me when I am out. I had accumumed 4.60 personal days and they were removed from my pay stub because I'm not a classroom teacher. I may not have a classroom, but I do work with and for students the whole time I'm at work. I'm a little upset that I've lost these days because I'm not a classroom teacher. This bill may have helped classroom teachers, but it's hurt those of us not in the classroom. I feel like I'm being discriminated against because I'm not a classroom teacher.

I left teaching due to the

Wed, 08/06/2008 - 12:28 — Anonymous (not verified)

I left teaching due to the fact that teachers in North Carolina are treated lousy. I hope someone soon will take a stand on this matter and fight for teachers' rights!

Give 'em a break

Thu, 07/24/2008 - 13:18 — Dadof3

Could you imagine, paying the bosslady $50 for a personal day at work? I'll let the brighter ones here explain or justify it, but, jeesh, that's lousy. Someone tell me what I'm missing.