LOW MOOR — Alleghany County teachers are growing frustrated over a substitute teacher shortage and they are asking the school board to act.
Dorothy Carter, a UniServ representative with the Virginia Education Association, said county teachers are carrying out additional duties and they are not receiving extra compensation. In some instances, classes are being combined when teachers are unable to report to work.
“They are expected to do this and they are not getting additional compensation,” Carter said to the school board Monday night.
School boards across the state are dealing with teacher shortages and a lack of substitutes. The problem has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Plus, there is less interest in the profession. Teachers continue to flee the profession, studies show fewer college students are pursuing education degrees – a trend researchers had seen long before COVID-19 hit.
Carter said some schools boards in Virginia are providing additional pay to teachers for the extra duties they have picked up.
“I know you’ve got some CARES Act money. You could use some of that,” Carter said to the school board Monday night. “[The teachers] are tired and they are willing to do what needs to be done. But they are tired.”
In a move to recognize the work of teachers and staff, the school board voted to amend the academic calendar. Schools will now be closed all week Nov. 22-26 for Thanksgiving.
School board member Gerald Franson (Covington District), said he is willing to consider additional steps to compensate teachers for their work.
“They have really stepped up. I know they are pulling extra time,” he said.
Franson added, “If there is any way we can help our teachers get through this, I am sure the board will take a look at it.”
Jason Helmintoller (Sharon District) issued an appeal to the community. He said local residents can help solve the dilemma by being willing to serve as substitute teachers.
“Sign up to be a substitute. We need you,” he said.
Carter had noted that in some cases, teachers are having to give up their daily planning periods to carry out additional duties. The planning periods range from 30 to 45 minutes.
“Those teachers deserve the breaks they need,” Helmintoller said.
Meanwhile, the school board continues to be confronted by transgender policies and the teaching of critical race theory.
School Board Chairman Jacob Wright said those issues are being debated on the national and state levels, not in Alleghany County. He said Alleghany County schools have non-discrimination policies that protect all students. County schools are not teaching critical race theory, he said.
By the start of the school year, school boards were required to pass policies that protect transgender students under a law passed by the General Assembly in 2020. They’re required to base them on a set of model policies the Virginia Department of Education finalized in March.
Legally, boards were required to pass policies consistent with the model policies — not the model policies themselves. The legislation that requires the policies doesn’t include any mechanism to punish boards for not following.
Critical race theory, which has been fiercely debated at some school board meetings in Virginia, is an academic framework that tries to explain how race and racism affect people’s lives.
The originators of the concept are frustrated by America’s failure to mend racial inequities after the civil rights movement. They want a way to explain why the country remains unfair even after the federal government overturned laws that sanctioned racial segregation.
“We are not teaching CRT at this time, but I am willing to let every one speak what’s on their minds,” Wright said.
The board heard from two speakers Monday — both are pastors — Buddy Burks and David Maddy.
“Teachers have talked openly with us,” Maddy said. “They also have concerns with some of these new mandates and new laws.”
While speaking mostly on transgender issues in schools, Maddy said,” We love these students and we don’t want them to be under any judgment of anything like that.”
Nonetheless, he said the state is attacking parental rights by taking away their authority to make decisions about their children’s education. He said the state is also out to punish parents and teachers for their religious beliefs.
“All we ask is that you be part of the cure and not be part of the problem,” Maddy said in urging the school board to fight against the state’s policies and mandates.
Richard Shull, who represents the Jackson River District on the school board, said the board welcomes comments and input from the public.
“If you have something to say, we want you to say it,” said Shull in voicing veiled criticism of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe.
McAuliffe has been the target of intense criticism in recent weeks for saying that parents should not dictate what is taught in schools. Those decisions lie with the state, he said.
Shull said debates over COVID-19, teacher shortages, transgender policies, and critical race theory come at a time when county schools are in the process of merging with Covington schools. The merger is set to take effect on July 1, 2022.
“We have all of this on top of trying to merge the school systems,” he said.
In other business Monday, the school board:
— Received a report on Sept. 30 enrollment.
Enrollment stood at 1,803, which was 12 students fewer than budget projections.
— Approved $32,780 in grant money for a Practical Assessment Exploration System that operates as a simulated work environment for students.
— Recognized school board members for Virginia School Board Association Academy Awards. The awards were presented to Wright, Franson, John Littleton (Falling Spring District), and Danielle Morgan (Clifton Forge East).
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