Ethical Educator - Article Analysis

I recently read this article on We Are Teachers titled "We need to stop rewarding teachers for not taking sick days". This article brought up a lot of good points about teachers not taking sick days, such as how it leads to others getting sick, sick teachers aren't great teachers for that day, it sets a bad example for students, you can't model work-life balance, and it plays into the teacher as a martyr story. All of these are definitely points I have felt and can agree with. I, as well as the article, also know that it is infinitely more work for me to be gone for a day than for me to just suffer through. I know I try and make it to a day where what I had planned is convenient or easy for a sub to do instead of taking the day when I might really need it, but students are doing like a hands on activity I need to be there for.

The article pointed out that districts and school leaders that don't insist on teachers taking time when sick send a message of mixed up priorities. As they put it "If a school would rather have a puking teacher put on Netflix for a day than pay for a sub, that's pretty clear evidence of confused priorities". This article kinda hit home for me because it's something that all teachers deal with. I know when I'm gone, I'm constantly worrying about my kids' behavior and if what I had planned is actually working and getting done with students or trying to gameplan what I can do when I get back based on what they got done when I was gone and then feeling guilty when I don't get a sub and my classes are covered by other coworkers in the building on their preps.

I think ethically this is a big issue. One of the major elements of all the ethics codes we looked at, talked about creating a safe learning environment for students. If teachers are coming in sick instead of taking a day, you're going to infect your students and get them sick. We are also tasked with being good ethical role models. As the article outright states, teachers coming to work sick are modeling bad work-life balance for our students in the future. It's teaching them that it is more important to be at work instead of taking time for yourself to get better. The United States as a whole has huge problems with taking time off of work - regardless of what industry you are in. We don't take vacations or sick days because we feel guilty about leaving our company and jobs high and dry without someone to work - IT SHOULDN'T BE THAT WAY! Everyone should not feel guilty about taking a sick day to get better or taking a vacation to maintain your mental health and give yourself a break. I think the biggest ethical problem with this is that modeling aspect. We need to showcase to our students that it's important to take time for yourself; whether it be for mental health and balance or for recouping from sickness.