Teachers work hard at school - and at home

I would like to respond to Phillip Fortin’s criticism of teachers getting snow days off. I am not a teacher, but I do work in a school and I see what teachers do.

It is correct that teachers do have papers to grade and class plans to prepare and need to collaborate with their peers regarding the students in their care. What Mr. Fortin may not realize is that teachers put in many extra hours, beyond their contract hours, doing just that.

While many people work 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and clock out, teachers do not. I don’t know how early I’d have to go to work to beat the teachers. I have arrived as early as 6:30 a.m. and there are already teachers busily preparing the day’s lessons. And several are still there 10 hours later correcting papers and preparing for the next day. Or they take papers home with them to grade in the evening.

Sunday is no day of rest for teachers either. Many spend several hours at school prepping for the week ahead. This doesn’t even take into account the many hours teachers volunteer their own time at events such as music concerts, literacy and math nights, academic competitions, sports competitions, PTA activities, etc.

Teachers are among the hardest working people I’ve ever known and care deeply about educating students and equipping them to be tomorrow’s adults. So the next time there’s a snow day and teachers are off work, just know that they’ve already put in the hours.

SANDI GREER-GATLIN

Sandpoint