So, there’s this story about a teacher who tried to take a day off because she was sick and wanted to inform the school about it – it went viral after she shared it on TikTok.
Picture this – it’s 2 am, she’s trying to log into the system that manages teacher absences, hoping to get a substitute to cover her class. But wait, she’s from New Jersey and has completely forgotten her login details. Oops! So, she shoots off an email to her school secretary.
She explains how she marked her absence due to a stomach bug for the next day in the email and mentioned she couldn’t remember the system password to submit it herself. She also sent her lesson plans over to her colleagues to pass on to the substitute teacher.
After hitting send, she still needs to finish preparing everything for the following day. Imagine scrambling to get everything in order while running to the restroom!
Later, she was taken aback by the response from her somewhat disgruntled school secretary after all her late-night efforts. Instead of a simple “get well soon,” she was reminded to contact the principal or the secretary directly if she couldn’t log her sick leave into the system.
She wasn’t expecting a cheer-up message but was definitely not ready for the attitude. It felt like she was being blamed for not having a substitute available. So, she was pretty frustrated by the whole “ridiculous experience” – and felt responsible for the substitute shortage.
She’s known for sharing her teaching journey’s highs and lows on TikTok, so it was no surprise she posted about why teachers hesitate to call in sick. Over 31,400 viewers tuned in, with over 1,200 liking the clip. Her response resonated with many others who shared similar experiences.
She pointed out that there aren’t many jobs where you must plan meticulously for your absence. When teachers call in sick, it’s not the same as being told not to come in; they face guilt for leaving work unfinished. This issue needs addressing, especially in a time when teacher shortages are a concern.
Since her video went viral, teachers worldwide have come forward to share their stories and support. One TikTok user commented, “It often feels easier just to power through than deal with sub plans that take forever to prepare.” Some even shared heart-wrenching stories like being forced to work despite being terribly ill.
Join the conversation and share your thoughts on how we can support our educators better when they’re not feeling well.