3toLead: Sick Day Confusion, Tackling Fake News, and School Board Election Results
In this week's 3toLead, Houston ISD warns teachers who have used multiple sick days, California tells schools to tackle fake news, and voters have their say in contversial school board races.
Each Monday, I send out three stories intended help educational leaders start off the week on their front foot. My goal is to share a mix of updates on educational news and policy as well as inspriring stories of the impact of educators.
When I say these stories are for “leaders,” I mean that in the broadest sense: everyone from district and building leaders to instructional coaches and team leaders, to teachers who lead by example.
1. Houston Teachers Say Absence Memos Stoke Fear and Confusion
Teachers at Houston’s public school district have been issued warning letters upon missing as few as four days of school this year, the Houston Chronicle reports. The district says the memos—which employees are being asked to sign—are meant to make sure employees are fully aware of the district’s policies, so that they can “be careful and start planning how they're going to handle this next absence.”
Teachers, though, say the letters feel intimidating, particularly since they are b eing issued even though the employee has not violated district policies.
Michelle Williams, who heads the district’s teacher’s union, said the letters are making members confused about when and how they can use their sick days.
“We might have needed some tightening up, because there are people who abuse it, but ... if you’re earning these days, then when can you take them,” she said. “That’s the question.”
2. California Tells Schools to Tackle Fake News
CalMatters reports on a new state law in California that will require schools to teach children how to spot fake news online. The media literacy requirement will not take the form of its own standalone class. Rather, the legislation calls for the state to add media literacy standards into the curricula for the core subjects. Marc Berman, the bill’s sponsor, told the website that misinformation is having a profound effect on the world.
“This is about making sure our young people have the skills they need to navigate this landscape,” he said.
The bill passed unanimously and was praised by media literacy organizations. However, the article notes that the legislation was relatively straightforward, and did not include things like funding for teacher training or any kind of effectiveness tracking. Berman said the limited scope of the bill helped ensure quick passage. The law will take effect starting next school year.
3. School Board Elections Tilt on Hot-Button Issues
NPR reports on the school board race in the Central Bucks School District, in Pennsylvania. The district became a culture-war battleground over a number of high-profile issues, including pandemic masking, book banning, and displaying pride flags.
On Tuesday, voters replaced three Republican school board members with Democrats, flipping the board to a Democratic majority. A volunteer for the Democratic slate, Meghan Budden, told NPR she did not normally get involved in politics, but this time was different.
“I couldn't have my kids in a school district where these kinds of things were happening,” she said.
One of the Republicans who lost his race, however, predicted that enrollment in private schools would “skyrocket” as a result of th election.
NBC News has a roundup of school board election results, which they say collectively amount to a rebuke of “culture war” issues.