CBE online teacher questions why they must work from schools
'Our schools are safe,' says Calgary Board of Education
A Hub online school teacher with the Calgary Board of Education says her day-to-day working conditions inside her school are adding to the already stressful job of teaching virtually.
The elementary school teacher, whom CBC News has agreed not to name as she fears professional retribution, said she and other Hub teachers are, for the most part, still being required to come into their schools to work.
"What we thought we would be doing was working in our own classrooms. But it ended up that we were put in smaller classrooms that were kind of closer to each other," she said.
Since school started, she said, she's been sharing a room with two other Hub teachers using cardboard tri-folds to separate themselves.
"It's like a room that doesn't have windows where we're all kind of crammed in, three of us in a space, and we're trying to teach at the same time. That has been challenging," she said.
Meanwhile, there are classrooms in her building sitting empty.
"I just feel like sometimes we are extra bodies in a school," she said. "I am able to work one day from home and the rest of the days I'm at the school."
No one from the CBE was made available for an interview, but in an emailed statement the board said it can't speak to which physical spaces Hub teachers are working from as it is specific to the school that the Hub classes are attached to.
"School staff continue to adhere to all health measures, including wearing a mask and practising physical distancing," it said.
"Our schools are safe. Despite the number of positive cases in our communities, in-school transmission continues to be low."
The CBE said principals are encouraged to reduce or eliminate as many in-person interactions between staff members as possible, including ensuring that all staff meetings are virtual.
"Staff are asked to follow all health protocols to continue to reduce the risk of transmission. Given that most students are not currently on site at many of our schools, this should help ensure staff can maintain physical distancing at work."
Futher, the CBE said all school-based staff, not just Hub teachers, are working from school.
"Having school-based staff work from schools helps ensure continuity of learning, provides access to other colleagues, IT and administrative support and seamless coverage of teaching schedules," it said. "All schools are open, and all health measures continue to be in place. We want to ensure that families have the ability to request appointments or obtain in-person support."
The teacher said she was only allowed to work from home one day a week after explaining to her superior that it improved her mental health and work.
She said the irony of the situation is that while parents enrolled their kids in Hub to prevent them from being exposed to COVID-19, one of the teachers she shares an office space with unknowingly attended work while positive — forcing all three teachers into quarantine.
"At first when I thought I'd been placed on Hub, I thought, 'one of the pros would be that I won't have the same exposure as the class teacher.' Yes, that was definitely a thought that went through my head," she said. "And then when it was 'you're working at the school,' I thought, 'oh, well, then, it's inevitable that I'm going to isolate because of the rate school cases are happening in our city.'"
And when she did have to isolate, she said, working from home was a breath of fresh air.
"When you only really have yourself to focus on, the rest of the vibrating stress of the school environment that you feel is not attached to you in the same way," she said. "You're able to just think about your classroom, your needs and your space and a little more of in your own environment. It's quieter, more comfortable."
I just feel like sometimes we are extra bodies in a school. We are used for supervision and for creating online content for the in-class teachers.- Hub teacher working in school
The CBE said most Hub teachers have been working from schools as many have been collaborating with other Hub teachers within the school, and also contributing to school-based supports such as student supervision, team meetings and professional development, which require them to be in the building.
But, the teacher said, in her experience, the collaboration with other Hub teachers happens online anyway.
"If you think about our lives in Hub, [there is] basically one one teacher per grade, you're the only one. If you're collaborating, you're collaborating with teachers that are not from the school you're in. You're collaborating maybe with people on Zoom or online," she said.
"I just feel like sometimes we are extra bodies in a school. We are used for supervision and for creating online content for the in-class teachers, which I'm more than happy to help them do, because they also have their own challenges with trying to provide online material for kids who can't be at school."
The CBE said Hub teachers who were approved for a medical or family status accommodation have worked from home since the beginning of the school year.
"If individual circumstances change, the process for reviewing and approving requests for accommodations remains available," it said.
If a Hub teacher working in a school is exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 or was identified as needing to self-isolate but is still feeling well enough to work, the CBE said they may work from home.
The teacher said she would like to see more flexibility in Hub teachers working from home.
"What would help is if we had more of an option to work … instead of one day at home, maybe like 50 per cent of the time at home," she said.
"There are some times that we need to be present for, with our staff, and that makes complete sense, but I just don't believe that we necessarily need to be there Monday to Friday."
Chief Superintendent Bryan Szumlas with the Calgary Catholic School District said its online staff also continue to work from schools.
"That is our messaging going out to not only our teaching staff but also our support staff," he said.
"The rationale behind this decision is … No. 1, all of our schools remain open … the second point is that all of our schools are safe. There's been very limited transmission traced back to the spread of COVID within our schools."
Szumlas said having staff in schools also ensures continuity of learning.
"When we think back to March and to June, we did have many staff members who struggled with having the internet access, and it also costs money for internet access. This can be provided free of charge within our schools," he said.
"We have our administrators in our schools as well as IT support to help our teachers work in an online environment, and we also have seamless coverage of teaching schedules."
Szumlas said the Catholic district has learned that it can keep schools fairly safe.
"Our teachers are going to be working in their classrooms with no students in the classroom," he said. "They are pretty much safe if they're in isolation in their classrooms doing this work with maybe one or two support staff members that drop in on them."
In an emailed statement, Alberta Education said local school authorities, as employers, are responsible for decisions relating to staff continuing to work at school or work from home.
"School authorities' decisions and approach must continue to follow Occupational Health and Safety as well as provincial health measures," said acting press secretary Nicole Sparrow.
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