A letter to the editor in the September 18th Post and Courier at Charleston.net thinks teachers have been treated like slaves. She wrote after reading a previous letter to the editor that stated that teachers needed to work more hours, including Saturdays, to improve South Carolina's educational system.
Most teachers have heard their working hours described as easy before---summers off, only work until 3 p.m. But anyone who has actually known a teacher knows that many more hours, and many Saturdays and Sundays too, are spent by teachers working to provide quality services.
The writer said:
"Slavery was outlawed nearly a century and a half ago, but it is still being
practiced in the South Carolina educational system. Teachers at a school I have
visited start their day at 7 a.m. The children begin to come in a 7:15 a.m. The
day ends at 2:30 p.m. That's seven hours. They go to lunch and recess with their
students. They have no official planning period and no bathroom break. The only
time teachers have time during the day when they can make plans, go to the
bathroom and straighten up the classroom is when their students go to a
specialist, such as music. Two of these teachers with whom I spoke do not get
this "free" time until after 1 p.m.
I don't think it is legal to deprive someone of a break of some kind for six hours. Imagine not being able to relieve yourself for that long. When the children leave school, the teachers I talked with said they always have a meetings or training session to attend.
The letter writer suggested teachers should work on Saturday. In fact,
every teacher I talked with does. They also work until five, six and even until
10 at night — voluntarily — for no extra pay other than the satisfaction that
they have done their jobs well. "
