Skylar Jones
Arts Editor
The recent teacher slowdown has been in reaction to not having a contract for the 2018-2019 school year. Teachers have been shutting their doors in solidarity to show how important it is that contracts be renewed. While it is for a important cause and teachers deserve to be compensated for extra work hours, it is important to remember the impact that this has on students.
Teachers are constantly working around the clock, whether it’s grading, preparing lessons, creating tests, and more. Teachers use their legally mandated breaks to help students outside of classtime and provide them with guidance. After 3 years of contract negotiations with the Manhattan Beach Unified School District, teachers in the union came to an consensus: they need their contracts renewed and drastic measures had to be taken.
The teacher slowdown has affected students in more ways than one. This strike essentially creates a barrier between teachers and students. The only opportunity students have to speak with their teachers is during class or once a week during Office Hours. That time is usually broken up by drills and tests so students do not have the opportunity to seek help. Students are left to find outside help or try to teach themselves the concepts. Students have lost valuable resources during this slowdown and it is reflective in their grades.
Missing school for excused reasons has resulted in even more obstacles to makeup assigments and tests. Now students must miss even more class time to makeup work, setting them further behind the curve. The only option is to self-learn lessons with an even more limited time frame according to junior Rebecca Dahl.
Students are given an hour a week per subject, considering Office Hours is divided between the sciences and english/language, which makes it impossible to make up tests and quizzes for every subject. For this reason they are left with weeks of makeup work. This has become extremely unfortunate for both parties, especially in the case that students have to make up exams after break, said Dahl.
This movement has created a cycle that has taken its toll on students’ grades. If a student misses one or two days of school, they must make up assignments in the limited time provided, with minimal to no help on missed lessons. If there is no Office Hours that week, students will have to make it up during the period, causing them to miss more teacher instruction.
While I support the cause of this protest and everything our teachers stand for, it has taken a toll on student’s grades. Students are left behind the curve, struggling to understand, with no opportunity to ask their teachers for help. Teachers deserve to have their contracts renewed and to be compensated for how hard they work, but students also deserve the opportunity to receive the help they need and the chance to make up work. Otherwise, students’ grades will continue to take a downward toll.
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