10 minute read
Legal
Tecia McGruder McKay Johnson County Schools
“[Hobbies] that I use to reduce stress and improve my relaxation [are] drawing and painting [which] have always been a part of my life. I incorporate [them] into my classroom by allowing my students to illustrate famous people we are learning about. They also have an opportunity to draw a picture on their TIP chart (term, information, and picture chart) for new words we are learning about.”
Suzanne McWhorter Bleckley County School District
“Art-making is one of the hobbies I use to cope with stress and it also allows me time to develop creative and technical skills. [It] also gives me the tools to expand the breadth of skills, concepts, and techniques I can offer to my students. Recently, we have been able to add digital drawing and 3D printing to our curriculum.”
Clint Robinson Heard County School System
Kassendra Paulk Coffee County Schools
Kelly Powell Bryan County Schools
“The view and sounds of waves crashing at the beach is soothing and relaxing. It decreases a lot of stressors that I face throughout the days and weeks. Whenever my students occur anxiety or stressful moments, I provide ear plugs to listen to relaxing music, a stress ball, or Rubik’s Cube (in the form of molecules).”
Joy Felton Peach County School District
“When I am sewing, I have the ability to focus on something other than what is going on in life. There is something about cutting the fabric, planning how the pieces will fit together, and sitting down to sew it all together that takes all the cares in the world away. Just as listening to a waterfall or the sounds of nature can bring a calm over someone, the sound of the sewing machine does the same thing for me.
Dr. Nikki Dahlberg Cherokee County School District
Julie Anderson Coffee County Schools
Voicing Your Job-Related Concerns
In light of the disruption that COVID19 has wrought throughout the world, it may be beneficial to review methods that Georgia educators and other school personnel can use to voice concerns about policies or practices surrounding the pandemic and other workrelated issues.
Put Your Concerns in Writing School personnel should avoid publicly airing grievances on social media. Instead, if you have concerns regarding the work environment, one of the best things you can do is privately deliver those concerns in writing to your direct supervisor. Initial verbal conversations are fine. However, be sure to follow up with a concise written description of your concerns to memorialize the key points of the conversation – and then email it to the party with whom you were conversing. This simple yet effective step not only creates a record but also increases the likelihood of your concerns being addressed.
Escalating Your Concerns to the Next Level If you do not feel that your direct supervisor adequately addressed your concerns, you should escalate those concerns to the next appropriate level as determined by your district policies or practices. Sharing your concerns with your supervisors is a flexible process. While your next steps should be taken in a timely manner, there is typically no specific timeline you must follow. You can proceed at your convenience. Further, as stated earlier, while we recommend initially documenting your concerns in writing, thereafter, you may proceed in person, over the phone, virtually, in writing, or some combination thereof. If preferred, it can be handled discreetly behind closed doors. The most important thing to remember when following your district process is to avoid
skipping over anyone. Be cognizant of who is officially next in line and give that person the opportunity to address your concerns. For example, a teacher who has a concern regarding social distancing at his or her school should not begin by contacting central office. Instead, he or she should first bring that concern to the principal’s attention. If, for whatever reason, the matter is not resolved, the teacher can then go to the principal’s direct supervisor and so forth. In most public school systems, the superintendent is the top administrator.
Share Your Concerns with the Board If you have concerns about board policy and are a resident of the district in which you work, you may also be able to share your concerns with the board of education. You should follow and complete your district’s process for resolution. But, if that does not provide relief, this may be a viable avenue. Be sure to follow local protocol when requesting that you be added to the agenda for an upcoming board meeting. If you are placed on the agenda, you can then make a brief statement to the board. Keep in mind that boards of education do not typically get involved in personnel matters. If your concern is primarily about local policy, you are much more likely to be heard.
Whistleblower Protection The Georgia Whistleblower Act (O.C.G.A. §45-1-4) was enacted in 1993 to, in part, protect from discipline or retaliation public employees who, in good faith, disclose fraud, waste, or abuse in state programs. Employees of Georgia public school districts are considered public employees under this law. Please note that not every concern will constitute an allegation of fraud, waste, or abuse. Be sure to consult a PAGE attorney to determine if you qualify for protection under the Act.
For more information about this or other related matters, please contact the PAGE Legal Department at 770-2168555 (option 1) or 800-334-6861 (option 1). You may email them directly at legal@pageinc.org. n
Leonard D. Williams Staff Attorney
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Visit www.pageinc.org/membership-2/ to find your membership services representative.
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Melissa Silva ‘19
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Mercer University graduate Jordynn Edwards, ’20, is embracing the unique challenges of 2020 during her first year teaching in Bibb County School District, one of Mercer’s school system partners. We partner with teachers, leaders, schools, and communities across Georgia to provide: • Field placement opportunities • Educational leadership pathways • Professional learning programs • Tuition benefit agreements (called Enterprise Learning Partnerships)
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Throughout this challenging year, teachers, counselors, and school leaders like you have remained passionately committed to supporting students and families—making many sacrifices to ensure that learning continues successfully. We see you.
And we appreciate you.
JORDYNN EDWARDS ’20
B.S.Ed. in Elementary/Special Education - The Holistic Child Alexander II Math and Science Magnet School Bibb County School District
