Paid Sick Days for Parents Benefit Kids, Schools
It’s back to school season! Educators and students are back in school, after many have prepared much of the summer. Families are once again preparing for an even more hectic juggling act.
And with the new school year, and changing weather, comes the likelihood of sick children. While no parent plans for children to get sick, most know that a cold, earache or possibly the flu are all likely at some point. Even in better scenarios, when a child falls ill and parents have paid sick days, there is a mad dash to change schedules and tend to the sick son or daughter. But when parents don’t have paid sick days -the hard reality for nearly 40 million American families- the consequences can be devastating.
The truth is, if we care about kids’ success in schools, we have to care about what happens to their parents at work. When a child falls sick, teachers or school nurses make that call. But too often, parents fear losing pay or even their job if they leave work to pick up their child, potentially leading to upheaval for the family. Sometimes a partner, or relative, can come, but what if they, too, face lost pay or discipline for leaving work? Kids frequently become sicker, and spread the illness to classmates or school employees.
Teachers know what happens when sick children must be in school: germs spread and learning is put on hold. They also know that when parents can’t take the time off to care for their little ones, they may need older siblings to stay home with them. According to a briefing paper by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, 10 out of 13 Denver principals found too many instances of older siblings staying home to care for younger siblings because their parents can’t.
Read the rest of the op-ed here: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2014/09/26/241140_paid-sick-days-for-parents-benefit.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy
ABOUT THE WRITERS.
Lily Eskelsen Garcia is president of the National Education Association.
Randi Weingarten is president of the American Federation of Teachers.
Otha Thornton is president of the National Parent Teacher Association.
Carol Joyner is director of the Labor Project for Working Families at Family Values @ Work.
Randi Weingarten is president of the American Federation of Teachers.
Otha Thornton is president of the National Parent Teacher Association.
Carol Joyner is director of the Labor Project for Working Families at Family Values @ Work.