Parents Are ‘Furious’ Over School Board’s Decision To Give Teachers More Time Off To Relieve Stress

A Maryland school board approved a calendar change to provide teachers more time off, which infuriated parents over concerns that it will set their children back academically.

On Dec. 7, the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) school board approved a calendar change for the 2021-22 school year that will give MCPS staff and faculty more time off, Fox 5 reported.

One MCPS parent, Dr. Jennifer Linton Reesman, joined “Fox & Friends First” to criticize the board’s rationale in approving extra time off.

“They’ve given us conflicting reasons, saying that on one hand it’s for professional development, on the other hand it’s for planning time, which are two very different things,” Reesman said. “All we know is that they’ve cut instructional time for children across the board here in Maryland and parents here, we are furious, we’re fed up about this.”

Reesman said these changes will have long-term, negative effects on children, and she said that instructional time should not be reduced as overall, reading and math scores are already down.

“We know that children who are receiving reduced instructional time in school are more likely to have less educational outcomes, less likely to go to college, more likely to learn less over time, over their entire lifetime,” she said.

MCPS Interim Superintendent Dr. Monifa McKnight announced the change at Thursday’s school board meeting, saying that it will go into effect during this year’s holiday break, FOX 5 reported.

“I just want transparency and honesty,” MCPS parent Dawn Iannaco-Hahn told FOX 5. “If they want a break for the staff, then just say that. Don’t mask it as professional development,”

Montgomery County Education Association president Jennifer Martin defended the calendar changes.

“[Early-release time is] an important step toward improving morale and giving teachers the space they need in order to prepare for students and give them an excellent education,” she said.

MCPS did not respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.