Tired of struggling to find enough teachers to staff its classrooms on the Friday before the annual Georgia-Florida football game, the Clarke County (Ga.) School District last Friday decided to cancel school altogether. Last year, 137 teachers were absent the day before the big game. Yes, that says teachers not students.
Georgia lost 49-10. At least someone learned a lesson.
(Hat tip: The Gadfly)
It is the right of every district to manipulate its schedule as it sees fit. If administrators and school board members believe it’s necessary to cancel a day of classes in order to accommodate a football game, they have the legal right to do so. The teachers, parents, students and community members then have the right to respond about whether they see that as an appropriate action.
However, prior to the district’s decision, the teachers who skipped out on their contracts and their responsibilities to their students should be disciplined. If it were up to me, I would fire them outright.