Students and learning affected by teacher shortage in Lee County

Reporter: Claire Galt Writer: Rachel Murphy
Published: Updated:
photograph of a girl reading a notebook near another girl using her phone
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Lee County School teachers are describing how the teacher shortage has affected the behavior of students in the classroom.

“Kids are sitting in their phones, playing on their phones or playing on their Chromebooks or working on other work or putting their head down and going to sleep,” said a Gateway High School Teacher who wished to remain anonymous.

Teachers are reaching out to WINK News, saying kids do not behave when there’s a new substitute covering every day or when two classes are combined.

Current and former Lee County School teachers said that small classes are turning into crowds. They fear it might lead to less face-to-face and more virtual interaction.

Credit: via WINK News.

“It’s going to become very college lecture hall style, where we put all the students in one giant room and they work on their computers for their eight hours and they go home,” said Tamryn Taylor.

The teachers are currently negotiating a new contract with Lee County Schools. The district will not comment on the teacher shortage or contract talks other than to confirm its latest offer is an 8% increase across the board. The union plans to counter during their next bargaining season on Tuesday.

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