Help Us Help Our Friend - DPChallenge Forums

01/12/2005 12:08:55 PM · #1

** Cross-posted since Rant is not visible to all **

All,

One of our friends, who has cancer, is being forced out of her job as a teacher because the county won't let her take leave without pay to do a 4 month treatment program.

it's very surprising and saddening to see your friend in the paper, like this:

here's the article (registration required, sorry):
//www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A61570-2005Jan9.html

the bottom line is that she is a very good teacher, in a county that is always complaining that there is a shortage of very good teachers, and they won't bend the rules to let her do leave WITHOUT pay because she has not been in the job 'long enough'. So as a result, she is going to be fired, and jobless, with cancer that may or may not be treatable.

Please help by flooding the email boxes of the Loudoun County School District's superintendent with email protesting the firing of Alison Yowell.

schools@loudoun.k12.va.us
Attn: Dr. Edgar B. Hatrick, Superintendent

Thanks for your attention.

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon

01/12/2005 12:10:30 PM · #2

Why not just move the other one here?

01/12/2005 01:02:50 PM · #3

because i'm dumb.

:)

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

01/12/2005 02:20:47 PM · #4

bump

Neil

Fujifilm X-T30

01/12/2005 02:26:46 PM · #5

If you want to flood them, post a letter template. Then many of us will tweak it a bit, and they'll get the point.

This is similar to what Moveon, Smokefree and other advocacy groups do to get a good response. I'll be happy to send as well.

kearock

Nikon D90

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G IF-ED

01/12/2005 02:56:22 PM · #6

That's sad to hear. One of my brother's elementary school teachers died of cancer and she was teaching up until she was physically unable. I don't know if she did any treatment programs that required long term leaves, but I'm pretty sure she at least missed some days for short term things. Everyone was very supportive of her, the school included. Given, it was a small school with extremely involved parents (just last year they fundraised the full salary for a teaching position that was going be the victim of district budget cuts), but still. Once she got really ill and had to stop teaching they had this whole phone network thing going, so all the families would know any news, and were doing everything they could to help her. What's the parent involvement like at your friend's school? Parents voices are often the strongest in educational debates.

karmat

Apple iPhone 7

Canon EF 70-200mm f/4.0L USM

01/12/2005 03:12:52 PM · #7

It is really odd how different systems set stuff up. In most systems, teachers can donate "leave" to others. (If I accumulate 10 days a year and never use them, so after 7 years, I have 70 days, I can "donate" up to x number to another teacher).

cbonsall

Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT

Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM for Canon

01/12/2005 03:17:58 PM · #8

Be careful though, spamming their inbox will just annoy them.

You need to write individual letters to have any impact, and only send one each.

Write to the local Senator/Congressmen as well

rich

Canon EOS-40D

Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM

01/12/2005 03:41:24 PM · #9

Although it may be too late to help your friend, it looks like the school system is considering a policy change.

Hopefully if they make a change they will eventually consider extending the benefit to her, since her plight appears to be the catalyst.

SDW

Canon EOS-60D

Tamron AF 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di LD Aspherical IF for Canon

01/12/2005 03:45:59 PM · #10

Sorry to here about this. I was going to bring up FLMA but finally got to see the article and see she has not been employed more than one year.

Message edited by author 2005-01-12 16:07:45.