We often say how much we value the work that teachers do, but actions speak louder than words. That’s why Louisiana should do everything it can to ensure the teachers who care for our children have the time to care for their own.
It may come as a surprise that many districts in Louisiana offer no paid parental leave to teachers. A survey of a dozen districts by this newspaper found that of those who had their policies readily available online, only one — Orleans Parish — offered any kind of paid leave to new parents.
No state body keeps information on parental leave policies of districts, but reporting by staff writer Elyse Carmosino found that many offer only the bare minimum. Federal law allows for unpaid family leave after the birth of a child for 90 days. But for many teachers, taking time off without pay is unrealistic. Teachers typically get 10 days of paid sick leave per year. It can take years of accumulating time off in order to cobble together enough leave to have a child. So new parents are left to apply for extended medical leave, take out a short-term disability insurance policy or rely on other measures to fill the gap. Some have been able to make do thanks to the generosity of other teachers, who can donate their unused sick days to help a colleague…