Substitute teachers needed in Walker County

WALKER CO, Ga. (WDEF)- Walker County Schools are back in session both virtually and in person.

According to the Walker County Association of Educators, the county has a substitute teacher shortage.

Currently, they have about a 73% fill rate for substitutes.

The association says that they would normally have about 93% around this time of the year.

Some teachers in the county are conducting on-line and in-person class at the same time which means that the lack of substitutes could cause mass crowding.

The President of the Walker County Association of Educators, Debbie Baker, says, “Two things are happening with the classes. Either, classes are doubled up into other classes, meaning that we have an extreme increase in class size or, teachers are filling in during their planning time, which has several implications. We are increasing the risk of exposure to more teachers, it’s over burdening these teachers because they now have an additional duty, and it is taking away the planning time that they desperately need.”

“Unfortunately, there is a characterization of teachers being whiners and complainers. What’s happening right now, teachers are going above and beyond. They are pitching in to help students, administrators and each other during these very trying times. They are working double and triple duty to be able to plan and teach virtual and in-person students simultaneously, while also taking on other duties for teachers who aren’t able to come into the buildings. Our teachers are rock stars”, adds Baker.

The Walker County Association of Educators says that the county is offering substitutes an increase of pay this year.

They are also actively trying to recruit them throughout the year.