PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Philadelphia teachers are pushing back against the school district’s longstanding practice they say punishes them for taking sick days.
"One, two, three, four we can't take it anymore," teachers chanted as they rallied outside school district headquarters Thursday, protesting policy 3-5-7-9.
The policy was permitted under an arbitration ruling in the 1980s. It allows the district to progressively discipline teachers who use their 10 allotted sick days.
After three days are used, a principal meets with a teacher. After five, a warning memo is issued. After seven, an "unsatisfactory incident" memo goes on the teacher's file, and after nine, the teacher could be suspended.
"That ninth occurrence can actually be grounds for termination,” said Lincoln High School teacher Charlie Hudgins. “So you get 10 sick days but if you use them you can be fired for using them. It just doesn't really add up.”
He says it forces teachers to make tough decisions.
"I had it once where I had a relative die and I was having a difficult medical condition occur at the same time. And I didn't take the day because I was worried there’d be some type of retaliation."
At Thursday night's board meeting, Superintendent Tony Watlington said teachers don't need to fear reprisals.
"If you've got an individual situation that you think was handled inappropriately, I want you to report that in writing to the appropriate supervisor."
Watlington did not offer to rescind the practice but also said the district doesn't want teachers coming in to work with the flu.