Lack of teachers for virtual learning

Lack of teachers for virtual learning

New at ten -- tomorrow marks three weeks since the new school year began in limestone county.

And after all that time -- there are still some students who don't have teachers for their virtual learning classrooms. the limestone county schools superintendent says the district still needs to hire two more teachers for the virtual program -- and that's after the board of education hired 18 teachers last night!

Waay 31's casey albritton is live after talking to the superintendent and learned why the district is still hiring.

Casey?

Superintendent randy shearouse says there's two reasons behind the hiring problem - a teacher shortage across the country-- and the district not acting quickly enough when coronavirus money came in to create more classes for the virtual program.

Parents say they are worried children are falling behind.

Mother/ kristen williams "it's chaos right now.

It's all thrown together and our children are really suffering because of it."

Mother kristen williams says her daughter has had two virtual history teachers since the first day of school.

She says one teacher resigned after the first week--and a week later, the replacement teacher also resigned... mother/ kristen williams "she's only eleven and she needs guidance.

She needs a teacher so if she has a question to be able to help her with and as you know, we don't have one of those."

Williams isn't the only one without a teacher.

One parent who didn't want to go on camera told me her 8th grader still doesn't have teachers for two different subjects... amanda mcgrew/ mother "we should have been ready to start when it was time to start school."

Parent amanda mcgrew says her daughter didn't have a teacher for the full first week of school... amanda mcgrew/ mother "i think at this point they will probably be a little behind and they will play catch-up for the rest of the semester."

Suprerintedent dr. shearouse says the district has hired 24 virtual teachers over the last few weeks... and wants to hire even more.

Dr. shearouse/ superintendent "if we had pulled all those teachers from traditional schools and put them in virtual, then we would have large class sizes and we wouldn't be able to social distance."

I then asked him why teachers are quitting after the school year started.

Dr. shearouse/ superintendent "there are great needs for teachers across this country and so it's very competitive and sometimes they get better job offers."

Williams says her daughter is still receiving work...but with no guidance from a teacher, it's hard for her to keep up.

Mother/ kristen williams "i think she is going to fall really behind in history."

Dr. shearouse/ superintendent "any particular need a parent has, we are trying to address those."

Dr shearouse says the district is trying to hire as quickly as possible... and for students who are getting their teachers late, assignment due dates will be pushed back.

Live in limestone county, casey albritton, waay 31 news.