Since the beginning of the 2018-2019 school year, teachers and students alike have been frustrated over the same major issue. There’s no teachers. Now, this is not for every class but, there are an estimated 6-7 classes that are without a permanent teacher being taught by a substitute. Students are fed up with this issue and feel as though they are not getting a proper education. The Jacket has heard their cries of frustration and decided to get to the bottom of this crisis.

Mr. Loftstedt, head of the social studies department and the teachers union says the cause of this tidal wave of substitutes comes from something called a “hiring freeze”. A hiring freeze is something the district controls, they won’t allow schools to hire any new teachers due to financial distress. Loftstedt says some of the long term subs will be hired as a permanent teacher.

A lot of these substitutes have the education and proper training to be a teacher but since they’re position is not set in stone, they have limitations. Subs cannot put grades in and this frustrates many students but also teachers. Mr. Johnson, head of the English department, has to put grades in for three of the English classes with subs. “It takes up my time and impacts my own class, I do the best I can” says Johnson.

The students appear to be the most frustrated. When asked if dealing with a teacher-less class 11^th grader Casey Sterling said “Yeah it’s really frustrating, they just give us work with no interaction.” Student Taylor Salter-Smith voiced her opinion of her class. “I don’t wake up everyday at 5AM, walk to the 3^rd floor just to do nothing.” No student had any positive feedback on their substitute. Mr. Johnson says this is a “matter of perception”, students tend to see subs in a bad light and often assume they don’t have what it takes to teach the class.

The hiring freeze is set to defrost around September 17^th-24^th but it’s uncertain. Until that day comes department heads and students will continue to feel the effects of the freeze and attempt to make the best out of a not so good situation.