Some school boards across Ontario are increasing measures to combat alleged sick leave abuse and address rising costs linked to staff absences.
The Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB) has taken the step of privately looking into sick leave use, a move that has drawn criticism from educators and unions who are concerned about its impact on staff morale.
The Toronto Elementary Catholic Teachers (TECT) recently warned members in a memo that they may be under surveillance.
TECT president Deborah Karam described the move as “heavy-handed,” and called on the TCDSB to address systemic challenges, such as stress, burnout and increased violence in classrooms, instead of what she views as punitive actions.
“Sick days provide teachers with the necessary time off to recover when they are sick,” Karam said. “Having teachers at their best when they are in classrooms working with students should be a goal that we all share.”
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Mike Totten, president of the …