Q&A: Maryland moms open up about kids returning to school
As children head back to school, we know it's a very busy time for parents. So WJZ's Linh Bui checked in with a couple Maryland moms to hear about their feelings and any concerns before school starts.
Tamara Beger has four children in Anne Arundel County Schools: twins Leila and Alexander are sophomores, Christopher is in fifth grade and Isaac is in third grade. Nicolette Taylor's daughter Maia is a 10th grader in Baltimore County.
The biggest concern for both mothers is the nationwide teacher shortage, an issue that has left schools across Maryland scrambling to fill vacant positions. Below is a transcript of their interviews:
Linh: How are you moms doing... mentally, emotionally... as we start a new school year?
Tamara: Ready for school to start.
Linh: I have two kids, 4 and 5. One can't wait to go back to school and one does not want to go back to school. So where do your kids fall?
Tamara: All of mine are not ready to go back!
Nicolette: Maia, she's ready and anxious to go. She wants to see all her friends.
Tamara: I know there is a concern among most parents of knowing that there are going to be enough teachers.
Linh: Students need that consistency.
Tamara: Other staff positions like substitutes, with teaching assistants, even cafeteria staff. Just the whole gamut of staffing that it takes to run a school, and just how that trickles down to our students.
Linh: I know with Maia, she had to deal with lots of substitutes last year.
Nicolette: Last year, she dealt with substitutes. She was very overwhelmed. She stated she didn't learn much in one particular class. However she did reach out to other teachers to assist where she was lacking, as well as myself.
Linh: Transportation has also been an issue because we've dealt with this bus driver shortage. Parents finding out at the bus stop, the bus was not coming.
Nicolette: It happened to me on several occasions. Where I was waiting for the bus to come, and someone came up and said the bus is not going to be here today. So I would have to call my job and let them know I'd be late so I can transport her to school.
Linh: That is incredibly challenging for two working parents to have to deal with.
Tamara: That was difficult for us, but not as difficult as for others. Because I was available, my husband was available, to take our kids to school. But a lot of families did not have that.
Linh: if you could sit down with your school board and superintendent, and tell them one thing going into this school year, what would you want them to know?
Tamara: To keep families and staff involved with the communication, and keep them posted with everything that's happening. And just to remember that in the end, it's our children. All the decisions and everything that happens in the county is for our children and it affects them.
Linh: What will be your words of wisdom or your advice to your kids the night before, or in the morning as you're dropping them off?
Nicolette: My words of wisdom would be have fun, don't worry, everything will fall into place.
