As I dragged my tired Monday morning feet towards the “weekly math work” table, I thought I was seeing double. The amount of videos and independent work packets I had from the previous week had once again doubled.
After I stopped thinking about how many trees were killed, I began listening to the reactions of my distressed classmates. Some were angry at the amount of work given, some were happy to be learning so much new material, and others were threatening to drop the class. But just about everyone was dreading another week of videos and packets.
Two teachers at the Baltimore School for the Arts (BSA) have been on maternity leave for the first months of the 2025-2026 school year. The long-term substitutes in their place are not teachers who are professionals in the subjects they are filling in for, meaning students have to be very independent in completing and understanding the work given to them. While this is not the fault of either the teachers on leave nor the substitutes working hard to implement the lesson plans, students have had mixed reactions.
Maternal/parental leave is a global issue that America in particular struggles with. The Federal Act that dictates this leave is the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). This act allows teachers to take up to 12 weeks of job protected leave within one year of giving birth, but with no pay guaranteed during this time.
While undoubtedly a parent should have more than 3 months with their newborn child before returning to work (as well as having income at that time), their absence undoubtedly leaves a gap in their workplace. This affects their coworkers, bosses, employees, and in this case, their students.
Fitness and Health teacher Erica Tolentino, who was on maternity leave during Fall of the 2022-2023 school year, is familiar with this process. Tolentino was able to notify the school and create her sub plans months before leaving, relieving some of the stress of becoming a new mother. But, giving birth is no small feat, and a teacher’s job should be their last concern while having a child. Tolentino said the whole process is a “physical, emotional, and mental journey.”
During the Fall of the 2024 school year, Math teacher Jocelyn Providence found taking her leave more challenging than she had anticipated. Providence found the process to be complex, from applying for leave from the district months in advance, to submitting all the required paperwork, to using her sick days for her leave.
The task is particularly challenging for teachers, because their job affects the lives of so many young people. Not only must teachers submit their plans to leave months in advance, but they must also prepare the teaching material as well. While they aren’t required to provide daily learning materials, some choose to do so to help bridge the gap for student instruction. As someone who currently has a math teacher on maternity leave, I see how organized and well planned our work is, and I know this could not have been done easily.
Another step that continues to complicate the process is finding a long term substitute, or sub. It is important to note that there is already a national shortage of teachers, including substitutes.
Oftentimes, people wonder where the school finds these substitutes. Assistant Principal Tom Askey explained that Baltimore City Public Schools has a pool of substitutes they can pick from. Once the substitute teaches their specific class for 10 days, they officially become a “long-term sub.” It is already challenging to find a substitute in times like these, but it is even harder to find a teacher who can oversee the material of newer and more complex classes.
Navigating the coursework alone has proven to be a challenge for some students. As high-schoolers, we are provided all the physical resources we need to succeed. We are given the packets, videos, internet, and peers to combat the challenge of our teacher being absent.
However, just because we have all the tools to succeed, doesn’t inherently mean we will.
Despite the tools given, many students cannot thrive without the support of a teacher to walk them through the material, no matter how many note packets or videos are provided. Junior dancer Julia Marks, who is taking AP Precalculus and experiencing Tronolone’s absence, said, “In past years I have definitely relied on the teacher for help, so it is definitely stressful not knowing what direction I’m going in and trying to navigate through the course by myself.”
However, some students feel that they have been more focused and productive without their teacher in the room, because they are able to work at their own pace. Emma Goldenberg, who is a junior film student in AP Precalculus, feels that she “has been more productive, like I was locked in on the notes. I wasn’t talking to anybody, nobody was talking to each other most of the time.”
A dreaded, but inevitable, result of having a teacher on leave for an extended period of time is the videos and packets they leave in their wake, and how stimulating it is to complete.
Sasha Lindamood, a junior vocalist taking AP Precalculus, is one of many students who find packets disengaging and boring, stating, “At a certain point you just have to complete them, even if you don’t understand what’s happening.”
Freshman dancer Edith Masotta, who is currently in Honors Spanish II, feels that when her teacher was here the class “did more interactive things like Quizlets and Kahoots, but when the sub is here it is mostly packets and textbooks.” This is not the fault of the teacher or sub, it is just a reality of the situation.
Teachers do understand that it is hard to complete and comprehend the work without them. Providence feels that “50 to 60 percent of the coursework was completed and understood” despite students trying their best to grasp all the material.
Unlike the reaction to the packets, most students are fairly pleased with their grades. Assignments in AP Precalculus are graded on completion, however, grading standards between the absent teacher’s math classes are not consistent: students in grade-level Precalculus have frequent tests and quizzes, while AP Precalculus students only receive completion grades for classwork and homework.
In addition, AP students receive tutoring from members of the National Honors Society (NHS), while grade-level students receive no additional in class help. Yet, high grades doesn’t mean everyone adequately comprehends the material. Tolentino and Providence both had to reteach some of their material after returning.
Students are concerned that reviewing an additional three months worth of instruction within BSA’s already short class periods will be very challenging for students and teachers alike, and having to move so swiftly through Spanish and Math classes is influencing what classes students want to take next year.
Some students who are slated to take AP Calculus AB or Honors Spanish III find themselves reevaluating their paths because of the absences. “I feel less prepared for other math classes next year, like AP Calculus,” said Marks. The administration has worked to create opportunities for support for these students. There is NHS tutoring three times a week, and the remaining Math and Spanish teachers are open to offer help completing assignments.
Although teacher’s maternity leaves can bring forth many differing opinions, BSA’s students and teachers want to see everyone succeed. Take it from NHS tutor and senior musician Zeke Dworak-Fisher: “Teacher or no teacher: everyone in the building is always happy to help.”
Editor’s Note: Julia Marks, who was interviewed for this article, is a staff writer for The Muse.
To contact this writer, email Muse Newspaper at musebsa@bsfa.org.
Featured photo by Emma Goldenberg for The Muse.
