Sick Teachers Are Being Forced to Pay For Their Own Substitutes

A second grade teacher in San Francisco who has been battling breast cancer has been forced to pay for her classroom's substitute teacher, costing her roughly $200 per day – all thanks to a statewide law dating back to 1976.

The law states that public school teachers are not only not covered under California's disability program, but are entitled to only 10 days of paid sick leave and another 100 days, but only if substitute costs are deducted from the teacher's salary.

Teachers are perhaps the most important profession in the United States and to punish them for falling ill to cancer is absolutely appalling.

Sign my petition calling on California Governor Gavin Newsom and state lawmakers to protect teachers and take emergency action to fix this outdated and needlessly cruel law.

Teachers who fall ill should never be forced to pay out of pocket for their own substitutes. Sign and share now!