It got so bad in Detroit last year that an eighth grader taught a math class for a month because there were no math teachers to cover the class. A lawsuit has been filed because “teacher shortages lead to classes being covered by non-certified paraprofessionals, substitutes, or misassigned teachers who lack any expertise or knowledge in the subject-matter of the course.”
In this case, an “eighth-grade student was “put in charge” of teaching math to other eighth graders and seventh graders for one month. A teacher was initially instructing the students, but quit after two weeks, according to Rosenbaum. The teacher was replaced by a paraprofessional, who also couldn’t handle it and left. Administrators then put the students in the hands of another student.”
A serious problem that needs an answer now. This cannot go on in Detroit which is really struggling right now.
