Covid-19 has posed a problem to schools ever since early 2020. Remote learning became a priority, quarantining was a must, and now teachers are falling sick or testing positive.

With teachers dropping by the numbers, substitutes are needed now more than ever. 

The legal requirements have also been changed and now someone can fill in for a class as early as 18 years old.

“You can get anyone in the school and that’s not a good idea,” junior Zyler Price said.

“(There are) people who don’t really have any classification to be a sub, so they have no idea what they’re doing and no idea how to take care of your class.” 

Despite the new rulings, there is still a mass shortage of substitutes in DHS. The average fill rate for teachers is approximately 70% as of Jan 4. 

The additional 30% of classes will instead be filled by other teachers who are on their planning block.

“Worst case scenario, we have students go to the commons and have security watch them,” said Sharon Broussard from the front office.

Some classes are tougher than others to staff correctly.

“(In homeroom, subs) would kind of just chill in their seats while we just did what we had to,” junior Javier Sosa said.

Core classes such as math or science, however, may be tougher for a student if their teacher isn’t there to answer questions. 

In the first seven school days of January alone, 36 teachers were quarantined and/or tested positive with Covid. The highest amount so far was recorded on Jan. 14 with a total of seven substitute teacher positions unfilled.

“(My teacher) has to show up because she didn’t have any subs and she was so sick to the point she could barely teach the class,” Price said.

Teacher Monica Swift added: “There wasn’t pressure from administration to be back or anything like that, I had the sick days if I needed them.”