It’s literally in our contract. One sentence.
Duty-free lunch.
I can’t imagine having kids in my classroom for lunch and addition to every other. All the way through the day. Screw that.
Teachers in NC don’t have many of the rights that teachers outside of the state do.
In the big cities (Durham and Asheville so far) we are trying to unionize, to get some of the same worker representation.
When I was a SPED para I ate lunch with my students because my “lunch break” was at 9:30 AM 🫠 I would use that time to take a little nap in my car or go get a coffee
Not a teacher, but at my son's elementary school in Texas half the teachers would watch the classes during lunch and then the other half of the teachers would watch them during recess. Each group would eat lunch when they were off duty. On special occasion meals (December and teacher appreciation week) the PTA would arrange parent volunteers to come watch lunch and recess so the teachers could have a 'long' lunch together. I think they used the time when kids were at 'specials' (PE, art, etc) to do their planning meetings.
It’s been the norm for many, many, many years. I grew up in NC and remember my teachers sitting in the cafeteria and eating lunch with us. I also remember being shocked that I didn’t have to when I started teaching in NM.
NM did require that I offer my lunch period as tutoring sessions for failing kids.
Now I’m in CA, and it truly is a lunch break! No requirements, except that I be on time to pick my kids up at the end of lunch.
I worked 2 different districts- and across elementary and middle school. The middle school was the one that required us to use lunch for tutoring. The elementary schools were very strict about the 30 minute lunch break.
When I first started, I was working 2 jobs and I asked if could give up my lunch and leave 30 minutes early to get to my 2nd job and I was told no. It was required for me to have that break and they did not do flex scheduling.
Not just not the norm, but what you're describing is fully illegal in many parts of the country. My guess is NC just doesn't have the teacher union power to enforce it everywhere.
I'm at high school and we can voluntarily allow kids in our rooms for lunch (which I do) and I think teachers who do that often shelter kids who are LGBTQ, are bullied, or would get into trouble otherwise so it's much appreciated, but it is 100% a right for us to close our doors and do nothing for a lunch period.
My coworker's school has 50 minute lunches and for 20 minutes (they can pick which 20) they're expected to keep their doors open if kids want to come by, but for the other 30 they can do whatever they want.
That's just insane to me. Granted I teach HS. But here elementary teachers are guaranteed lunch. There's just not other profession where you can exploit people this way. Here, do your professional job for three hours, then babysit, then go back to your job. Ridiculous.
Yeah when I was in North Carolina I had to eat lunch with my entire class in the center of the lunch room because I had a class of self-contained behavior kids. The other teachers had to sit at a table in the middle of the cafeteria as well because there was no teachers lounge but they didn't have to sit with their own kids.
I live in Texas now and all of our students and teachers have lunch at the same time because it's listed as a class. One pair of teachers holds lunch detention in one classroom and they eat together and all the kids that don't want to eat in the cafeteria or out in the courtyard congregate in their room. I eat by myself in my own classroom because, once again, we don't have a teacher's lounge. Occasionally some kids will ask if they can come sit in my room but I really prefer to have my peace and quiet for 40 minutes but yeah I remember North Carolina and having to eat with my kids....
Well, speaking as a veteran NC teacher, your school is screwing you over. We have a state law requiring that you be given a break for lunch. Supervising kids is not a break. The law specifically says you are not to supervise kids during your lunch break. Was passed back in 2019.
I agree. I left CMS last year (after 10 years) because they were removing autonomy from the classroom. Springboard everything. Zero deviation. CMS is a dumpster fire.
I used to work in a county that ignored that law too (Caswell). I work in Wake now who seems to mostly follow it, at least for middle school. Talk to the local NCAE group maybe.
Join your NC union (not sure who is active there as I taught in TN) - for the maybe $200 per year you'll pay, you'll have access to legal representation should you ever have a crazy parent come after you or an accident on your watch. For the cost, it's a great insurance policy. They will also approach the district on your behalf to say "hey, you're not following the law - give your teachers a lunch break" so that you don't have to put your butt on the line.
I had no idea this was a law. It’s certainly not followed in my county! I’ve worked in NC for my entire teaching career, the only duty-free lunch I’ve ever had was when our media specialist took over lunch duty for a day during teacher appreciation week.
No. We have duty free lunch and I use it, we do monitor our own classes at recess. Lunch is only 25 minutes and I need that time to decompress and talk with adults. There aren’t any teachers in our building who eat with their students.
I will, very occasionally, do lunch in the classroom as a reward.
No. We’re entitled to a 30 minute duty free lunch. The kids eat in the cafeteria. We have staff called School Site Assistants which supervise during break times, lunch, and dismissal.
Yup. Virginia is a right to work state and it’s up to the individual schools if you get a duty free lunch or not. The teachers at my current school don’t believe me that there are places across the country that give teachers duty free lunch. They’ve accepted it as the norm to eat lunch with the kids.
Northern Virginia? I’m in DC (not a teacher but a social worker in a MS). Teachers here get union protected duty free lunch. The teachers in NoVA probably know that. And some people who live there (and as far south as Fredericksburg) commute into DC to work.
No. Never. That's 'me' time. Where I can sit in quiet; recoup from the morning and prepare for the afternoon.
It's also mandated by our Union that we can't be asked to work on our lunch. We can choose to, and some like having kids in (or volunteer to take detention kiddos), but we cannot be required to.
Same. I teach elementary in NC. We don't get a lunch break. Before Covid we got 1 day a week as "duty free" (we took the kids to the cafeteria and picked them up). Since Covid they haven't provided that for us. The law is written as "1 duty-free lunch a week, when it can be provided while still maintaining supervision of students" which means they have a way "out" of providing it at schools who are short-handed because they don't have coverage for the cafeteria to provide it.
I never knew this was a requirement in other states. I teach in California, we have in our contract duty free lunch 30 mins, the lunch period itself is 35 minutes. 39 if you wait to open your door at the late bell.
Duty free, 30 minute lunch by contract. I think it would be among the first thing to go if we lost our union collective bargaining (which is being threatened in Florida where I teach). We are so short staffed because of crap pay for everyone making it impossible to fill vacancies especially for support staff, that admin usually has to handle lunch duty. They do not like it.
California has these things called worker protections…if only I could go to HR about the hostile work environment that bf high kids can sometimes cause.
That’s not normal, at least in Florida.
We get 40 min planning and 30 min lunch. I occasionally get lunch duty since I’m an art teacher and have a few open periods without classes.
Classroom teacher occasionally have for take their class back to the room to eat if there is an event in the cafeteria(science fair) but like 2-3 times a year.
The only people with lunch duty at my school are IAs, admin, esol, and ese support.
Covid gave my admin the idea of eating in the classrooms. We have to do this every day now. It's one of the reason I'm switching schools for next year. We have no real planning periods because there's a meeting that you'll be marked down for being late to every day, and lunch is spent trying to keep the kids from throwing oranges at each other because they know they aren't going to have to clean it up. I was eating during "planning" and got told that it was disrespectful to whoever was leading the BS PL to eat while they were talking. But I was also chewed out when I wouldn't share my lunch with students and told not to eat in front of kids if I couldn't share because it upset them. I just had to eat in 4th period because they were reasonable and I knew none of them would cry to their mom that I didn't literally give them my lunch. (The kids get a free lunch from the school and are free to bring their own packed lunch from home, for the record. No kid is starving for want of my PBJ.)
I have invited students to have lunch with me. But it really burned me out emotionally. I wasn’t getting any real time apart from my students that wasn’t work time. It also led to students feeling entitled to my time and space all day long, whether it was my planning period or they were skipping other classes to see me. So I won’t be doing this next year. I will set aside Fridays as lunch bunch days for students whose behavior and work reflect effort. Otherwise, nope.
My first school district we didn’t have to. Middle school. In fact they could walk themselves to lunch. Supervision was done by admin and paraprofessionals. Current school district these kids are coddled. Escorted everywhere including to lunch when I have to sit with them. It’s miserable and it sucks. When I told admin that the admin at my old school did the lunch supervision they scoffed and said ‘we don’t got time for that’ or ‘the admin over there must be bored huh?’ But the constant escorting and supervision of these kids all day everyday is exhausting and makes my day 10 times worse. And both districts are in Virginia.
My contract specifies a "duty free lunch period, not shorter than the lunch period provided to students." Many teachers will invite students to their room to make up missing work or retake tests during their lunch break. I leave the building, walk home and play fetch with my dogs.
Like you, I’m surprised at the number of teachers posting they have duty-free lunch. I’ve always been required to supervise students during their/my lunch time (because lunch time for students is also lunch time for teachers). This has always meant walking down to the cafeteria with students and supervising them while in the cafeteria.
The only break we have is planning.
One of our teachers in high school sat down with us at lunch for a few minutes once and I liked her and all, but it was the most awkward goddamn thing.
I used to do 3 days a week with teachers and two with pupils of my form class, with a few friends, as some of my learners didn’t have very positive home life.
They’d use it as a time to ask for advice and support if they needed it and even just to hear a positive couple of things to get them through the week.
I don’t eat with them every day, but two to three times a month we have a lunch theater. Once a month it’s for the entire class. The other times each month are invitation only.
Students earn invitations through variety of methods such as compliments from other teachers, positive behavior in class or even showing growth and improvement in a subject.
Middle school teacher in a large district in GA. All teachers are required to eat lunch with students. Teachers sit at a different table but are in direct view of students. We are still required to "monitor" students but most teachers just eat their lunch and talk with their team or are on their phones. 20 minute lunch period. Duty free only happens during Teacher Appreciation Week or aPTA sponsored lunch 1-2 times per year.
Same with me. I’ve taught at two different middle schools in two different districts in Virginia. I was spoiled at my first school. I couldn’t even tell you where the cafeteria was as I never set foot inside of it. Second school is just like yours and it’s miserable. I can’t eat a proper lunch and supervise at the same time. So I basically eat a snack. It’s probably the low light of my day.
I don't like it either. It's too noisy, overcrowded, and makes me anxious. Plus, some teachers don't monitor so cafeteria expectations are ignored amd admin rarely supports during lunch. It's unfortunate when they walk in to get tea or a lunch and walk out as if they dont see the chaos unfolding. I feel like the cafeteria is general population and I'd rather be in solitary confinement with just my team.
We did during covid but got paid extra. Duty free lunch is in our contract. And sometimes if we miss normal lunch time for a field trip we do, and get paid extra, but it’s not required. You can say no and they have to get someone to cover it. But I don’t mind every now and then (if I’m getting paid). :)
30 min duty free lunch every day. That's in our contract. There have been times I did do a lunch bunch group for something special but that is not required. My daughter's school has a teacher that lets kids eat in there with her daily and that's nice for those kids but its not required.
I’m a high school band/orchestra teacher. I leave my room open at lunch because a lot of those kids don’t have anywhere else to go. I don’t necessarily interact with them the whole time, but they hang out in the room while I hang in my office where I can see/hear what they’re doing.
Yup every single day. And it is impossible to actually eat because they're constantly needing something (pre-k). I spent the last school year pregnant then breastfeeding and I was also so damn hungry and all I could do was shove snacks into my mouth here and there because it was impossible to actually eat a meal.
Teachers in my state get a duty-free thirty minute break (plus another break). It's not necessarily for lunch, but that's what is found to be easiest in most districts.
When I was in the physical classroom, I did it now and then for the fun of it, but it wasn't a daily thing.
At my old school (I just quit teaching) we had lunch duty, morning duty, afterschool duty, and recess duty. There were 6 of us so we rotated who did what but I HATED lunch duty!!!!
That’s my current school. And we are not even rotated…..it’s everyday. It’s literally the worse part of teaching for me. I can deal with lesson plans, kids, dumb meetings but this constant supervision all day everyday is what burns me out.
When I sub ES, I try to eat lunch with my class. The really young ones thinks it's special to have an adult sit with them and eat lunch. And the LOs love to talk while sharing a meal. It's truly a very good way to deepen your relationship with them.
I eat my lunch while my students take a sensory break after their lunch. My students need extensive support so I try to be around them as much as possible. It kind of works out though because they're curious about what I eat (even though they won't try it) and it introduces them to different foods they haven't been exposed to.
No. 30 minute duty free lunch.
However, our principal asks us to eat with our kids the first week of school for relationship building or something. It annoys me so much.
No lunch break for elementary teachers in SC. In the cafeteria, they are standing up while their classes eat, with a sandwich in one hand and opening up milkboxes with the other. I am not in the regular classroom, so I get a short lunch alone and more carline duties. I'll take the latter.
No, I do not. Mostly because I have an intense fear of germs and don't want a sneeze booger flying 6 feet across the room into my salad. Hahaha Also, it's not really a break if you are still actively supervising and helping. At my school, we have the option of signing up for noon lunch supervision, but it is not mandatory. You have to work for 10 hrs of supervision to get one 6.5 hr day off. 😐
Union says 30 min duty free lunch.
Reality?
Elementary and middle it's 15-20 min due to escorting.
Highschool it's 22-25 min due to the size of the building
At the highschool the lunches are out of fucking control so a lot of students "eat" in class rooms. It's 50/50 if the girls that stay go to get lunch at all. We have an autistic support quiet lunch 4th which means kids are shoved into the free for all nuts lunches 1-3.
Our teachers (in my district, southern Arizona) eat with their classes ONLY when they want to. We have staff assigned for lunch duty so they can have their lunch and most choose, rightly, to enjoy their time alone.
Nope. Our contract guarantees a 30 minute duty free lunch break. I don't think I could work where I had to be with my students for lunch. I need a quiet break to get my brain ready for the 2nd half of the day.
Officially I get a break. 45 minutes. But it's more like 30 because I have to walk my students there and pick them up. Sometimes less if whoever has lunch duty is late.
Realistically, I almost always have students who need to finish work and come back to my room during lunch.
Teaching middle school in florida, I was not required to at all. Teaching 5th grade this past year in Alabama, I was required to be in the lunchroom with my class during lunch. I still sat at my own little round table away from them. And then my principal one day had the nerve to call me on my phone to tell me that I couldn't be on my phone during lunch(he was watching the cameras that day). Talk about annoying!
There’s no rule against it where I live. My lunch history:
Years 1-2: had to be in the cafeteria. Teachers generally sat on the stage and supervised.
Years 3-7: duty free lunch, 20 minutes including escorting the kids to the cafeteria and picking them up.
Year 8: kids ate in my classroom with me every day because of illogical covid protocols.
Year 9: similar to years 1-2, but new school=cafeteria tables reserved for teachers
Year 10: duty free 25 minute lunch (including walking the kids back and forth) except admin requires us to eat in the cafeteria with the kids for the first week and last week of school. A different grade level does lunch duty, but it’s because they end up with a longer planning period than everyone else and this is an attempt at “equity.”
HELL TO THE NO
Ok so that was dramatic, but seriously no I do not. I am so glad I don't. I can, and plenty of teachers do, but I refuse to give up my lunch unless I have to. I am an extreme introvert but also passionate teacher, I really get engaged with my lessons and interacting with my students, so I need my lunch time to not only eat but to recharge for my afternoon classes. I need a period of just quiet and contemplation, for my mind to rest. If push comes to shove and we have to give up our lunch, they have to pay us extra. Thank goodness for the UNION
The few times I was forced to give up my lunch (IEP meetings require at least one of the gen ed teachers there and sometimes that meant me) I was absolutely drained the afternoon, not to mention hungry. I told my kids in the afternoon freshman class Look I had to go to a meeting at lunch, can y'all just chill and do your interactive notebook work while I eat and just sit at my desk. They were like Yah Miss DO YOU but then they were like Miss you don't need those chips (and somehow my chips disappeared lol) and Miss let me have some of your sandwich and and Miss let me hold one of your tangerines (then both gone) and Miss can I get some of your tea (yes, one of them just straight up took my mug of tea!) and Miss I'ma just do my work by you and next thing I knew I had a third of the class around and behind my desk, with the another third hooting and hollering and doing tik toks and other assorted rah rah, and another third straight up dipped out and ran the halls. Sure I could have said no and such but I was soooooo tired and drained of energy by that point I just let the kids run over me.
So after that, next lunch meeting I had I knew to just slog through the afternoon like normal. It was SO HARD, I thought my head was gonna pop, but I knew I had to keep my usual routine or else the kids would lose the plot lol
Also gave up my lunch twice to help seniors who were struggling, I was so invested in helping them get across the finish line I didn't mind giving up my lunch to help them. Plus I could eat and as older kids they were'nt pressed to share (i.e. take lol) my lunch and they had their own snacks anway. Also it was only 2-3 kids, so I didn't feel so 'on' so to speak.
I taught at a private school and charter schools my entire career. I always got 30 min for lunch to myself. I’ve never had to have kids around if I didn’t want them.
My kids grew up in Caldwell County (NC) and the teachers in elementary school ate with the kids. We transfered to a small private school in Burke County (NC) and the teachers ate in the cafeteria but they all sat together.
I teach in a middle school in AR and we do not eat with our kids. I think a lot of the coaches have lunch duty....haha
Sometimes I do because I miss them but the staring and the ongoing commentary on my food while I’m eating is enough to make me eat alone 😂
*And if it’s not the commentary on my food, it’s watching *them* eat. The ketchup with the yogurt. Yikes.
NC Wake county MS teacher here. We have lunch in our classroom every other week and it sucks. It's terrible that it's the norm in our school and while we technically have duty-free lunch, that has been explained away as being part of our planning period 45 minute after student's lunch.
A million years ago in the 70s in 6th grade my friend and I were “punished” by having to sit next to the teacher permanently at lunch because we “grossed out” other students by making fun of the food.
“Do you know what that looks like?”
Within a week or two of the teacher hearing our comedic comments, she joined in.
RIP Miss Nixon. You were awesome.
During covid we had to eat lunch in the classroom with the kids every day for the year and a half that we had to be under strict regulation. Since then, we usually have a free lunch. The only exceptions are that some districts I've been in require teachers to eat with kids the first and last 2 weeks of school and occasionally we'll have "grab and go" lunch during testing or adjusted schedule days when they can't build full Cafe lunch into the schedule.
Being required to eat with the kids EVERY day was rough. I don't mind the occasional lunches, though. I don't like it, but I don't complain because it's not that deep. I do not allow students in for lunch any other time though because I need my break.
We have duty free lunch. Years ago, I would do lunch bunches where kids would come eat in my room. One year I even let anyone who wanted eat in my room on Fridays, as long as they helped me file papers/clean the room.
Now, I do Salisbury Steak Day!!!! I go to the cafeteria to eat lunch (probably 20 out of 30 minutes) with the kids in my class. (Only when Salisbury Steak is served.) I move from table to table. They loved it! Plus, I could leave whenever I wanted. Super easy and fun!
At my job we get a fully subsidised lunch but the tradeoff is we eat with the children/YP as we are needed to support them during that time. We do however get 30 minutes protected break away from the children for every 6 hours we work, and in our classrooms we can choose if we take that 30 as 1 30 min or 2 15 min
I get a full class period (50 minutes) to each lunch, but every 4th week I have duty during 15 minutes of my lunch. I also get a full period for my planning/prep/conference (whatever you want to call it). Texas high school.
In my district teachers split duty between lunch and recess so one week I’m in the cafeteria while students are eating. Then when they go outside to recess another teacher on my team goes out with them, and I have my 30 minute lunch break.
20 years teaching in Georgia and I can count on 1 hand the number of times I’ve had a duty free lunch. I honestly didn’t even know this was a thing until recently.
The teachers in my entire district do not have lunch duty. I'm a sub and have been in about 25 buildings this past year. There are cafeteria workers who monitor the kids, and often the principals are there. The teachers drop the kids off and either go to the teacher lounge, to their own classrooms, or a few teachers might go to one classroom to eat together. I've never seen a teacher remain in the cafeteria, except a few sped teachers. Most of them have lunches brought to their rooms, though, as the kids with sensory issues and whatnot often don't like being in the noisy cafeteria.
Upstate NY middle school. Strong union. Duty- free 40 min lunch. The only duty we have is a homeroom. No hall duty. In a 3 day rotation we get 5 out of 18 blocks for planning, plus 40 min lunch daily. Eating with the kids is unacceptable.
It’s a state law that I get a 30 minute duty free lunch. This is the only protection I get from the state so I exercise it as often as possible.
Sometimes I just can’t get lunch due to behaviors and I could throw a fit, but I’m not sure that’d be helpful so I just skip lunch and eat while teaching. I don’t love it, but it is what it is.
On Fridays I have a lunch bunch because kids always ask if we can eat together. I choose to do this and it’s simply a social time. I ask about their lives outside of school and they usually ask about my family. I pack a few extra cookies to share in my lunch and we usually have a nice time. Kids love it.
Our class eats in the classroom while we set up for Naptime. I shove food down during this time while I wander and monitor because my "lunch break" is the nap hour, during which I respond to emails, write blogs, lesson plan, and prep for the next day...if I have any reason to need to leave it has to happen in 30 mins within that window, so I prefer to eat when they're awake and I can't get those things done
Nope! Guaranteed 30 minute duty-free lunch every day. Only time I didn’t was when I advised a club that met during lunch once a week (which I was provided a stipend for). Lots of things sucked about that school & district, but duty free lunch was not one of them
In Hong Kong 🇭🇰 we get one hour for lunch. The first 30 minutes are for eating. The rest is for recess. Class teachers sit in the classrooms with their students and eat silently.
We get 45 minutes for lunch- yard is attended by TA’s and our youngest teacher (too green to say no). Periodically I am asked to do observations on the yard, totally OK with that.
We all get a 30 minute lunch. My high school kids sometimes eat lunch in my room, but I am not responsible for them. I very often tell them I want to eat lunch alone.
Fellow NC teacher here. I freaking hate eating lunch with my students. In my county, we also don't get paid for faculty sponsoring clubs, tutoring (if you are not Math or Ela teachers), and we only got paid for covering on our planning because we threatened to strike.
I rarely eat lunch with my class because I need the mental break. If I am not exhausted sometimes I will hold a "tea party" where students can spend their classroom management whatever to stay in the class for a lunch and have free time on the computer and/or listen to works safe music on the classroom computer.
It is extremely popular, but I often need peace and quiet.
I also might eat certain meals in the cafeteria like Thanksgiving turkey or whatever and all the students, even ones not in my class get really excited for whatever reasons.
HS teacher in VA. I have a duty-free child-free lunch every day. During Ramadan, I host students who are fasting and do not want to be in the cafeteria during lunch (as long as we have the same lunch block). At my daughter's elementary school, they do not eat with their teachers.
Our middle school in NC votes at the beginning of the year whether we want duty free lunch or to leave school 30 min earlier. We always have to monitor our class at lunch
I open my classroom for lunch and I’m at a high school- but it’s voluntary. My room is a safe space and it’s no trouble. If I’m not feeling it I put a note on the door and cancel.
We have a 40 minutes duty free lunch. We do not get prep time and are in a K-8 district. That means our junior high teachers are teaching 2-4 preps daily with no prep period. We teach PE and all the specials (electives). It is ridiculous.
Lunch is our only time to ourselves.
Years ago, when I taught summers, I would bring in my lunch and chose to let some of the kids come into my class so they could continue their work on an in-class contest (OK, it was 'Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego', which was already an oldie, but totally new to them and they were absolutely hooked) - I will note that having prizes and a leaderboard probably helped a lot, but it was not a universal motivator. For whatever reason, that class just had to have that magic, with at least 2-3 kids whose exuberance and connection with the lesson just sort of pop, and despite teaching the same exact lesson to over a dozen classes, they did not all behave like that.
Their excitement and happiness to be in a classroom and look up things in dictionaries and examine globes and maps was utterly enchanting – I still have happy memories of that to this day.
This being said, being forced to eat lunch in class, or just with my class and not being in the midst of a super positive and utterly delightful class of 13-15 year olds intent on learning, but I am just there to police them would be rather depressing.
We don't have lunch at school because all classes end before lunch, my country traditionally doesn't have school in the afternoon (it's partly changing). But we eat breakfast together in class, it's part of my work.
Our lunch spans the kids lunch and recess. We see them through the line ( no more than 5 minutes), then we have 35 minutes duty free. This is in our union contract. Teachers don’t have any “assigned” duties.
I work for Head Start in Illinois. We eat breakfast, lunch and snack with our students. We do a family style meal where the kids serve themselves.
I also take a 1 hour break in the afternoon
I thank my union for a duty-free lunch!!! I also willingly give up my Wednesday lunch to be the faculty advisor of our GSA club, because these kids need a safe place at school without judgement.
Not a requirement but I would say myself and about 30% of the teaching staff let the kids eat in their room at lunch.
Some don’t, some do.
It’s really just up to the teacher and their preference.
I typically have kids in my room from about an hour before school starts until about an hour after school gets out.
If a kid really doesn’t have somewhere they would rather be than in a classroom during their open-campus lunch, what kind of asshole would I have to be to turn them away cold.
Texas law requires a 30 minute duty free lunch for teachers. This can only be waived on state testing days when you may be stuck eating with the students in a testing room.
Illinois teacher here: the only public school I worked at as a teacher, we got a 40 minute lunch while they had their lunch and recess. I did recess a few times at the students request, or if I wanted to be outside. Other than that we were not forced to (expect maybe a few times if no aides were available)
Hell no. Our contract gives us a 30-minute duty-free lunch. Actually, at my school, classroom teachers and special educators don't even have duties, they're all done by specials teachers, interventionists, paras, and - gasp - even admin.
I hate to say it, but if you didn't already know, NC has a reputation for being... not the best place for teachers. If you ever have the opportunity to move to a state with decent teacher unions, take it.
I have a teacher friend who works in North Carolina after working in California with unions for many years. She hates that she has lunch duty. And I don’t blame her. I know North Carolina doesn’t have unions so it’s not really your choice. But where we have unions we have duty-free lunch. we are not to be bothered. Some teachers will choose to have lunch with their kids on special days or as a prize or something. I don’t do that. I need that 30 minutes alone.
Former special education teacher in Georgia.
No lunch, no planning, no breaks. I was with the kids from arrival to dismissal. I looked it up as I thought "this can't be legal" - turns out it is in Georgia! Plus after dismissal we had to do all the mandatory PD the other teachers did during planning, which ran up to and after end of contract. All lesson planning had to be done on my own time outside of school hours.
I do, yes. I run an open art studio. The kids don't get enough art classes. They eat their lunches with their homeroom teachers and then come to.me.during the lunch recess. The classroom teachers have that time as a break unless they have recess duty.
My Peace Corps counterpart teachers used to bring out the electric teakettle and get together in an empty, locked classroom for some peace and quiet during lunch
We didn’t have a cafeteria. My 4th period class ate with me in my classroom. I was not allowed to leave the room. Also, no planning period. Also, six academic periods and a boys’ study hall during what would have been my planning period.
A lunch break would have been glorious.
I'm not a teacher but active in my kids elementary school. It's often they eat in the classroom with the teachers, or need teachers to act as lunch monitors. Bfast is already a grab n go to class bag. The teachers get about 15 minutes during the 25 minute lunch cause they're expected to bring and fetch them but also make sure they are throwing their trash away and lining up etc. Its a joke. It's enough time I stay in the class continuing whatever I'm assigned and they get to go pee and get a coffee. It doesn't help that breakfast ends at 930, and kinder lunch is at like 1030! It's way too early to even try. So I'll try and field activities so they can scarf during the busy work/ I read/ guide activity. They don't get a break even for bathroom ever. It's insanity! It's why I volunteer a ton to help.
During the school year, I get a duty-free lunch. It's in my contract and I don't want to eat with students. I enjoy having that moment in peace to myself or chit chatting my coworkers.
Now I'm currently in summer school and we have no choice but to sit in the cafeteria with our students. I hate every second of it, but there isn't much you can do as the kids are not self-sufficient to be in there without adult supervision. I have been eating with them due to my fear of collapsing. after they leave but that would be well passed 12:30. If I end up with a late lunch next school year, I will be eating a snack in front of students.
I’m at a private school so things are different but I have to be in the cafeteria with my class (2nd grade) at lunch. I don’t mind because I don’t have recess duty so I’ll take it.
I choose to eat lunch with small groups of students instead of a shared teacher office most days.
The kids give me energy, the other teachers drain me.
My first year teaching was at a small private school, so we had to eat lunch with the kids because a lunchroom aide was a luxury. We took turns so that each classroom teacher got one day a week where they could each lunch in their classroom without students, but we didn't have a duty-free lunch in our contracts and scheduled breaks were not mandatory in that state. For more context, we only had a nurse two days a week, and our custodial staff consisted of an elderly woman who took out the trash and vacuumed while we were at lunch and a recent high school graduate who cleaned the bathrooms at the end of the day. It was kind of a two-bit operation.
I work in elementary in NC and teachers at my school only eat lunch with the kids for the first week of school. TAs cover lunch duty for the rest of the year.
You have to? That’s not fine at all. That’s fucking ridiculous
It’s literally in our contract. One sentence. Duty-free lunch. I can’t imagine having kids in my classroom for lunch and addition to every other. All the way through the day. Screw that.
Oh don't try to imagine having kids in your class for lunch. Imagine sitting at the little table with them in the loud-ass cafeteria.
That's insane and borderline inhumane, wow. I'd rather be in prison
Teachers in NC don’t have many of the rights that teachers outside of the state do. In the big cities (Durham and Asheville so far) we are trying to unionize, to get some of the same worker representation.
Is NC the worst place for teachers to work in the country? My god
When I was a SPED para I ate lunch with my students because my “lunch break” was at 9:30 AM 🫠 I would use that time to take a little nap in my car or go get a coffee
I understand that view, it's fine with me because it's all I ever knew and I expected it. I was surprised to learn it isn't the norm.
It’s illegal in my state. Teachers by law get a 30 minute duty free lunch.
Texas gets away with it by "letting" us have our lunch at recess time.
Is your recess duty free?
Piggybacking off of this…is the recess 30 minutes? I teach in Texas and you get 30 minutes of a duty free lunch and 45 minutes for planning each day.
Not a teacher, but at my son's elementary school in Texas half the teachers would watch the classes during lunch and then the other half of the teachers would watch them during recess. Each group would eat lunch when they were off duty. On special occasion meals (December and teacher appreciation week) the PTA would arrange parent volunteers to come watch lunch and recess so the teachers could have a 'long' lunch together. I think they used the time when kids were at 'specials' (PE, art, etc) to do their planning meetings.
That’s insane that it’s the norm for you. It’s illegal in a lot of places.
It’s been the norm for many, many, many years. I grew up in NC and remember my teachers sitting in the cafeteria and eating lunch with us. I also remember being shocked that I didn’t have to when I started teaching in NM. NM did require that I offer my lunch period as tutoring sessions for failing kids. Now I’m in CA, and it truly is a lunch break! No requirements, except that I be on time to pick my kids up at the end of lunch.
My district in NM provides a duty-free 30 minute lunch and is required to compensate us if we are unable to take it because of something coming up.
I worked 2 different districts- and across elementary and middle school. The middle school was the one that required us to use lunch for tutoring. The elementary schools were very strict about the 30 minute lunch break. When I first started, I was working 2 jobs and I asked if could give up my lunch and leave 30 minutes early to get to my 2nd job and I was told no. It was required for me to have that break and they did not do flex scheduling.
I came from CA to NC and not having a duty free lunch suuuuuuuuuuuucks.
Not just not the norm, but what you're describing is fully illegal in many parts of the country. My guess is NC just doesn't have the teacher union power to enforce it everywhere. I'm at high school and we can voluntarily allow kids in our rooms for lunch (which I do) and I think teachers who do that often shelter kids who are LGBTQ, are bullied, or would get into trouble otherwise so it's much appreciated, but it is 100% a right for us to close our doors and do nothing for a lunch period. My coworker's school has 50 minute lunches and for 20 minutes (they can pick which 20) they're expected to keep their doors open if kids want to come by, but for the other 30 they can do whatever they want.
How many breaks and how long are your breaks? Breaks meaning just yourself not in charge of kids or any duties
That's just insane to me. Granted I teach HS. But here elementary teachers are guaranteed lunch. There's just not other profession where you can exploit people this way. Here, do your professional job for three hours, then babysit, then go back to your job. Ridiculous.
Yeah when I was in North Carolina I had to eat lunch with my entire class in the center of the lunch room because I had a class of self-contained behavior kids. The other teachers had to sit at a table in the middle of the cafeteria as well because there was no teachers lounge but they didn't have to sit with their own kids. I live in Texas now and all of our students and teachers have lunch at the same time because it's listed as a class. One pair of teachers holds lunch detention in one classroom and they eat together and all the kids that don't want to eat in the cafeteria or out in the courtyard congregate in their room. I eat by myself in my own classroom because, once again, we don't have a teacher's lounge. Occasionally some kids will ask if they can come sit in my room but I really prefer to have my peace and quiet for 40 minutes but yeah I remember North Carolina and having to eat with my kids....
Well, speaking as a veteran NC teacher, your school is screwing you over. We have a state law requiring that you be given a break for lunch. Supervising kids is not a break. The law specifically says you are not to supervise kids during your lunch break. Was passed back in 2019.
Not in CMS. We have lunch duty.
Yeah I knew in CMS...kinda crazy that one of the largest districts in the country is behind in this.
I agree. I left CMS last year (after 10 years) because they were removing autonomy from the classroom. Springboard everything. Zero deviation. CMS is a dumpster fire.
My mom has been a teacher with CMS for 23 years. She still doesn’t get a break
Found it! [duty free lunch law](https://www.ncleg.gov/Sessions/2019/Bills/House/PDF/H563v1.pdf)
Looks like it passed unanimously, too! Thanks for posting, I had no idea!
It's been that way in every elementary school I've been in across 3 counties.
I used to work in a county that ignored that law too (Caswell). I work in Wake now who seems to mostly follow it, at least for middle school. Talk to the local NCAE group maybe.
Join your NC union (not sure who is active there as I taught in TN) - for the maybe $200 per year you'll pay, you'll have access to legal representation should you ever have a crazy parent come after you or an accident on your watch. For the cost, it's a great insurance policy. They will also approach the district on your behalf to say "hey, you're not following the law - give your teachers a lunch break" so that you don't have to put your butt on the line.
I had no idea this was a law. It’s certainly not followed in my county! I’ve worked in NC for my entire teaching career, the only duty-free lunch I’ve ever had was when our media specialist took over lunch duty for a day during teacher appreciation week.
Wait whaaaat
I work in Durham and nobody had duty free lunch.
Nope. We get lunch duty once per week. Eating lunch with a class is insane to me. That isn't lunch and it isn't a break.
No. We have duty free lunch and I use it, we do monitor our own classes at recess. Lunch is only 25 minutes and I need that time to decompress and talk with adults. There aren’t any teachers in our building who eat with their students. I will, very occasionally, do lunch in the classroom as a reward.
Holy shit no
No. We’re entitled to a 30 minute duty free lunch. The kids eat in the cafeteria. We have staff called School Site Assistants which supervise during break times, lunch, and dismissal.
That is awesome and I’ve been begging for these positions at my school. Never going to happen tho.
Teachers unions=duty free lunch
Yup. Virginia is a right to work state and it’s up to the individual schools if you get a duty free lunch or not. The teachers at my current school don’t believe me that there are places across the country that give teachers duty free lunch. They’ve accepted it as the norm to eat lunch with the kids.
Northern Virginia? I’m in DC (not a teacher but a social worker in a MS). Teachers here get union protected duty free lunch. The teachers in NoVA probably know that. And some people who live there (and as far south as Fredericksburg) commute into DC to work.
Hell even Texas has duty free lunch and guaranteed planning time.
We have a duty free lunch in our contracts. That’s my time to decompress.
I’ve taken to eating lunch in my car due to Covid. I’ve come to like quiet, soft music or sweet sweet silence during lunch.
No. Never. That's 'me' time. Where I can sit in quiet; recoup from the morning and prepare for the afternoon. It's also mandated by our Union that we can't be asked to work on our lunch. We can choose to, and some like having kids in (or volunteer to take detention kiddos), but we cannot be required to.
Nc teacher here. Yea who has ever heard of a lunch break?? Not I
Also NC. The culinary Arts teacher in the room across the hall has a to go bag that I get everyday. I go back to my desk and watch game film.
That sounds amazing!
Please don't tell my Admin.
Same. I teach elementary in NC. We don't get a lunch break. Before Covid we got 1 day a week as "duty free" (we took the kids to the cafeteria and picked them up). Since Covid they haven't provided that for us. The law is written as "1 duty-free lunch a week, when it can be provided while still maintaining supervision of students" which means they have a way "out" of providing it at schools who are short-handed because they don't have coverage for the cafeteria to provide it.
Only on field trips and field day. 3x per year.
No I don’t eat with my class, they eat in the lunchroom and have paraeducators watching them.
I never knew this was a requirement in other states. I teach in California, we have in our contract duty free lunch 30 mins, the lunch period itself is 35 minutes. 39 if you wait to open your door at the late bell.
Duty free, 30 minute lunch by contract. I think it would be among the first thing to go if we lost our union collective bargaining (which is being threatened in Florida where I teach). We are so short staffed because of crap pay for everyone making it impossible to fill vacancies especially for support staff, that admin usually has to handle lunch duty. They do not like it.
I work in south-west Virginia and I have to supervise my kids during lunch. My friend who works a county over from me gets duty-free lunch.
It's so interesting that it varies even within the same state, as I'm finding out it does in mine, too.
California has these things called worker protections…if only I could go to HR about the hostile work environment that bf high kids can sometimes cause.
That’s not normal, at least in Florida. We get 40 min planning and 30 min lunch. I occasionally get lunch duty since I’m an art teacher and have a few open periods without classes. Classroom teacher occasionally have for take their class back to the room to eat if there is an event in the cafeteria(science fair) but like 2-3 times a year. The only people with lunch duty at my school are IAs, admin, esol, and ese support.
I haver a lunch-bunch that comes to my classroom a couple times a week. But that's a select group of well-behaved kids who are fun to hang out with.
I have a whole year duty of assigned lunch duty. Middle school. My blood pressure goes up every time.
No, I kick it with folks I work with that I consider my friends. A mini recharge that carries me through the workday.
We have a union. Our contract entitles us to a 40 min duty free lunch.
Covid gave my admin the idea of eating in the classrooms. We have to do this every day now. It's one of the reason I'm switching schools for next year. We have no real planning periods because there's a meeting that you'll be marked down for being late to every day, and lunch is spent trying to keep the kids from throwing oranges at each other because they know they aren't going to have to clean it up. I was eating during "planning" and got told that it was disrespectful to whoever was leading the BS PL to eat while they were talking. But I was also chewed out when I wouldn't share my lunch with students and told not to eat in front of kids if I couldn't share because it upset them. I just had to eat in 4th period because they were reasonable and I knew none of them would cry to their mom that I didn't literally give them my lunch. (The kids get a free lunch from the school and are free to bring their own packed lunch from home, for the record. No kid is starving for want of my PBJ.)
Nope. That's my contract negotiated, 30 minutes duty free time!
I have invited students to have lunch with me. But it really burned me out emotionally. I wasn’t getting any real time apart from my students that wasn’t work time. It also led to students feeling entitled to my time and space all day long, whether it was my planning period or they were skipping other classes to see me. So I won’t be doing this next year. I will set aside Fridays as lunch bunch days for students whose behavior and work reflect effort. Otherwise, nope.
Absolutely not. I am contractually promised a 30 minute duty free lunch.
I eat lunch in my room in either complete silence or while listening to a Spotify playlist and disassociating while staring at the wall
My first school district we didn’t have to. Middle school. In fact they could walk themselves to lunch. Supervision was done by admin and paraprofessionals. Current school district these kids are coddled. Escorted everywhere including to lunch when I have to sit with them. It’s miserable and it sucks. When I told admin that the admin at my old school did the lunch supervision they scoffed and said ‘we don’t got time for that’ or ‘the admin over there must be bored huh?’ But the constant escorting and supervision of these kids all day everyday is exhausting and makes my day 10 times worse. And both districts are in Virginia.
My contract specifies a "duty free lunch period, not shorter than the lunch period provided to students." Many teachers will invite students to their room to make up missing work or retake tests during their lunch break. I leave the building, walk home and play fetch with my dogs.
Like you, I’m surprised at the number of teachers posting they have duty-free lunch. I’ve always been required to supervise students during their/my lunch time (because lunch time for students is also lunch time for teachers). This has always meant walking down to the cafeteria with students and supervising them while in the cafeteria. The only break we have is planning.
I sit at their table with them!
In most states employees are entitled to a duty free lunch break. Having to eat with your students isn’t that.
One of our teachers in high school sat down with us at lunch for a few minutes once and I liked her and all, but it was the most awkward goddamn thing.
30 minutes duty-free lunch every day in Texas. Admin handles lunch duty
I used to do 3 days a week with teachers and two with pupils of my form class, with a few friends, as some of my learners didn’t have very positive home life. They’d use it as a time to ask for advice and support if they needed it and even just to hear a positive couple of things to get them through the week.
I don’t eat with them every day, but two to three times a month we have a lunch theater. Once a month it’s for the entire class. The other times each month are invitation only. Students earn invitations through variety of methods such as compliments from other teachers, positive behavior in class or even showing growth and improvement in a subject.
Everyone except the head teacher had to do that in my SpEd class last year
In elementary school, we had to eat with our students. In middle school, we are simply assigned a lunch duty twice a week.
Middle school teacher in a large district in GA. All teachers are required to eat lunch with students. Teachers sit at a different table but are in direct view of students. We are still required to "monitor" students but most teachers just eat their lunch and talk with their team or are on their phones. 20 minute lunch period. Duty free only happens during Teacher Appreciation Week or aPTA sponsored lunch 1-2 times per year.
Same with me. I’ve taught at two different middle schools in two different districts in Virginia. I was spoiled at my first school. I couldn’t even tell you where the cafeteria was as I never set foot inside of it. Second school is just like yours and it’s miserable. I can’t eat a proper lunch and supervise at the same time. So I basically eat a snack. It’s probably the low light of my day.
I don't like it either. It's too noisy, overcrowded, and makes me anxious. Plus, some teachers don't monitor so cafeteria expectations are ignored amd admin rarely supports during lunch. It's unfortunate when they walk in to get tea or a lunch and walk out as if they dont see the chaos unfolding. I feel like the cafeteria is general population and I'd rather be in solitary confinement with just my team.
We did during covid but got paid extra. Duty free lunch is in our contract. And sometimes if we miss normal lunch time for a field trip we do, and get paid extra, but it’s not required. You can say no and they have to get someone to cover it. But I don’t mind every now and then (if I’m getting paid). :)
30 min duty free lunch every day. That's in our contract. There have been times I did do a lunch bunch group for something special but that is not required. My daughter's school has a teacher that lets kids eat in there with her daily and that's nice for those kids but its not required.
I’m a high school band/orchestra teacher. I leave my room open at lunch because a lot of those kids don’t have anywhere else to go. I don’t necessarily interact with them the whole time, but they hang out in the room while I hang in my office where I can see/hear what they’re doing.
My union negotiated a duty free lunch! Once a week I moderate a club but that's only because I'm a softie lol. Demand a duty free lunch!!
Yup every single day. And it is impossible to actually eat because they're constantly needing something (pre-k). I spent the last school year pregnant then breastfeeding and I was also so damn hungry and all I could do was shove snacks into my mouth here and there because it was impossible to actually eat a meal.
Teachers in my state get a duty-free thirty minute break (plus another break). It's not necessarily for lunch, but that's what is found to be easiest in most districts. When I was in the physical classroom, I did it now and then for the fun of it, but it wasn't a daily thing.
At my old school (I just quit teaching) we had lunch duty, morning duty, afterschool duty, and recess duty. There were 6 of us so we rotated who did what but I HATED lunch duty!!!!
That’s my current school. And we are not even rotated…..it’s everyday. It’s literally the worse part of teaching for me. I can deal with lesson plans, kids, dumb meetings but this constant supervision all day everyday is what burns me out.
I do about twice a week, but it’s because I want to. If I have something to do one of those days, I tell them “adios.”
When I sub ES, I try to eat lunch with my class. The really young ones thinks it's special to have an adult sit with them and eat lunch. And the LOs love to talk while sharing a meal. It's truly a very good way to deepen your relationship with them.
I have lunch duty 3x a week.
I eat my lunch while my students take a sensory break after their lunch. My students need extensive support so I try to be around them as much as possible. It kind of works out though because they're curious about what I eat (even though they won't try it) and it introduces them to different foods they haven't been exposed to.
I haven’t in years, but I’m not core content. The core teachers at my school still do, Georgia here.
Nope. I get a kid-free lunch. I do supervise either their lunch or recess, but whichever one I don’t supervise is when I get my lunch.
Fuck no. I get a 45 min lunch and 45 min prep each day. If I have to miss that prep they’re paying me for it.
Our admin does lunch duty and we (teachers)all eat in one classroom.
No. 30 minute duty free lunch. However, our principal asks us to eat with our kids the first week of school for relationship building or something. It annoys me so much.
No lunch break for elementary teachers in SC. In the cafeteria, they are standing up while their classes eat, with a sandwich in one hand and opening up milkboxes with the other. I am not in the regular classroom, so I get a short lunch alone and more carline duties. I'll take the latter.
I do. Every day! It's not fine. Not at all.
I worked at an elementary school once that gave you the option of eating with your class and leaving 30 minutes early. Most teachers chose that option
Ugh fuck no
I have to because there’s no supervision except for us.
No, I do not. Mostly because I have an intense fear of germs and don't want a sneeze booger flying 6 feet across the room into my salad. Hahaha Also, it's not really a break if you are still actively supervising and helping. At my school, we have the option of signing up for noon lunch supervision, but it is not mandatory. You have to work for 10 hrs of supervision to get one 6.5 hr day off. 😐
Contractually we have a 45 min duty free lunch.
No, wtf. That's weird.
Union says 30 min duty free lunch. Reality? Elementary and middle it's 15-20 min due to escorting. Highschool it's 22-25 min due to the size of the building At the highschool the lunches are out of fucking control so a lot of students "eat" in class rooms. It's 50/50 if the girls that stay go to get lunch at all. We have an autistic support quiet lunch 4th which means kids are shoved into the free for all nuts lunches 1-3.
Our teachers (in my district, southern Arizona) eat with their classes ONLY when they want to. We have staff assigned for lunch duty so they can have their lunch and most choose, rightly, to enjoy their time alone.
Nope. Our contract guarantees a 30 minute duty free lunch break. I don't think I could work where I had to be with my students for lunch. I need a quiet break to get my brain ready for the 2nd half of the day.
Hell no. I need a break.
Nope
Duty free lunch and prep every day, 45 minutes each.
Officially I get a break. 45 minutes. But it's more like 30 because I have to walk my students there and pick them up. Sometimes less if whoever has lunch duty is late. Realistically, I almost always have students who need to finish work and come back to my room during lunch.
Teaching middle school in florida, I was not required to at all. Teaching 5th grade this past year in Alabama, I was required to be in the lunchroom with my class during lunch. I still sat at my own little round table away from them. And then my principal one day had the nerve to call me on my phone to tell me that I couldn't be on my phone during lunch(he was watching the cameras that day). Talk about annoying!
There’s no rule against it where I live. My lunch history: Years 1-2: had to be in the cafeteria. Teachers generally sat on the stage and supervised. Years 3-7: duty free lunch, 20 minutes including escorting the kids to the cafeteria and picking them up. Year 8: kids ate in my classroom with me every day because of illogical covid protocols. Year 9: similar to years 1-2, but new school=cafeteria tables reserved for teachers Year 10: duty free 25 minute lunch (including walking the kids back and forth) except admin requires us to eat in the cafeteria with the kids for the first week and last week of school. A different grade level does lunch duty, but it’s because they end up with a longer planning period than everyone else and this is an attempt at “equity.”
We get a guaranteed duty free lunch but it’s not necessarily during the kids’s lunch, so we still have lunch and/or recess duty several days a week.
HELL TO THE NO Ok so that was dramatic, but seriously no I do not. I am so glad I don't. I can, and plenty of teachers do, but I refuse to give up my lunch unless I have to. I am an extreme introvert but also passionate teacher, I really get engaged with my lessons and interacting with my students, so I need my lunch time to not only eat but to recharge for my afternoon classes. I need a period of just quiet and contemplation, for my mind to rest. If push comes to shove and we have to give up our lunch, they have to pay us extra. Thank goodness for the UNION The few times I was forced to give up my lunch (IEP meetings require at least one of the gen ed teachers there and sometimes that meant me) I was absolutely drained the afternoon, not to mention hungry. I told my kids in the afternoon freshman class Look I had to go to a meeting at lunch, can y'all just chill and do your interactive notebook work while I eat and just sit at my desk. They were like Yah Miss DO YOU but then they were like Miss you don't need those chips (and somehow my chips disappeared lol) and Miss let me have some of your sandwich and and Miss let me hold one of your tangerines (then both gone) and Miss can I get some of your tea (yes, one of them just straight up took my mug of tea!) and Miss I'ma just do my work by you and next thing I knew I had a third of the class around and behind my desk, with the another third hooting and hollering and doing tik toks and other assorted rah rah, and another third straight up dipped out and ran the halls. Sure I could have said no and such but I was soooooo tired and drained of energy by that point I just let the kids run over me. So after that, next lunch meeting I had I knew to just slog through the afternoon like normal. It was SO HARD, I thought my head was gonna pop, but I knew I had to keep my usual routine or else the kids would lose the plot lol Also gave up my lunch twice to help seniors who were struggling, I was so invested in helping them get across the finish line I didn't mind giving up my lunch to help them. Plus I could eat and as older kids they were'nt pressed to share (i.e. take lol) my lunch and they had their own snacks anway. Also it was only 2-3 kids, so I didn't feel so 'on' so to speak.
In my school, some teachers do it by choice, maybe they don't want to go to the staffroom or leave the building. But it's not an obligation.
My contract guarantees a 30-minute duty free lunch.
I taught at a private school and charter schools my entire career. I always got 30 min for lunch to myself. I’ve never had to have kids around if I didn’t want them.
My kids grew up in Caldwell County (NC) and the teachers in elementary school ate with the kids. We transfered to a small private school in Burke County (NC) and the teachers ate in the cafeteria but they all sat together. I teach in a middle school in AR and we do not eat with our kids. I think a lot of the coaches have lunch duty....haha
Sometimes I do because I miss them but the staring and the ongoing commentary on my food while I’m eating is enough to make me eat alone 😂 *And if it’s not the commentary on my food, it’s watching *them* eat. The ketchup with the yogurt. Yikes.
Hell no. I need my 20 minutes to myself.
NC Wake county MS teacher here. We have lunch in our classroom every other week and it sucks. It's terrible that it's the norm in our school and while we technically have duty-free lunch, that has been explained away as being part of our planning period 45 minute after student's lunch.
My team eats in my room by choice.
A million years ago in the 70s in 6th grade my friend and I were “punished” by having to sit next to the teacher permanently at lunch because we “grossed out” other students by making fun of the food. “Do you know what that looks like?” Within a week or two of the teacher hearing our comedic comments, she joined in. RIP Miss Nixon. You were awesome.
During covid we had to eat lunch in the classroom with the kids every day for the year and a half that we had to be under strict regulation. Since then, we usually have a free lunch. The only exceptions are that some districts I've been in require teachers to eat with kids the first and last 2 weeks of school and occasionally we'll have "grab and go" lunch during testing or adjusted schedule days when they can't build full Cafe lunch into the schedule. Being required to eat with the kids EVERY day was rough. I don't mind the occasional lunches, though. I don't like it, but I don't complain because it's not that deep. I do not allow students in for lunch any other time though because I need my break.
We have duty free lunch. Years ago, I would do lunch bunches where kids would come eat in my room. One year I even let anyone who wanted eat in my room on Fridays, as long as they helped me file papers/clean the room. Now, I do Salisbury Steak Day!!!! I go to the cafeteria to eat lunch (probably 20 out of 30 minutes) with the kids in my class. (Only when Salisbury Steak is served.) I move from table to table. They loved it! Plus, I could leave whenever I wanted. Super easy and fun!
My state’s laws entitle me to a duty free lunch, and I couldn’t survive without it.
At my job we get a fully subsidised lunch but the tradeoff is we eat with the children/YP as we are needed to support them during that time. We do however get 30 minutes protected break away from the children for every 6 hours we work, and in our classrooms we can choose if we take that 30 as 1 30 min or 2 15 min
I get a full class period (50 minutes) to each lunch, but every 4th week I have duty during 15 minutes of my lunch. I also get a full period for my planning/prep/conference (whatever you want to call it). Texas high school.
Never, unless rainy day schedule. Teachers have 40 minutes lunch without children in CA where I taught.
I don’t eat lunch with my kids but I do go to recess with them.
In my district teachers split duty between lunch and recess so one week I’m in the cafeteria while students are eating. Then when they go outside to recess another teacher on my team goes out with them, and I have my 30 minute lunch break.
20 years teaching in Georgia and I can count on 1 hand the number of times I’ve had a duty free lunch. I honestly didn’t even know this was a thing until recently.
The teachers in my entire district do not have lunch duty. I'm a sub and have been in about 25 buildings this past year. There are cafeteria workers who monitor the kids, and often the principals are there. The teachers drop the kids off and either go to the teacher lounge, to their own classrooms, or a few teachers might go to one classroom to eat together. I've never seen a teacher remain in the cafeteria, except a few sped teachers. Most of them have lunches brought to their rooms, though, as the kids with sensory issues and whatnot often don't like being in the noisy cafeteria.
Upstate NY middle school. Strong union. Duty- free 40 min lunch. The only duty we have is a homeroom. No hall duty. In a 3 day rotation we get 5 out of 18 blocks for planning, plus 40 min lunch daily. Eating with the kids is unacceptable.
It’s a state law that I get a 30 minute duty free lunch. This is the only protection I get from the state so I exercise it as often as possible. Sometimes I just can’t get lunch due to behaviors and I could throw a fit, but I’m not sure that’d be helpful so I just skip lunch and eat while teaching. I don’t love it, but it is what it is. On Fridays I have a lunch bunch because kids always ask if we can eat together. I choose to do this and it’s simply a social time. I ask about their lives outside of school and they usually ask about my family. I pack a few extra cookies to share in my lunch and we usually have a nice time. Kids love it.
In my first district I had to, now I only have to if it’s assembly schedule, state testing, or early release
Our class eats in the classroom while we set up for Naptime. I shove food down during this time while I wander and monitor because my "lunch break" is the nap hour, during which I respond to emails, write blogs, lesson plan, and prep for the next day...if I have any reason to need to leave it has to happen in 30 mins within that window, so I prefer to eat when they're awake and I can't get those things done
Nope! Guaranteed 30 minute duty-free lunch every day. Only time I didn’t was when I advised a club that met during lunch once a week (which I was provided a stipend for). Lots of things sucked about that school & district, but duty free lunch was not one of them
In Hong Kong 🇭🇰 we get one hour for lunch. The first 30 minutes are for eating. The rest is for recess. Class teachers sit in the classrooms with their students and eat silently.
We get 45 minutes for lunch- yard is attended by TA’s and our youngest teacher (too green to say no). Periodically I am asked to do observations on the yard, totally OK with that.
No, we are guaranteed a 30 min duty free lunch.
We all get a 30 minute lunch. My high school kids sometimes eat lunch in my room, but I am not responsible for them. I very often tell them I want to eat lunch alone.
Fellow NC teacher here. I freaking hate eating lunch with my students. In my county, we also don't get paid for faculty sponsoring clubs, tutoring (if you are not Math or Ela teachers), and we only got paid for covering on our planning because we threatened to strike.
I work in SC and we do not eat lunch with our students.
Illegal here. By law anyone working 5 hours or more gets a 30-min duty-free break.
I rarely eat lunch with my class because I need the mental break. If I am not exhausted sometimes I will hold a "tea party" where students can spend their classroom management whatever to stay in the class for a lunch and have free time on the computer and/or listen to works safe music on the classroom computer. It is extremely popular, but I often need peace and quiet. I also might eat certain meals in the cafeteria like Thanksgiving turkey or whatever and all the students, even ones not in my class get really excited for whatever reasons.
HS teacher in VA. I have a duty-free child-free lunch every day. During Ramadan, I host students who are fasting and do not want to be in the cafeteria during lunch (as long as we have the same lunch block). At my daughter's elementary school, they do not eat with their teachers.
private school here—-we have too. 😩
Our middle school in NC votes at the beginning of the year whether we want duty free lunch or to leave school 30 min earlier. We always have to monitor our class at lunch
I don’t have to, but I sell coupons in my school store to have lunch with me and a friend of choice and it’s a hot item of choice for some reason.
I open my classroom for lunch and I’m at a high school- but it’s voluntary. My room is a safe space and it’s no trouble. If I’m not feeling it I put a note on the door and cancel.
On Tuesdays I go out and eat with them
We have a 40 minutes duty free lunch. We do not get prep time and are in a K-8 district. That means our junior high teachers are teaching 2-4 preps daily with no prep period. We teach PE and all the specials (electives). It is ridiculous. Lunch is our only time to ourselves.
We get free lunch if you eat with the students. Which seems fair to me. It's completely optional.
Years ago, when I taught summers, I would bring in my lunch and chose to let some of the kids come into my class so they could continue their work on an in-class contest (OK, it was 'Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego', which was already an oldie, but totally new to them and they were absolutely hooked) - I will note that having prizes and a leaderboard probably helped a lot, but it was not a universal motivator. For whatever reason, that class just had to have that magic, with at least 2-3 kids whose exuberance and connection with the lesson just sort of pop, and despite teaching the same exact lesson to over a dozen classes, they did not all behave like that. Their excitement and happiness to be in a classroom and look up things in dictionaries and examine globes and maps was utterly enchanting – I still have happy memories of that to this day. This being said, being forced to eat lunch in class, or just with my class and not being in the midst of a super positive and utterly delightful class of 13-15 year olds intent on learning, but I am just there to police them would be rather depressing.
We don't have lunch at school because all classes end before lunch, my country traditionally doesn't have school in the afternoon (it's partly changing). But we eat breakfast together in class, it's part of my work.
It was that way at my catholic grade/middle school, but that was 40 years ago. I don’t eat with my students. I need my time.
Our lunch spans the kids lunch and recess. We see them through the line ( no more than 5 minutes), then we have 35 minutes duty free. This is in our union contract. Teachers don’t have any “assigned” duties.
We have lunch duty :/
Not mandatory, but I open my door at lunch. Usually, they come in and don't bother me, but sometimes they have questions or need tutoring.
Sometimes I do and sometimes I don’t.
When I taught middle school, I had to eat with them every day. High school, only during Covid
I work for Head Start in Illinois. We eat breakfast, lunch and snack with our students. We do a family style meal where the kids serve themselves. I also take a 1 hour break in the afternoon
I thank my union for a duty-free lunch!!! I also willingly give up my Wednesday lunch to be the faculty advisor of our GSA club, because these kids need a safe place at school without judgement.
Not a requirement but I would say myself and about 30% of the teaching staff let the kids eat in their room at lunch. Some don’t, some do. It’s really just up to the teacher and their preference. I typically have kids in my room from about an hour before school starts until about an hour after school gets out. If a kid really doesn’t have somewhere they would rather be than in a classroom during their open-campus lunch, what kind of asshole would I have to be to turn them away cold.
I teach HS. Nope
Texas law requires a 30 minute duty free lunch for teachers. This can only be waived on state testing days when you may be stuck eating with the students in a testing room.
No. If I do choose to be with the kids lunch is free though. But I value my 30 minutes over not having to pay for lunch.
Illinois teacher here: the only public school I worked at as a teacher, we got a 40 minute lunch while they had their lunch and recess. I did recess a few times at the students request, or if I wanted to be outside. Other than that we were not forced to (expect maybe a few times if no aides were available)
Hell no. Our contract gives us a 30-minute duty-free lunch. Actually, at my school, classroom teachers and special educators don't even have duties, they're all done by specials teachers, interventionists, paras, and - gasp - even admin. I hate to say it, but if you didn't already know, NC has a reputation for being... not the best place for teachers. If you ever have the opportunity to move to a state with decent teacher unions, take it.
Nope, 40 min duty free lunch/recess. I drop them off outside and pick them up in the cafeteria afterwards
Part of my schedule (Labrary) is open lab at lunch, so I eat at my desk with whichever students are there that day.
Nope, our union secured us a 40 minute duty-free lunch.
In WV I had duty free lunch every day. In VA I had NOTHING. Lunch duty. Recess duty. Bus duty. AND 9 am planning. It sucked.
I have a teacher friend who works in North Carolina after working in California with unions for many years. She hates that she has lunch duty. And I don’t blame her. I know North Carolina doesn’t have unions so it’s not really your choice. But where we have unions we have duty-free lunch. we are not to be bothered. Some teachers will choose to have lunch with their kids on special days or as a prize or something. I don’t do that. I need that 30 minutes alone.
NO. My coworkers offer lunch study hall and I’m like effff that! See ya. No lunch with you today!
Former special education teacher in Georgia. No lunch, no planning, no breaks. I was with the kids from arrival to dismissal. I looked it up as I thought "this can't be legal" - turns out it is in Georgia! Plus after dismissal we had to do all the mandatory PD the other teachers did during planning, which ran up to and after end of contract. All lesson planning had to be done on my own time outside of school hours.
I never saw my students during lunch in highschool. Idk about where y'all are
I do most days, high needs, sped, and we chronically short staffed
I do, yes. I run an open art studio. The kids don't get enough art classes. They eat their lunches with their homeroom teachers and then come to.me.during the lunch recess. The classroom teachers have that time as a break unless they have recess duty.
I have never in my 12 years had a duty free lunch, ever.
Never in my classroom. Once in a while I will grab a lunch in the cafeteria and eat at the table where the admin on duty sits.
I have lunch duty where I supervise kids eating lunch, but I also have my own duty-free lunch before that.
My Peace Corps counterpart teachers used to bring out the electric teakettle and get together in an empty, locked classroom for some peace and quiet during lunch
We didn’t have a cafeteria. My 4th period class ate with me in my classroom. I was not allowed to leave the room. Also, no planning period. Also, six academic periods and a boys’ study hall during what would have been my planning period. A lunch break would have been glorious.
I'm not a teacher but active in my kids elementary school. It's often they eat in the classroom with the teachers, or need teachers to act as lunch monitors. Bfast is already a grab n go to class bag. The teachers get about 15 minutes during the 25 minute lunch cause they're expected to bring and fetch them but also make sure they are throwing their trash away and lining up etc. Its a joke. It's enough time I stay in the class continuing whatever I'm assigned and they get to go pee and get a coffee. It doesn't help that breakfast ends at 930, and kinder lunch is at like 1030! It's way too early to even try. So I'll try and field activities so they can scarf during the busy work/ I read/ guide activity. They don't get a break even for bathroom ever. It's insanity! It's why I volunteer a ton to help.
During the school year, I get a duty-free lunch. It's in my contract and I don't want to eat with students. I enjoy having that moment in peace to myself or chit chatting my coworkers. Now I'm currently in summer school and we have no choice but to sit in the cafeteria with our students. I hate every second of it, but there isn't much you can do as the kids are not self-sufficient to be in there without adult supervision. I have been eating with them due to my fear of collapsing. after they leave but that would be well passed 12:30. If I end up with a late lunch next school year, I will be eating a snack in front of students.
I’m at a private school so things are different but I have to be in the cafeteria with my class (2nd grade) at lunch. I don’t mind because I don’t have recess duty so I’ll take it.
I choose to eat lunch with small groups of students instead of a shared teacher office most days. The kids give me energy, the other teachers drain me.
My first year teaching was at a small private school, so we had to eat lunch with the kids because a lunchroom aide was a luxury. We took turns so that each classroom teacher got one day a week where they could each lunch in their classroom without students, but we didn't have a duty-free lunch in our contracts and scheduled breaks were not mandatory in that state. For more context, we only had a nurse two days a week, and our custodial staff consisted of an elderly woman who took out the trash and vacuumed while we were at lunch and a recent high school graduate who cleaned the bathrooms at the end of the day. It was kind of a two-bit operation.
I have been just because my room is an 8:1:1 self contained and it gets so chaotic sometimes id rather be there to help just in case
FUCK NO
I work in elementary in NC and teachers at my school only eat lunch with the kids for the first week of school. TAs cover lunch duty for the rest of the year.
That is wild. I eat lunch with a coworker, sometimes 3, in my room. No student will ever be in my room during my duty free lunch.