Seven high school athletic directors in Prince George’s County, Md., say they were underpaid or not paid at all after being pressed into classroom duty during a 2022-23 academic year teacher shortage.
As reported by The Daily Record, the athletic directors allege in a wage-theft lawsuit that Prince George’s County Public Schools broke its promise to pay them as “teachers of record,” with hourly rates usually over $60, rather than as $30-per-hour substitutes. Most worked hundreds of extra hours on top of their full-time roles as athletic directors.
Per the reporting of Ian Round, plaintiff Makia Staves, who works at Friendly High School in Fort Washington, says she logged 609 hours as a teacher during the 2022-23 academic year, is owed more than $39,000 and has not been paid at all. Two plaintiffs say they’re owed more than $20,000. The smallest claim among the seven ADs is for $9,724.
“The Plaintiffs spent significant time teaching classes during the day and performing regular administrative duties required of classroom teachers,” the complaint states, as reported by The Daily Record. “This limited [their] ability to fully perform their regular duties as athletic directors during the workday, requiring [them] to work additional hours during the evening to complete their work.”
In prior years, according to the complaint, half the job of an athletic director was teaching. An extra 10% was added to their base salary for the time they spent teaching. In July 2022, that policy changed — the AD job was converted to full time and the 10% teaching bonus was discontinued. But the following month, PGCPS drafted the athletic directors back to the classroom as it faced a teacher shortage.
According to Round's reporting, the plaintiffs were told on a Zoom call that they would be teachers of record for certain classes, responsible for grading, lesson planning, attending department meetings and parent-teacher conferences, initiating disciplinary actions, and more — tasks for which substitute teachers are not responsible. In March 2023, well over halfway through the school year, the plaintiffs were told they would be paid as substitute teachers.
“Induced by PGCPS’ promises, and since their pay had been reduced by 10% when their positions were converted to full-time athletic director positions, Plaintiffs performed the teaching duties faithfully during the 2022-2023 school year with the understanding that they would be paid according to the agreement with PGCPS,” the complaint states.
The plaintiffs originally sued in Prince George’s County Circuit Court on Jan. 28. The school system removed the case to federal court March 7.
The athletic directors say the system’s March decision to reclassify their teaching work violated the Maryland Wage Payment and Collection Law. They also bring claims of unjust enrichment and breach of contract, The Daily Record reported.
