I've had a couple calls from parents in the past few days who are distressed that, a few weeks into the new school year, Baltimore's teachers are still working without a contract, the result of a dispute over planning time. The teachers union is encouraging its members to "work to rule," that is, to work to the terms of their contract and no more. That means leaving on time, not bringing papers home to grade, not advising any clubs or extracurricular activities. It potentially means coming to class unprepared.

But are the teachers complying? 

The city teacher who writes the blog Epiphany in Baltimore had this to say about working to rule in an entry last week: "I'm not doing it, and I don't know of any teachers that are, at least at my school. But today I left at 5:15 instead of 7:30. Vive la revolucion! I'll just pretend I don't have 60 essays in my bag to grade tonight." 

This teacher, by the way, is also in grad school and works a second job at a restaurant, or so says his blog (which I've followed for awhile though, truth be told, I still don't know his identity).