In some parts of the United States, many teachers or their family members have tested positive for COVID-19. They must stay home from work. As a result, there are not enough fill-ins to take their place. The fill-in teachers are called substitutes. Early this year, in one part of Texas, the schools needed 455 substitutes in a single day. They usually need only 185. To help with the lack of teachers, leaders in California, Connecticut, New Jersey and Pennsylvania are asking retired teachers to come back to work for a short time. In the states of Oklahoma and Utah, government workers are being asked to step in at schools. This helps schools stay open, which experts say is better for children than staying at home as they did earlier in the COVID-19 pandemic. However, in the southwestern state of New Mexico, some students are being welcomed in their classrooms by soldiers from the Army National Guard. Michael Stockwell is one of those soldiers. During past military jobs, he watched part of the U.S. border with Mexico and worked to keep the New Mexico state Capitol safe. Now, he is wearing his military uniform as he works with students as a substitute science teacher at Alamogordo High School. When he works with teenagers, Stockwell said, he cannot “act Army.” He said he needs to be careful with how he speaks with them. Due to the teacher shortage in New Mexico, many members of the National Guard are now working in schools. In 36 of the state's 89 school zones, or districts, Guard members are working.
