Teachers in Lakeville get time off to write letters

The Lakeville, MN School District has agreed to allow teachers to leave their assigned classroom to write recommendation letters for students applying for college admission. Upon their request, their classroom duties will be covered with substitute teachers. No teachers will be asking to be replaced today or tomorrow because they are all theoretically attending their labor union's convention, for which they are annually allowed time off. I always wondered why those conventions couldn't be scheduled on weekends or during the three month summer recess. I guess I'm just not educated enough to figure that one out.