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According to a 2023 survey, American teachers work 53 hours per week—seven hours more than the average schedule of other working adults, with over 30% of teachers taking work home every day. While this reflects how devoted teachers are to their students, this often results in them putting students before themselves, even at their most vulnerable times. Such was the case of Alejandro Navarro, a Texas teacher who tragically passed away and made national news for working tirelessly into his final hours.
The plight of Navarro, who worked as a teacher at Del Rio Middle School in Texas, was chronicled by his daughter Sandra A. Venegas in a now deleted Facebook post. Born in Mexico, the educator had devoted his labor to assisting English-as-a-second-language students—a fact that has prompted Navarro’s family to think he saw himself in the kids he taught.
Navarro, who passed away in 2020, had long been dealing with heart issues and kidney damage. When his health took a turn for the worst before Christmas break, he was rushed to the hospital. Despite this, he was still concerned about finalizing grades for progress reports, so he packed his laptop and charger so he could continue working while he was in the ER.
Venegas, an elementary school teacher herself, reminisced about about her father’s determination. “Doctors were coming in to see him,” she wrote. “They were running tests, they were telling him he needed to decide what he wanted in the event that his heart stopped: CPR and intubation or to go in peace. He’d answer their questions and resume with grades.”
The teacher’s daughter told KENS5 how Navarro was always trying his hardest for his students, whom he loved. “He never wanted the spotlight on him, he just really enjoyed what he did,” said Venegas. “He always did it with such a passion in his heart.” Still, looking back on the last time she saw him at home, she wished she had done something when he spent all his time working. “I wish I would have closed his laptop and enjoyed spending time with him,” Venegas said. “Teachers put in so many extra hours, hours that many don’t realize.”
While nothing will bring back her dad, she hopes this loss will shine a light on the efforts of educators. “Thank your teachers,” she wrote. “If you are married to one, help them set boundaries, if you are the daughter/son of one, don’t let them work once they’re home. Be kind to your teachers.” Venegas also had one final note for her peers: “Teachers, let’s not normalize working after hours, let’s not normalize staying at work late. You are replaceable at work. You are NOT replaceable at home.”
Sources: Viral post shows Del Rio teacher’s dedication to students; Teachers Work a Shocking Amount of Overtime Hours and It’s All Unpaid; Teachers Work 50-Plus Hours a Week—And Other Findings From a New Survey on Teacher Pay
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