Would you be willing to make this sacrifice?

If I were good friends with them, definitely.

Yes, I would have to help a friend in need.
If I had the time and was content with my situation, I don’t see how I could go visit that friend, who is assumingly not working day or night, and not want to help.

8 weeks goes by quickly, especially if you like what you are doing.

With out a doubt!

No doubt! You never know when you’re gonna need that helping hand back! Plus, I like that warm fuzzy feeling I get when I help.

In a heartbeat.

I would have done the same thing. Couple of interesting things about this question: 1) The stand-up teacher had only known this teacher for a little over two weeks 2) The powers-to-be initially didn’t like the idea of this teacher replacing the injured one (due to the fact that it was taking work away from other teachers in the country’s school system)...That being said, I would consider it a true honor to be this guy’s friend!

I hate to sound like the dissident here, but I’m going to have to say, absolutely not. And it isn’t that I don’t like helping people, on the contrary. I will sooner make someone else comfortable than myself. This just seems to be a bit too much. One of the things I have learned in my short life is there are limits to the amount of good I can do for others. This is the line. Had it been I who had been in the accident, I would never expect, hope, or accept if a friend do this for me.

And what you just mentioned about this now taking the position away from other teachers in the country’s school system, teachers who probably applied for this position and had hoped to get it, makes it even easier for me to say that I would never do this.

Now everyone can discuss how horrible of a person I must seem to be.

I don’t think you’re horrible :-) (maybe a bad bad person j/k)Remember though…the injured teacher had already been hired baesd on his merits for the position (his fellow teacher who was equally qualified is merely replacing him and giving him the compensation he would have received). The teacher who volunteered told me that his faith and his belief in man is what coereced him into doing this. I dunno…it just blows my mind! This guy has received quite a lot of good karma in my opinion….

Les: I don’t think you’re a bad person!
I think it’s important to know your limits and boundaries.

When it comes down to it, it’s rather ambitious to offer your services for approximately 250 hours for free to help one of your own in need (who is not related by blood or even a long-term friend). No doubt there are some who would be willing to do that but quite a few would pass around a “Get Well” card and add $5 to the donation bin.

Goog: I think if it happened here in the states, the latter would probably be a much more sensible option. But given the circumstances, the injured man’s family would not only be without those 250 hours, but his day job as well. I’m thinking there isn’t worker’s comp there?

No, it doesn’t appear there is really any form of worker’s comp. The good news is that the teacher is not too seriously injured and will be able to return to his teaching work rather soon. The monies collected for this after-school work will be directly applied towards his medical bills. It really has restored my faith in humanity!

I’m with Les. I would care and support them as much as possible, but this is too far over the line for me. I’d end up a wreck having to deal with that much stress.

As much as I’d like to say “in a heartbeat”, you need to know your limits. That’s a long time to cope with such an increased workload.

That’s not to say I don’t crazy admire anyone who could do it.

Yes, if I am in love with that person or a very very close friend. Otherwise, I don’t feel it is my place to get this involved.

I think this may also be one of those situations where you wouldn’t know what someone would do until it happens. It may very well be that someone who said yes would chicken out and someone who said no would step up to the plate. Words only mean so much.

Read the title and instantly had to find this but the question is quite the contrary right? heh.

As for whether I’d be willing to do the same. I don’t know, I’ve never been in a position as such and being the naive teenager I am now I couldn’t give a true answer, but some of the answers so far are neat :)

Yes ~ I did just that. 13 years ago my sister broke her neck (single Mom, one son, 5 at the time) and she and I and another sister all worked at the same place. When this happened, my sister and I took her shifts and gave her the pay check. We worked 12 hours, over night shifts. We did this until she was back on her feet and back to work. I would do this for anyone in my family and I know my family would do it for me.

yeah, if I the friend was a good friend!