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As a public teacher, some complains I’ve seen:

1. Common Core
2. The Yearly Push for each district’s stupid new educational theory.
3. $100,000 curriculum heads that sit in their offices vs. $40,000 classroom teachers.
4. No support on suspensions, expulsions, and general punishment.
5. Overall micromanagement.
6. No school community, a “keep off the radar” mentality
7. Too many teachers EXPECTED to do extra-curricular activities
8. Little support on student failures
9. Non-administration “observations”
10. Kids that generally are allowed to run rampant
11. Sports take precedence over academics.

I don’t see these at my school because we have a good district and a good school, but these are out there.

“As a public teacher, some complains I’ve seen:

1. Common Core
2. The Yearly Push for each district’s stupid new educational theory.
3. $100,000 curriculum heads that sit in their offices vs. $40,000 classroom teachers.
4. No support on suspensions, expulsions, and general punishment.
5. Overall micromanagement.
6. No school community, a “keep off the radar” mentality
7. Too many teachers EXPECTED to do extra-curricular activities
8. Little support on student failures
9. Non-administration “observations”
10. Kids that generally are allowed to run rampant
11. Sports take precedence over academics.

I don’t see these at my school because we have a good district and a good school, but these are out there.”

I’ve seen most of these at my school. Add to that expectations of continuing education, planning, parent conferences, before and after school tutoring,and Saturday school, ALL on our own “FREE” time (What, you have to go pick your kids up from the sitter? Too bad! These kids are more important!) Add individualized IEP’s for dang near every kid and a community of “parents” who are all trying to get you to help them to scam SSI money, why aren’t we all teachers? There is that one other thing. I actually enjoy the teaching part. But then I get to come here and read about how sorry we all are and how we are all just drones for the NEA (I’m not). Sigh......

Everything you mention occurs at the school in which I teach. Inner city school notwithstanding, even the experienced teachers (including me) still have trouble with the students here as the culture is pervasive and takes its toll on the supposedly "good" students. I don't think experience has much to do with it here, and I suspect that this is more common than one may think.

You are indeed fortunate if you have managed to draw a good group of students who are eager to learn. That is a fantasy of which I can only dream...

Last year while doing her student teaching in college, my
daughter was repeatedly told by the teachers she was working with, “you are a great teacher - do NOT work in a
public school...common core, our local state teach-to-the-test mentality, and union politics are terrible....”

I am pleased and proud to say that my daughter graduated with her teaching degree and is currently teaching in a wonderful PRIVATE school. She loves her job! She loves the
kids; she says the administration is very supportive. She
plans to never teach in a public school.

On Long Island, my sons 5th grade teacher earned $107k per year.. The special ed teacher in the same classroom earned $117k. (They are public employees and the salaries are public record and posted online)
The idea of the poor underpaid overworked teacher is a teachers union myth, at least around here. ( And we still have to send in cases of tissues and wipes every couple of months)