Posted on 06/19/2022 8:33:05 AM PDT by cuz1961
PORTLAND, Ore. (TND/KATU) — With the end of the 2021-22 school year rapidly approaching, many educators will be leaving school for the final time in the coming weeks.
School districts in the U.S. are seeing increases in teacher resignations and retirements. In fact, school teachers are more burned out than any other worker in America, according to a recent Gallop poll.
KATU connected with a member of the Beaverton Education Association in Oregon, who helped provide more insight into why.
"You have to love what you're doing, but it's not the only thing that's going to get you through the career," said Lindsay Ray, vice president of BEA.
KATU contacted multiple teachers who are staying in the industry, who said concerns with low pay, safety and clashes with families over curriculum are all mitigating factors.
"A lack of respect for the profession, a lack of trust to do your job, and a feeling of, 'Is this the most safe thing anymore?'" said Ray.
Pay has also been a cited concern. Unionized teachers in the North Marion School District said they've worked without a contract through the school year.
The district told KATU 12 teachers have put in for retirement or resignation, roughly 10% of the estimated 120 teachers on staff in the district.
Ray said it's part of a larger problem.
"A lot of educators cannot live where they work because they're not making enough, they can't support families on salaries," said Ray.
Portland Public Schools shared that they're preparing for 87 departures district-wide, but putting in additional funding supports to try and address issues. In a statement, the district said it's committed $16 million towards "creating more time for educators to plan, collaborate, and prepare."
Ray said such support will need to come from districts, families and peers across the region.
"While there are a lot of reasons out there that are dissuading folks, I'm hopeful that we can be a louder voice on the other side to say, 'Oh my gosh, students are great, education is great,'" said Ray. "It is so hard right now, but it is great and rewarding, and we're doing our best."
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That, or they don't want parents discovering what they are up to in the classroom or coat closet.
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I smell FEAR.
A son of a friend of mine is a fairly new teacher. He’s changing professions due to the new curriculum he’s being forced to teach. He just does not feel comfortable teaching it. Can you blame him?
A very good start.
Good.
Too bad the other half isn’t joining them, for then we could actually REFORM education and possibly bring it up to Asian or even Russian standards. But then again, I’m dreaming.
the entire public school system needs to collapse ...
A son of a friend of mine is a fairly new teacher. He’s changing professions due to the new curriculum he’s being forced to teach. He just does not feel comfortable teaching it. Can you blame him?
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Nope, I can’t , and I commend him !
School choice and vouchers , let parents vote with their feet.
Tik tok teachers and their commie curriculum and perv flags must go .
Good. Time to bring in school choice. I’m pro choice. You Lefties are pro choice too aren’t you?
They will not be missed. As a parent with two kids going into high school this fall, or the last several years I think 3/4 of the teachers with met should be fired.
Good news. This means there will be a lot fewer communists indoctrinating our children in failed Marxist philosophy.
Siri makes me sound like Kamala Harris. Anyway what I said was that over the last several years, easily 3/4 of the teachers we’ve encountered should be fired! In the past year we’ve come across teachers pushing critical race, anti-American trash, anti-Christian, anti- Semitic and so forth. They do not believe in America and are doing their best to convince our kids the same. Parent should have a direct saying whether a teacher returns the next year.
OMG, I can't push my freak agenda or CRT anymore. I'm quitting.
This isn’t new. A relative of mine taught in an upscale suburban school district for forty years, and by the end she couldn’t wait to get out...there was mandatory BS being imposed on the curriculum, increased PC and politics, and it became more and more clear that if you were trying to do a good job, nobody in the school administration had your back. Meanwhile the students were becoming more and more unruly, and the parents would automatically blame the teacher rather than admit they might have to do something about their little darlings.
She retired before camera phones and social media became common...more than once she told me how she couldn’t imagine trying to teach in an environment where students could set up a teacher and spread a false record against them far and wide.
> concerns with low pay, safety and clashes with families over curriculum <
I taught for decades as an urban public high school teacher. Permit me to make a few comments.
Low pay: That’s true in some districts. But it’s something you know going in. If you don’t like the pay, keep an eye out for a better job. It’s the American way.
Safety: You betcha. That’s something you don’t know going in. Every school district advertises itself as a wonderful place to work. They’ll show you smiling faces of kids ready to learn. Well, even in my worst classes most kids were like that. But then you’d also have maybe 10 or 20% who want to (and will) attack you and other students. Administrators ignore this problem as it’s bad publicity to address it.
Clashes with families: This one puzzles me. Every teacher I know would welcome parent observers in the classroom, and would welcome curriculum discussions with them. I suppose there are exceptions, but I haven’t met any.
Oh, and one more thing. Theses days teachers have ZERO control over the curriculum. Everything is set at the school board level. Teachers no longer have any discretion. So parents who have a legitimate beef about the curriculum are aiming at the wrong target when they are blaming teachers.
Correct!
If they're pissed parents want a say in how their children are educated then 'good riddance'.
If teachers crave the power of the FBI and DOH to call in government goons on parents who want a say - then good riddance.
This isn't the old days when most citizens had teachers they admired and respected and were thankful for... No, today's ' - - teachers celebrate sexual Kink Day - encouraging the sexual mutilation of young people.
Bye bye groomers. If on the other hand, decent teachers who stand up to commie union organizers are leaving - then please reconsider...
If your kid has grownup to be homeless or a leftest wacko living in your basement..thank a teacher!
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