Teaching has become one of the most draining jobs in America. Today’s teachers are navigating the threat of school shootings, a pandemic and intensifying political interference in their lesson plans — all while their wages remain stagnant.
Why it matters: Teachers are asking themselves whether shouldering those burdens is still worth it, and many experts warn of a looming staffing crisis.
“I’m really worried about the profession in general, the amount of people leaving, the quality of the applicants who are out there,” said Brooke Olsen-Farrell, superintendent of the Slate Valley Unified School District in Vermont. “We have roles open with no applications, and it’s not just our district. It’s every district.”
The big picture: Teaching has long been an underpaid profession, but in the last two years, America’s demands on its educators have mounted. Continue here....
-- Erica Pandey, Alison Snyder
