The Teacher Shortage:

[Coventina]

I quit my teaching job and now make more bartending for 15 less hours a week.
Also, I get blamed for way way less and get told thank you way way more.
No lesson plans or grading papers.

Remember this when people ask about the teacher shortage.

Abby Norman (from Instagram)

[Bernardo de La Paz]

1. The uneducated tRump so dearly loves have no idea of the value of education. Shameful. . . nt

[Buckeyeblue]

2. The sad thing is schools are forced to replace teachers with unqualified individuals

But I can't blame any teacher wanting out. Some of these parents think they are Trump and try to bully there way into making sure their kids aren't held accountable.

[Fiendish Thingy]

3. I don't think a bartender's benefits are as good as a teacher's

And they probably aren’t protected by a Union either.

Teaching America’s youth is a far nobler occupation than enabling alcoholics.

I can see why book banning and laws restricting teacher speech on race and sexuality might drive some from the profession, but seriously, fuck Abby Norman, whoever they are.

(Grandson of two teachers and father of a current High School English teacher)

[Scrivener7]

4. Fuck someone who has left teaching because it has become untenable?

And you seem to think you know enough to pass judgment because you know a teacher currently and your grandparents were teachers.

And you seem to think it is up to you to declare which occupations are worthy and which are not.

That's just disturbing.

[Fiendish Thingy]

7. The tweeter was bragging about making more money as a bartender compared to a teacher

I shared my opinion on the value to society of the two occupations.

People with varying amounts of knowledge and experience pass judgement all the time.

Welcome to the internet.

[Scrivener7]

9. And your judgment is that bartending is not a worthy job, and that you

know better than a former teacher whether that teacher should have stayed in the profession. Based on your grandparents' experience.

Got it.

[Cuthbert Allgood]

6. Current high school teacher of 30 years.

It's bad and it's going to get worse. I'm sure your child has let you know this. The mental health impact of the last few years has been horrible and there is basically not support--just indications that we need to do even more. I predict a LOT of people moving out of education in the next few years.

And there are a lot of states where unions have been gutted and benefits are just getting less and less.

[Fiendish Thingy]

8. America shall reap what it sows.

The RWNJ’s want an uneducated populace, all the easier to manipulate via social media due to lack of critical thinking skills.

IMO, teaching should be a revered profession. Just as fascists in the past have attacked intellectuals, teachers are seen as a threat to those who would seize power.

[world wide wally]

11. They are "grooming" Trump voters.

[lindysalsagal]

16. Thanks for putting in the time, dedication and patience. And for taking all the crap.

[AwakeAtLast]

13. Many states have no union representation for teachers

And our benefits are not what they used to be.

Teachers are told repeatedly, " If you don't like it, find a better job" So they are. In droves.

You do not know how much that teacher was making, or how much they were putting up with, so your judgement is quite harsh.

If I could quit, I would. The past 2 1/2 years have been demoralizing.

[world wide wally]

5. A profound observation I had when I was teaching:

It seems that everyone fancies themselves an "expert" on teaching and the plight of teachers. Yeah, right.
I always wondered if they second guess their doctors, attorneys, or car mechanics. It would be nice if they respected the people charged with educating their children as much as any other professional.
Now people like DeSantis and Abbott have decided they are education experts. The truth is, they wouldn't last a day in a classroom.

[Scrivener7]

10. The latest move to have cameras in the classroom is going to make it impossible

to be a teacher.

I worked in schools for 20 years, not as a teacher and in a job that brought me to multiple schools at a time. So I have watched a lot of teachers over the years. It just seems like every time you turn around someone is putting another useless hurdle in front of them, another impossible task, another rule that has nothing to do with actually teaching children.

I can't imagine how they do it. They are leaving the profession in droves, and no wonder.

[lindysalsagal]

17. +1000.

[mcar]

12. SO is in his last year or so

I can't wait until he retires. Because he's grandfathered in vis a vis tenure and pension, we are OK. He still loves working with teenagers and they really value him.

I can't imagine why any young person would want to go into teaching now.

[hueymahl]

14. Former Teacher here

I recognize this sentiment.

Pay sucks. Benefits are OK (but not worth shit if you don't put in 30 years). Hours suck. Lack of autonomy sucks. Failure to be treated as a professional sucks. Bureaucracy and paperwork is almost unbearable. Many of the parents suck.

Kids are awesome. Even the "bad" ones. Takes a special person to put up with all of that just for the kids. Most of the good ones don't.

[lindysalsagal]

15. No parent conferences, either....