More than half of teachers are looking for the exits, poll says

[Nevilledog]

Link to tweet

Tweet text:Adam H. Johnson
@adamjohnsonNYC
New NEA poll of teachers

— 55% say they will leave teaching sooner than they had originally planned

—90% say that feeling burned out is a serious problem

— 80% report unfilled job openings have led to more work obligations for those left

npr.org
More than half of teachers are looking for the exits, poll says
A new poll from the nation's largest teachers union finds burnout is widespread, and more educators saying they're thinking about leaving.
7:16 AM · Feb 3, 2022

https://www.npr.org/2022/02/01/1076943883/teachers-quitting-burnout

Teachers are picking up slack for absent colleagues. They're covering for unfilled positions. And 55% of them say they will leave teaching sooner than they had originally planned, according to a poll of its members by the nation's largest teachers union.

The National Education Association poll, conducted in January, helps quantify the stress being placed on educators right now. It found that the number who say they'll leave the profession sooner has risen significantly since August. Among the NEA poll's other findings:

* 90% of its members say that feeling burned out is a serious problem.

* 86% say they have seen more educators leaving the profession or retiring early since the start of the pandemic.

* 80% report that unfilled job openings have led to more work obligations for those left.

"Last summer, I started traveling across the country," says Becky Pringle, president of the NEA, which has nearly 3 million members, talking about the impetus for the survey. "Without exception, every stop I made, from Kentucky to Oakland, I heard those similar stories of educators who were exhausted, overwhelmed, feeling unloved, disrespected."

*snip*

[XanaDUer2]

1. Good for them nt

[sanatanadharma]

2. Baby sitters get more respect

In America, babies are desired more than intelligence

[JT45242]

3. I left almost 9 years ago and this latest round is worse than it was then...

In 1997, I was teaching in a semi-rural suburb of Dayton, Ohio. I had two school board members tell the superintendent that they were going to vote to non-renew my tecahing contract because I showed the National Geographic video about the Lucy fossil finds and human evolution in my science class.

My response was simple. "Superintendent, please inform them that the Scopes monkey trial was nearly 75 years ago and they lost. I will gladly file a wrongful termination suit and when I take their houses, I will turn them into soup kitchens and homeless shelters." She was shocked that I wouldn't back down. She also understood the implied threat that the lawsuit would include her and the district as well.

That was back when teachers had bargaining rights and binding arbitration...

These new laws -- the wouldn't have to fire me. They would each sue me for $10,000 that the union couldn't pay. They would bankrupt me for doing my job as evolution is in the science standards.

It is open season on teachers -- guns are mroe important than teachers lives. And the American Taliban want to make certain that their insane view of a book on morality is a science text. Particularly, when they can't understand the original language.

I weep for American education -- because only a fool would remain a teacher with so much too lose for actually doing your job.

That Texas abortion law that the bogus Scotus let stand will be the death of American society. For without quality schools, we are doomed. Quality schools require qulity dedicated teachers who can speak th etruth in social studies, in English , in science, and in every subject -- the fear of lawsuits will take that away.

[Stinky The Clown]

4. I think this is similar to nurses. Overworked, under paid, disrespected. But most of all . . . . .

. . . . they are directly under attack by right wing crazies.

[senseandsensibility]

5. Teachers are not trained in medicine

and yet they are required to teach during a pandemic with no support. They are required to teach unvaccinated children in tight spaces with no N-95's for themselves and many times children are not required to be masked. No medical professional would be required to cram into a small space with up to 30 unvaccinated people and no personal protective equipment. Insanity.

[GAdem2016]

6. Both my daugther (4th year teacher) and my sister (30 year vet)

are quitting after this year. My sister is retiring early. My daughter teaches 2nd grade; all of the 2nd grade teachers in her school are quitting. It's going to be a shitshow.

[Ishoutandscream2]

7. My brother, 29 year veteran SPED teacher

has had enough. He's got his points to retirement, and he's taking it. Both the mental and physical toll has been too much on him lately. He's been in hospital two times this school year, not Covid related.

[XanaDUer2]

12. What does your daughter want to do? Nt

[GAdem2016]

22. She's not sure.

I think she wants to stay in an education-related field (policy work, program development work). She's talked about going to graduate school, but I don't think she's ready to decide on a particular path. She said there are a lot of agencies that specialize in helping teachers leave education, so she's going to tap into them.

[AngryOldDem]

26. My kid has left the profession entirely.

He’s 29 this year. Has a job that’s paying the bills, but not much else. He’s exploring other options, but is extremely cynical about teaching in general now.

He wanted to teach history at the high school level, but all the positions required also coaching a sport.

(Yes, you read that right.)

[msongs]

8. getting rid of teachers is part of the plan. misson accomplished? nt

[madville]

9. Many public schools will simply be daycare centers

Especially in underprivileged neighborhoods/districts. Eventually some kind of AI artificial teacher will be developed to cut out the problems with educating and employing humans.

I can’t blame the teachers though, make $40k a year dealing with all that drama, when the gas station down the road pays the cashiers the same thing now (not kidding, travel center nearby starts at $18 an hour for full time cashiers and janitors).

[SWBTATTReg]

10. Abuse is the republican way. Just give it time, after a while, no one is going to want to

work in any republican state, being that if one works in a republican state, that the Earth will be upside down, the Earth is only 6,000 years old, books aren't allowed, any advanced technology is not allowed (thus everybody must give up their personal computers, disconnect from the Internet, etc.).

The dumbing down of America is already underway. If you don't believe me, simply just go to a red state and look at the news, etc. Look at what the republican-controlled legislators are working on. You can bet it's nothing really that has to do w/ the nuts and bolts on getting things to work right or not. It'll be some 'moral' made-up issue (as usual) that's been around for decades if not longer, but now is a hot issue (per the republicans).

Texas is undergoing yet again, another massive freeze even though the republicans in control back then promised everything to prevent such a thing from ever happening again (and yet, it did, just now/ w/ the current winter storm hitting the south).

Promises from Republicans, guess what, it's not a promise, it's a lie, as usual.

[Aristus]

11. Making working conditions intolerable for teachers and medical professionals,

and you get a sick, intellectually bankrupt nation.


Aaaaaand here we are...

[JI7]

13. They are tired of being seen as free babysitters

[The Jungle 1]

14. The school boards have played a sick game.

It is the same game the right played when we wanted to provide healthcare for Americans. They whipped their low IQ voters into a lather and call them teabaggers.

My local district has forbidden the teachers from talking about 1/6. I thought the right loved freedom?
The right wing turds whipped up the voters and did take over the local school board. Now they are going full fascist.

[The Jungle 1]

15. Not sure how teachers do what they do.

After having children and getting involved in sports and scouting etc. one thing is clear. I don't like a lot of other peoples kids. I understand they all will grow up but some of them are hard to be around.
Teachers spend a whole day with them. No I will not be signing up for that.

[Mr.Bill]

16. The republicans want to destroy the public education system

and fund private education, mostly run by religious organizations.

[leftyladyfrommo]

17. I honestly believe that parents that cause trouble should

have their kids suspended and be forced to send their kids to the private school of their choice.

Don't like the mask rules and vaccination rules? Fine. Put your kids in private school. Don't like the books in the library? Fine. Put your kids in a religeous school.

Teachers need to be free to teach and not be threatened.

[Tickle]

19. I think they call that

“School of choice “

[AngryOldDem]

27. And the state will help pay for it.

The latest attack on public ed here in Indiana is making school districts split levy money with charters. If that happens to pass, I will never vote for another school levy again. That, and making school districts offer unused buildings to charters for $1, instead of fair market value.

Indiana lawmakers absolutely HATE public education, and are well on their way to destroying it.

[leftyladyfrommo]

28. I think it may already be destroyed. Are kids getting

any sort of education ? It doesn't look like it just from looking in from the outside.

[AngryOldDem]

29. No.

The teacher shortage here is so bad they are practically pulling people off the streets to put in schools. “Adjunct teachers,” they’re being called. Some districts are also using volunteer parents.

[BeckyDem]

18. Can't imagine why.

[demtenjeep]

20. I AM- I wanted to teach 6 more years but .....I can go out at any time

6 more years would let me buy one more new Jeep before I get too old to drive



but our last one is a 2020 and before that we drove our 05 for 16 years so............

[BigmanPigman]

21. Yup, all my teacher friends are saying the same thing.

Since I was getting sick 90% of the school year I had to leave the profession or let it kill me. The stress is unreal. The disrespect is unreal. Being forced to do 40% more work due to lay offs in support staff is very real.

I told my ROP high school students the advice I wish someone had given me..."Don't become a teacher!"

[leftyladyfrommo]

23. They are going after librarians, too.

[AngryOldDem]

24. It's become a truly thankless profession.

By design. States are killing public education through low wages, overreach, and legislative harassment.

[Vinca]

25. Can't blame them. It's only a matter of time before the book burners are whining that there

aren't enough teachers and stupidly wondering why.

[Tree Lady]

30. My daughter lives in Texas

Went thru the whole program to be a teacher and quit after only 6 months because of all the backstabbing craziness and principal that never believed her.

She already had accounting degree earlier but changed over to have more time with kids, so changed back and is now on last of 4 CPA tests and works fulltime at worldwide accounting agency. Been home the last two years working.