American school teachers are getting screwed

The Alberta government hypocritically claims to value education while demanding more and more of teachers while overcrowding classrooms, underfunding schools and derailing the ability of the Alberta Teachers' Association to fight for better teaching and working conditions (forcing teachers into the position of being able to bargain only for salary--a self-fulfilling prophecy that "teachers only care about money"). But as bad as it is here, it's nothing compared to what American governments at local, state and federal level are doing to teachers.

The New York Times says "In your community, you might spot your son's Advanced Placement biology teacher working in the summer as a travel agent. Or perhaps your daughter's English teacher is painting the house down the street. Not counting those who teach summer school, about 20 percent of the country's teachers have second jobs (often during the school year, too), and the majority of those jobs could not be construed as enhancing universal respect for those who teach."

Comments

Scott said…
All too true. I lasted all of two years teaching high school before looking for greener pastures. Now I make far more money for what is, quite honestly, far less work.

That's the major aspect I didn't see mentioned in the linked article - how long a teacher's work week *really* is, when you account for all the class preparation and homework grading you need to do once you've gone home for the day. Honestly, this is probably the only reason more teachers don't have second jobs during the school year.

Popular posts from this blog

Mazisi Kunene's “Thoughts on June 26 (South African Liberation Day)”

BARBARA PERRY ON HOW TO DEFEAT CANADIAN FASCISTS (MF GALAXY 175)

CATHLEEN ROOTSAERT ON WRITING MASS EFFECT, THREE DEAD TROLLS IN A BAGGIE (MF GALAXY 075)