Texas Teachers Are Leaving at a Record Pace

Add teachers to The Great Resignation.

There are certain professions that have been ignored for some time now and the chickens are coming home to roost.

I've always spoken up in favor of fast food workers. That work is hard work. Anyone who can stand over a hot grill or deal with the public for hours deserves respect. I don't care if it's an entry-level job or not, these people are busting their butts. Yet somehow a portion of the world thinks these are the perfect people to demean and disrespect.

As for teachers, let's be nice here and say that the problem has been more in the area of us being neglectful to their needs. Teachers get more and more work put on them, have to deal with student violence, parents who know less than the students, school boards bowing to political pressure and just a general indifference that makes them lose the love they have for teaching.

All of this is playing out across the country, but was recently spotlighted in Austin, where over 2,100 people have resigned this school year. One of the areas of concern was that Austin may just be too expensive for teachers, but talk to a teacher or two and you'll find out quickly that burn-out is at an all-time high.

Many teachers join the profession for noble reasons, but when the pressure gets to be too much it becomes very easy to say "well, I've done my part" and move on to some other job. That's where I think you'll find teachers entering the regular workforce.

All of this brings up the big question: where are new teachers going to come from? We're going to have to work harder to make teaching an attractive career again. It could be money, respect or attention, but it's time to step up for teachers.