As a current teacher, would give it up in a heartbeat - it is exhausting. But I'need the pension, and especially need the healthcare it provides.

I can remember starting school and the teacher putting things like a brand new set of colored pencils in each desk for us to use. Now I found out that teachers even have to buy their own tissues for the classroom or ask each student to bring a box in for everyone to use through the year. It's disgraceful that teachers have to foot the bill for supplies, or appeal to parents for help. Each year here school taxes increase, but the increase is always given to administration, it never goes back to the teachers or the classroom.

I really hate to say this, but she's probably also less likely to get shot as a bartender, these days.

Damn right. And it's a disgusting shame that absolutely no one in government gives a damn.

And now conservative politicians are tossing about the idea of teachers arming themselves in the classroom. Who can blame teachers for wanting to leave? It's appalling...they educate our future generations and deserve our support, both at government levels and at the family level.

They're a big reason I'm leaving, but it's not because they bother me. It's because they don't return calls, emails, anything. I haven't talked to a parent at my school in at least a couple of years. They don't come to conferences, open house, nothing. They think when their kid hits high school they can stop showing up. It's insane.

I am always both in awe of and worried for young people who want to get into teaching. It sounds like a thankless, miserable job and I can't believe that there are still idealistic young people who want to do some good.

Every member of our government needs to pull their heads out of their collective asses and realize the country is populated by human beings, not cogs in the capitalist machine. Things are going to get much worse before they get better.

As a teacher, I agree with this - especially the exhaustion.

I would like to hear more context around this one, and what the wrong kind of hard looks like.

Almost 20 years ago, a friend of mine was a substitute in the Boston school system. He got clobbered by a kid twice his size, he was the one who got disciplined.

My 17-year-old son was called a Communist when, while while working at a local amusement park, he asked a guest to not smoke in a non-smoking area, (The ironic thing in his case is that he is adopted from Russia.). What is wrong with people???

Enjoy the results of your hateful, right wing rhetoric, DeSantis. Dumbass.

It's sad that these professionals must sacrifice their dignity, because they actually care for their students. Unlike the politicians!

You DID a good job! I am glad you did it once and decided your own health and sanity came first. Kudos.

Ah, but DeSantis is now pushing the hiring of military veterans to fill those empty teacher roles...and highlights that they need NO teaching experience or prior teaching education. I guess he thinks having military-based teachers will be better when they all need to be armed in the goddamn classrooms.

That is insane. Just thinking of the preps you'd have to do to meet all of those class requirements, all the course building, the curricula and standards to learn and incorporate... This gives me anxiety just reading it!

Hug!!!!!

Some sacrifices aren't meant to be yours to make. Take care of yourself, first and foremost.

What’s a Snowplow parent?

I dunno why teachers provide supplies. I wouldn't especially with the salary being low af already.

Children lose sleep because of this too

The crowded classes and lack of support creates a petri dish.

I make more money doing pretty much anything. Many of my colleagues work extra jobs, drive Uber/Lyft, and/or share homes in order to afford to teach.

Oh, and the state standardized testing . . . let's not forget the emphasis and the pressure put on teachers for that.

It is hard to unwind after a day's work. You tend to take the more troublesome cases home with you, mentally. What could I have done differently, what will I try next...

I usually break down my workload for students on day one, to dispel the myths, because I work constantly. For one class of 25 students' final assignment, I will have 25 15-page essays to read and mark. It takes about 90 min per essay, because I have to read it, make notes, read it again, mark it, and make comments. I may have to research a source for a student. That's JUST under 40 hrs of work to mark ONE assignment for ONE class. I do not get paid for ANY of this time. That's before we get to the other assignments, the course planning, the reading, the lesson plans and lectures and PowerPoints for each class. And before we get to the conference papers and articles, the editing and reviews, the panel presentations. AGAIN, ALL UNPAID. But keep telling us how "lazy" and "stupid" and "out of touch" we are, Conservatives!