Received an email that DS teacher quit Friday.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Look-teaching is hard and there are good teachers and bad teachers, professional and skilled and unprofessional and unskilled. Like any profession! There’s a weird dynamic reminiscent of the gross police unions where any criticism of any teacher is taken as a shocking moral outrage. Suck it up buttercups-if you’re not a bad teacher no one’s talking abt you.

I'm not a teacher, but know the data-- there are an estimated currently .59 possible teachers (not just licensed, this includes provisional and alternately licensed etc.) available for every position (private, public, charter) in the US and the numbers are going down fast. This is SO much lower than it's ever been. As existing teachers have to cover 1.5x as much it's only going to accelerate. Add in the heightened vitriol. So I'm pretty sure it's going to be us parents who are going to have to "suck it up buttercup" as these teachers realize they don't have to put up with unreasonable job conditions. Excellent, highly experienced teachers are quitting ALL OVER and nobody wants to step in.

I don’t think anyone should stay year after year in a miserable job nor do I think parents need to act like each and every teacher is a hard-working, highly skilled saint.

No one has to act like every teacher is a hard-working, highly skilled saint. (That's part of the problem actually---teachers are put on a pedestal while often being denied basic professional treatment--and then the accountability that comes with that). We're just saying she can quit like anyone else can. She doesn't have to be professional in the ways you think she should if she doesn't want to be. You're free to criticize that, but saying that she's free to quit doesn't mean you're disrespecting teachers, just acknowledging they have the same agency as everyone else even though your kids are depending on them and it's really disappointing. And pointing out that she's in the power position here--there is a nationwide shortage that is a huge crisis. You don't actually employ her. People can elect a different school board, whine about taxes, complain about unions or the lack of unions, but the reality is that many skilled and unskilled, professional and unprofessional teachers are walking out across the whole country--whether schools stayed open or closed during the pandemic, whether they are in red or blue counties and states, rich and poor districts-- and we're all going to have to face this and figure out what to do.

You think you're right. And I think you're wrong. Some professions are different, including teaching. That's known by both teachers and non-teachers. The expectation of a teacher staying on until the end of the year is understood by all parties.

Maybe the pandemic has changed that. But I don't think that change will benefit teachers or anyone else.

The problem is in insisting that they aren't any different from anyone else but also expecting them to be different.

Teenagers give notice before quitting a fast food job. If you don’t want to be held to that high standard fair enough!

Wait, just to be sure -- you are claiming most teenagers give notice before quitting a fast food job?

Yes I am!

That's so cute.

Most just stop showing up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Look-teaching is hard and there are good teachers and bad teachers, professional and skilled and unprofessional and unskilled. Like any profession! There’s a weird dynamic reminiscent of the gross police unions where any criticism of any teacher is taken as a shocking moral outrage. Suck it up buttercups-if you’re not a bad teacher no one’s talking abt you.

I'm not a teacher, but know the data-- there are an estimated currently .59 possible teachers (not just licensed, this includes provisional and alternately licensed etc.) available for every position (private, public, charter) in the US and the numbers are going down fast. This is SO much lower than it's ever been. As existing teachers have to cover 1.5x as much it's only going to accelerate. Add in the heightened vitriol. So I'm pretty sure it's going to be us parents who are going to have to "suck it up buttercup" as these teachers realize they don't have to put up with unreasonable job conditions. Excellent, highly experienced teachers are quitting ALL OVER and nobody wants to step in.

I don’t think anyone should stay year after year in a miserable job nor do I think parents need to act like each and every teacher is a hard-working, highly skilled saint.

No one has to act like every teacher is a hard-working, highly skilled saint. (That's part of the problem actually---teachers are put on a pedestal while often being denied basic professional treatment--and then the accountability that comes with that). We're just saying she can quit like anyone else can. She doesn't have to be professional in the ways you think she should if she doesn't want to be. You're free to criticize that, but saying that she's free to quit doesn't mean you're disrespecting teachers, just acknowledging they have the same agency as everyone else even though your kids are depending on them and it's really disappointing. And pointing out that she's in the power position here--there is a nationwide shortage that is a huge crisis. You don't actually employ her. People can elect a different school board, whine about taxes, complain about unions or the lack of unions, but the reality is that many skilled and unskilled, professional and unprofessional teachers are walking out across the whole country--whether schools stayed open or closed during the pandemic, whether they are in red or blue counties and states, rich and poor districts-- and we're all going to have to face this and figure out what to do.

You think you're right. And I think you're wrong. Some professions are different, including teaching. That's known by both teachers and non-teachers. The expectation of a teacher staying on until the end of the year is understood by all parties.

Maybe the pandemic has changed that. But I don't think that change will benefit teachers or anyone else.

The problem is in insisting that they aren't any different from anyone else but also expecting them to be different.

Teenagers give notice before quitting a fast food job. If you don’t want to be held to that high standard fair enough!

Wait, just to be sure -- you are claiming most teenagers give notice before quitting a fast food job?

Yes I am!

That's so cute.

Most just stop showing up.

That’s not been my experience. They become friendly with their coworkers and don’t want to screw them over on shifts usually.

[Anonymous]

Any adult who doesn't understand that she owes 10-year-olds the courtesy of an "I'm sorry I won't see you Monday" before just vanishing into thin air, shouldn't be teaching in the first place.

[Anonymous]

If it was major health or personal issues I would think that the teacher herself or the administration would make it clear that this was difficult and try to make it smoother.

But this sounds like the teacher went scorched earth and the administration is trying to hint that it's not on them.

I am guessing a few parents in your kid's class are feeling really really embarrassed and guilty today.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:That sucks, and I'm sorry. There must be something really difficult going on in that teacher's life right to make such a decision.

She probably got fed up with the a-hole parents.

Honestly, this is probably accurate.

I wouldn't blame her.

Not this late in the year. It’s unprofessional and rude. Anyone can work another 6 weeks. That’s a really $hitty thing to do to her students. Just finish the damn year and move on.

Why should she wait six weeks? Teachers don't get paid for the summer. So her leaving now for a better job means a better financial future long-term. OP doesn't like it I'm sure she knows were the sub sign-up forms are. It won't even be that long, just six weeks.

Wow, the disrespect towards teachers just doesn't stop.

DP: Why is this disrespect? Teachers are supposed to give up better financial offers just because you think they should conform to your idea of professionalism? They owe it to their students? The same teachers who routinely get pink slips every spring and often don't know if/where they are going to work the next year until mid-summer? The same teachers who have been putting up with a ton of crap from so many angles the past few years? Putting teachers on a pedestal who will suffer through anything--give up their own and their family's well-being-- for their students is not "respect" it's an unreasonable expectation. To couch it as 'respect' is just extra gaslighting. These and many other unreasonable demands are what is gutting the teacher profession. Sure, I'd prefer a teacher--or any worker-- not quit without notice but I can totally understand why someone would if they are at the breaking point. And only hr and the teacher know the actual situation, not OP. But if we don't course correct on demands on teachers, the issue is not whether you'll have the same teacher for the next month or so, but whether you'll have any at all next year.

Spare us your union BS. Unprofessional behavior is unprofessional behavior in any field.

Live in denial of the growing teacher shortage then.

Other fields have labor shortages right now so spare us all the sanctimony. Teachers are respected when they actually behave liked grown-ups.

And every other grown-up can quit their job without people caring one bit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The kids will be fine.

Funny how this line is always pulled out to justify bad action by adults.

I am not justifying anything. I don't know the teacher situation. My point is that they will be fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Look-teaching is hard and there are good teachers and bad teachers, professional and skilled and unprofessional and unskilled. Like any profession! There’s a weird dynamic reminiscent of the gross police unions where any criticism of any teacher is taken as a shocking moral outrage. Suck it up buttercups-if you’re not a bad teacher no one’s talking abt you.

I'm not a teacher, but know the data-- there are an estimated currently .59 possible teachers (not just licensed, this includes provisional and alternately licensed etc.) available for every position (private, public, charter) in the US and the numbers are going down fast. This is SO much lower than it's ever been. As existing teachers have to cover 1.5x as much it's only going to accelerate. Add in the heightened vitriol. So I'm pretty sure it's going to be us parents who are going to have to "suck it up buttercup" as these teachers realize they don't have to put up with unreasonable job conditions. Excellent, highly experienced teachers are quitting ALL OVER and nobody wants to step in.

I don’t think anyone should stay year after year in a miserable job nor do I think parents need to act like each and every teacher is a hard-working, highly skilled saint.

No one has to act like every teacher is a hard-working, highly skilled saint. (That's part of the problem actually---teachers are put on a pedestal while often being denied basic professional treatment--and then the accountability that comes with that). We're just saying she can quit like anyone else can. She doesn't have to be professional in the ways you think she should if she doesn't want to be. You're free to criticize that, but saying that she's free to quit doesn't mean you're disrespecting teachers, just acknowledging they have the same agency as everyone else even though your kids are depending on them and it's really disappointing. And pointing out that she's in the power position here--there is a nationwide shortage that is a huge crisis. You don't actually employ her. People can elect a different school board, whine about taxes, complain about unions or the lack of unions, but the reality is that many skilled and unskilled, professional and unprofessional teachers are walking out across the whole country--whether schools stayed open or closed during the pandemic, whether they are in red or blue counties and states, rich and poor districts-- and we're all going to have to face this and figure out what to do.

You think you're right. And I think you're wrong. Some professions are different, including teaching. That's known by both teachers and non-teachers. The expectation of a teacher staying on until the end of the year is understood by all parties.

Maybe the pandemic has changed that. But I don't think that change will benefit teachers or anyone else.

The problem is in insisting that they aren't any different from anyone else but also expecting them to be different.

Teenagers give notice before quitting a fast food job. If you don’t want to be held to that high standard fair enough!

Wait, just to be sure -- you are claiming most teenagers give notice before quitting a fast food job?

Yes I am!

That's so cute.

Most just stop showing up.

That’s not been my experience. They become friendly with their coworkers and don’t want to screw them over on shifts usually.

I think your experience is likely with teenagers of a fairly narrow type and not representative of most teenage fast-food workers across the country, including those working in pretty slum conditions, those who are actively using substances of abuse, those who get pregnant and/or who are in domestic abuse situations, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Any adult who doesn't understand that she owes 10-year-olds the courtesy of an "I'm sorry I won't see you Monday" before just vanishing into thin air, shouldn't be teaching in the first place.

Okay. Let's go with that and see what happens.

I'm sure it will all work out fine anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The kids will be fine.

Funny how this line is always pulled out to justify bad action by adults.

I am not justifying anything. I don't know the teacher situation. My point is that they will be fine.

Sure. And they will be fine after their parent's divorce. And they will be fine after sitting home for two years going to school on screens. Yes, the kids will always "be fine," so adults can do whatever the hell they want to, including quit their job as their teacher with a month of school left in the year, without saying good-bye.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Look-teaching is hard and there are good teachers and bad teachers, professional and skilled and unprofessional and unskilled. Like any profession! There’s a weird dynamic reminiscent of the gross police unions where any criticism of any teacher is taken as a shocking moral outrage. Suck it up buttercups-if you’re not a bad teacher no one’s talking abt you.

I'm not a teacher, but know the data-- there are an estimated currently .59 possible teachers (not just licensed, this includes provisional and alternately licensed etc.) available for every position (private, public, charter) in the US and the numbers are going down fast. This is SO much lower than it's ever been. As existing teachers have to cover 1.5x as much it's only going to accelerate. Add in the heightened vitriol. So I'm pretty sure it's going to be us parents who are going to have to "suck it up buttercup" as these teachers realize they don't have to put up with unreasonable job conditions. Excellent, highly experienced teachers are quitting ALL OVER and nobody wants to step in.

I don’t think anyone should stay year after year in a miserable job nor do I think parents need to act like each and every teacher is a hard-working, highly skilled saint.

No one has to act like every teacher is a hard-working, highly skilled saint. (That's part of the problem actually---teachers are put on a pedestal while often being denied basic professional treatment--and then the accountability that comes with that). We're just saying she can quit like anyone else can. She doesn't have to be professional in the ways you think she should if she doesn't want to be. You're free to criticize that, but saying that she's free to quit doesn't mean you're disrespecting teachers, just acknowledging they have the same agency as everyone else even though your kids are depending on them and it's really disappointing. And pointing out that she's in the power position here--there is a nationwide shortage that is a huge crisis. You don't actually employ her. People can elect a different school board, whine about taxes, complain about unions or the lack of unions, but the reality is that many skilled and unskilled, professional and unprofessional teachers are walking out across the whole country--whether schools stayed open or closed during the pandemic, whether they are in red or blue counties and states, rich and poor districts-- and we're all going to have to face this and figure out what to do.

You think you're right. And I think you're wrong. Some professions are different, including teaching. That's known by both teachers and non-teachers. The expectation of a teacher staying on until the end of the year is understood by all parties.

Maybe the pandemic has changed that. But I don't think that change will benefit teachers or anyone else.

My school and others in my district have had a very high number of teachers taking personal/sick days this year. Some people are doing this to deal with the stress and some people quit. I'm sure there is a good reason why she did it now but it's much better now than at the beginning or middle of the year.

[Anonymous]

What does your kid say, OP? Any issues? Did they like the teacher?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Look-teaching is hard and there are good teachers and bad teachers, professional and skilled and unprofessional and unskilled. Like any profession! There’s a weird dynamic reminiscent of the gross police unions where any criticism of any teacher is taken as a shocking moral outrage. Suck it up buttercups-if you’re not a bad teacher no one’s talking abt you.

I'm not a teacher, but know the data-- there are an estimated currently .59 possible teachers (not just licensed, this includes provisional and alternately licensed etc.) available for every position (private, public, charter) in the US and the numbers are going down fast. This is SO much lower than it's ever been. As existing teachers have to cover 1.5x as much it's only going to accelerate. Add in the heightened vitriol. So I'm pretty sure it's going to be us parents who are going to have to "suck it up buttercup" as these teachers realize they don't have to put up with unreasonable job conditions. Excellent, highly experienced teachers are quitting ALL OVER and nobody wants to step in.

I don’t think anyone should stay year after year in a miserable job nor do I think parents need to act like each and every teacher is a hard-working, highly skilled saint.

No one has to act like every teacher is a hard-working, highly skilled saint. (That's part of the problem actually---teachers are put on a pedestal while often being denied basic professional treatment--and then the accountability that comes with that). We're just saying she can quit like anyone else can. She doesn't have to be professional in the ways you think she should if she doesn't want to be. You're free to criticize that, but saying that she's free to quit doesn't mean you're disrespecting teachers, just acknowledging they have the same agency as everyone else even though your kids are depending on them and it's really disappointing. And pointing out that she's in the power position here--there is a nationwide shortage that is a huge crisis. You don't actually employ her. People can elect a different school board, whine about taxes, complain about unions or the lack of unions, but the reality is that many skilled and unskilled, professional and unprofessional teachers are walking out across the whole country--whether schools stayed open or closed during the pandemic, whether they are in red or blue counties and states, rich and poor districts-- and we're all going to have to face this and figure out what to do.

You think you're right. And I think you're wrong. Some professions are different, including teaching. That's known by both teachers and non-teachers. The expectation of a teacher staying on until the end of the year is understood by all parties.

Maybe the pandemic has changed that. But I don't think that change will benefit teachers or anyone else.

The problem is in insisting that they aren't any different from anyone else but also expecting them to be different.

Teenagers give notice before quitting a fast food job. If you don’t want to be held to that high standard fair enough!

Most don't. My neighbor managed a fast food restaurant for many years and most teens just stopped showing up. He'd call and text them and never heard from them. Ever heard of ghosting?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Look-teaching is hard and there are good teachers and bad teachers, professional and skilled and unprofessional and unskilled. Like any profession! There’s a weird dynamic reminiscent of the gross police unions where any criticism of any teacher is taken as a shocking moral outrage. Suck it up buttercups-if you’re not a bad teacher no one’s talking abt you.

I'm not a teacher, but know the data-- there are an estimated currently .59 possible teachers (not just licensed, this includes provisional and alternately licensed etc.) available for every position (private, public, charter) in the US and the numbers are going down fast. This is SO much lower than it's ever been. As existing teachers have to cover 1.5x as much it's only going to accelerate. Add in the heightened vitriol. So I'm pretty sure it's going to be us parents who are going to have to "suck it up buttercup" as these teachers realize they don't have to put up with unreasonable job conditions. Excellent, highly experienced teachers are quitting ALL OVER and nobody wants to step in.

I don’t think anyone should stay year after year in a miserable job nor do I think parents need to act like each and every teacher is a hard-working, highly skilled saint.

No one has to act like every teacher is a hard-working, highly skilled saint. (That's part of the problem actually---teachers are put on a pedestal while often being denied basic professional treatment--and then the accountability that comes with that). We're just saying she can quit like anyone else can. She doesn't have to be professional in the ways you think she should if she doesn't want to be. You're free to criticize that, but saying that she's free to quit doesn't mean you're disrespecting teachers, just acknowledging they have the same agency as everyone else even though your kids are depending on them and it's really disappointing. And pointing out that she's in the power position here--there is a nationwide shortage that is a huge crisis. You don't actually employ her. People can elect a different school board, whine about taxes, complain about unions or the lack of unions, but the reality is that many skilled and unskilled, professional and unprofessional teachers are walking out across the whole country--whether schools stayed open or closed during the pandemic, whether they are in red or blue counties and states, rich and poor districts-- and we're all going to have to face this and figure out what to do.

You think you're right. And I think you're wrong. Some professions are different, including teaching. That's known by both teachers and non-teachers. The expectation of a teacher staying on until the end of the year is understood by all parties.

Maybe the pandemic has changed that. But I don't think that change will benefit teachers or anyone else.

The problem is in insisting that they aren't any different from anyone else but also expecting them to be different.

Teenagers give notice before quitting a fast food job. If you don’t want to be held to that high standard fair enough!

Wait, just to be sure -- you are claiming most teenagers give notice before quitting a fast food job?

Yes I am!

That's so cute.

Most just stop showing up.

That’s not been my experience. They become friendly with their coworkers and don’t want to screw them over on shifts usually.

I think your experience is likely with teenagers of a fairly narrow type and not representative of most teenage fast-food workers across the country, including those working in pretty slum conditions, those who are actively using substances of abuse, those who get pregnant and/or who are in domestic abuse situations, etc.

I think I have a family member who owns a franchise and I’ve heard more than most about the hr details of a fast food restaurant! But fine, let’s say MANY teens give notice rather than most. Is your point that it’s totally cool for teachers not to meet that standard?

[Anonymous]

When my DS killed himself, I quit. I flat out quit teaching and admin told the families that I quit. I didn't care about my students at that point. Life happens to people. I knew I wouldn't be coming back anytime soon so it made more sense to quit so there wasn't the uncertainty of wondering when/if I was coming back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When my DS killed himself, I quit. I flat out quit teaching and admin told the families that I quit. I didn't care about my students at that point. Life happens to people. I knew I wouldn't be coming back anytime soon so it made more sense to quit so there wasn't the uncertainty of wondering when/if I was coming back.

I’m so sorry for your loss.