Reply to Why does no one acknowledge how overworked teachers are?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]It sounds like a lot of the “overworked” is more just frustration at handling behavioral issues (either directly or indirectly through not getting enough subs to agree to teach at the school due to behaviors), so why don’t teachers try to do something about the behavior? Most parents want much higher behavioral expectations in the schools too. We talk so much on DCUM about wanting to change different laws, so why is nobody talking about changing whatever laws allow behaviorally disruptive kids to stay in classrooms and drive out all the good teachers? Have the teachers (either through unions or not) actually tried to change this? Or everyone just assumes it’s too hard?[/quote]

Let me tell you what it looks like when teachers try to address behavior: First, a lot of parents are in denial, especially in elementary school. Covid didn't help the situation but it was happening for years before that. NCLB was the start. A parent who won't agree to an evaluation or stonewalls a conversation or is otherwise uncooperative means the issue drags for months while the teacher and other students attempt to cope. Second, admin really do not want a bunch of discipline referrals because it looks bad for the school. This is especially true if the student already has an IEP.  Teachers are supposed to try a million different interventions first before involving admin unless it's something very serious where imminent danger is likely and even then the student might get ISS for half a day and then be right back in the classroom the next day. Be suspicious if you see an article where an admin is lauded for reducing suspensions or discipline referrals by 95%. Ask almost any teacher and they'll tell you a bunch of stories about being gaslit and berated for trying to refer a student. The expectation is that behavior issues are handled in class and anyone who can't do it is a crappy teacher who is trying to get rid of a student who just needs a little extra help. Ironically, most of the people pushing this narrative the hardest haven't been in a classroom in years and also grew up in a time when kids who were causing regular disruptions, cussing out teachers, and damaging school property were quickly removed from a gen ed setting. Third, it is almost impossible to get a placement in an ED center anymore, mostly because of reasons 1 and 2 but also because working at one of those places is physically and mentally draining and staffing is a problem.

TLDR version: Yes, teachers have tried to change it and it's not happening. Admin and school districts would rather keep 5-10 highly disruptive students in a school, than retain 5-10 highly competent teachers who will inevitably quit over this nonsense.[/quote]

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