Part II: The State of Education

Hélène Rainville

In our last issue, ‘Spring Break: Substitute’ promised an analysis of the state of education. In this issue, we want to focus on what it is like to work in our school system; the trends in education as a career and how teachers themselves have changed over the last decade.

The first indication of how well a school is performing can be felt when you walk in the door. Regardless of the school, children come from varied socio-economic backgrounds so it is up to the administrators and teachers to make the difference. Sadly, in some schools this does not happen. Some teachers told me they had given up or could not wait to retire. I observed a disturbing trend of the “me” generation. One teacher even had most of one wall covered with photos of her own family. When I tried to hand out books to her students, they were afraid to touch the books because they are not usually allowed to use books.

The verbal abuse is an ongoing concern. A teacher assistant railed at kindergarteners that they were the worst. Another teacher declared that she told her 4^th grade students not to become “thugs”. Furthermore, she warned them that if they committed a crime in adulthood that she would go to their house and choke them. This teacher has a Master’s degree. Teachers are telling students as young as kindergarten that they don’t make enough money. A knock on my door the other day produced my little neighbor who asked me for money to give to her teacher she said did not make enough.

It may be old school, but shouldn’t the focus be on teaching? Why are teachers sharing their salary information with young children? Why can’t high school students be taught how to use a book? Why can’t teachers and substitutes report these incidents?

The answer might surprise you but it is about the upheaval in the career field. States like North Carolina offer no professional protection. If you stand up for what’s right, you may not have a job tomorrow or next year. The salaries are too low and the hours too long. Of course, there is all of the controversy surrounding the overwhelming debate on testing and Common Core.

Not least is the quality of the teachers we are now allowing in the classroom. Many of the teachers today are obtaining alternative licensure, as reported by National Public Radio. “Alt-cert” teachers are not just found in high schools. Surprisingly, a local elementary school, which used to be a school of excellence, is now staffed with about 50% new teachers, many of whom did not study elementary education.

How is this trend developing? NPR interviewed the UNC Dean of Education who points to how maligned teachers are today. As less people are called to education as a vocation, more unemployed citizens with any Bachelor’s degree try it out through alternative programs like Teach for America. This trend, however, is costing every student in every classroom every day.