People overuse the word “crisis” but that’s exactly what our public education system is experiencing. Teachers have been underpaid for decades, but they dealt with it because of the fulfilling work, short days, solid pensions, and summer breaks. Then they started having administrative tasks piled onto them such that the days were no longer short, but teaching positions were still filled thru a combination of a bad economy and people who held a real passion for the work. Well, now the economy is good and teachers are having their passion for the work overwritten by unsupportive parents. The fact that getting shot in the face at work is a totally reasonable fear is only a straw on the camels back.
My biggest fear is that the breaking point is going to come, and the solution is going to be similar to what healthcare has done with replacing docs with nurse practitioners. We are going to lower the credential requirements for teachers and lower the standards their performances are measured by. Because sadly most people really don’t care if all kids are receiving a quality education. All they really want is some place kids can go for free while their parents are at work. It’s a fucked up situation.