Put trust in teachers

Opinion

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This article was published 24/02/2024 (596 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

We are navigating turbulent times as we live in an era of growing distrust with our media, public institutions, and democratic structures. In the realm of education, these sentiments manifest in the forms of increased rates of homeschooling, advocacy for parental influence in school function and public demonstrations, such as recent protests against pedagogies on sexual orientation and gender identity. Now more than ever, we need to trust our teachers and support our schools.

The general state of public education is precarious, as the United Nations continues to heed warnings of escalating global teacher shortages. In Canada, Nova Scotia is considering reducing teacher qualifications, while various American states have begun recruiting parents to serve as substitute teachers.

Teacher attrition has only been exacerbated by the adoption of highly controversial U.S. legislation: banning teachers and students from engaging in LGBTTQ+ discussion, implementing curricula for students to learn of the “benefits” of slavery, and outright prohibiting anti-racism learning in schools. We are witnessing a steady deprofessionalization in the roles and responsibilities of teachers.

The implementation of such legislation has been prompted by the pervasive attitude that our public school systems overtly aim to proselytize to youth via politicized curricula. As teachers, it is a very difficult line to walk as we need to recognize that there is no such thing as an apolitical curriculum framework. Talking about social inequities is a political decision. Not talking about social inequities is a political decision. As such, action and inaction both comprise political implications.

Socrates famously stated: “Follow the argument wherever, like the wind, it may lead us.” Our public schools heed this advice by following the evidence, and the research is resoundingly clear: we are burdened with an existential ecological crisis, Indigenous and LGBTTQ+ youth are at significantly higher risks of mental health challenges and school dropout, and Manitoba has among the highest national rates of childhood poverty and malnutrition. These issues have been further impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to further declining states of mental health among youth.

The correlation between students’ well-being and academic achievement is well documented. Disruptions from the pandemic have unequivocally affected students’ educational trajectories and we must collectively work together to ameliorate these circumstances. That said, students’ capacities to learn are compromised if they are malnourished. Students’ absenteeism will only persist if they do not feel welcome or represented in their school community. Fortunately, the Manitoba government has announced plans to implement school nutrition programs to help ameliorate such inequities.

To support students’ learning and well-being, we need to diversify our practices with culturally responsive pedagogies to ensure schools are democratic and inclusive. Improving educational outcomes necessitates that we address the systemic social inequities that affect our marginalized learners.

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada has clearly articulated via its Calls to Action the paramount importance in supporting our Indigenous youth, and that school systems must engage in reciprocal partnerships with Indigenous leaders. We need to unpack the atrocities of both past and present to ensure a better society for all members of society.

If we are truly committed to promoting students’ academic achievement, we need to ensure all students are healthy, represented, and feel included in their school environments. This is the ongoing work of teachers and we need to support and trust them in their professional practices.

The teaching profession is a field that functions heavily on the altruism and voluntarism of its workers. The profession certainly draws highly compassionate people with an intrinsic aim to help young people.

Fundamentally, teachers are profoundly concerned for their learners and for the vitality of the Earth which they stand to inherit. We have a shared responsibility to ensure all students have equitable access to quality public school education so that they may develop the necessary knowledge and skills to achieve future goals, but will also be equipped to confront the myriad of societal woes they stand to face.

We need to remain steadfast in Manitoba to ensure our teachers have the autonomy to exercise their professional judgments in pedagogy and curricula. It is in this new chapter of the 21st century that we need to trust our teachers and support our schools.

Jordan Laidlaw is a public school teacher and a Ph.D. candidate in educational administration at the University of Manitoba.