We have to stand with U.S. teachers

Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 13/08/2024 (389 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Perhaps one of the greatest pillars to a thriving democracy is the equitable access to quality public education. Through rich learning experiences, youth become empowered to actualize their full human potential and embark upon future dreams and endeavours.

Unfortunately, public school teachers across the world are navigating concerted deprofessionalizing efforts as their practices are increasingly restrained, whether by community pressures or through the adoption of new legislation.

These developments have become pronounced in the United States.

There is no shortage of examples regarding the external control of U.S. teachers’ pedagogical practices.

Recently, the state of Oklahoma ordered all teachers to incorporate the Bible into public school curricula. In Louisiana, every classroom is now required to have the Ten Commandments posted, while in Florida teachers are mandated to teach the vocational “benefits” of slavery.

Across the United States, various states are prohibiting discussion pertaining to LGBTTQ+ topics, anti-racism, and socio-emotional learning.

The ongoing 2024 presidential election has ignited these tensions, cultivating further distrust towards teachers. Such austerity was encapsulated in former U.S. presidential candidate Tim Scott’s comment, “The only way we change education in this nation is to break the backs of the teachers’ unions.” And yet, U.S. teachers’ salaries, benefits, and general professional status remain comparatively abysmal compared to teachers in other developed nations.

Comparable perspectives were echoed by other presidential candidates, such as former president Donald Trump, who has promised to defund any public school that pushes “critical race theory, radical gender ideology, and other inappropriate racial, sexual, or political content.”

The now notoriously controversial “Project 2025” policy framework provides comprehensive recommendations for the next presidential administration, ranging from liquidating the Department of Education, promoting “patriotism” in schools, advancing private schools while defunding public education, among a wide array of reformations.

Coinciding these developments is mass teacher burnout which has only become an exacerbated issue in recent years.

There is mounting research documenting increased rates of teacher demoralization, burnout, attrition, and general shortages across the world. The Pew Research Center, as an example, conducted a 2023 inquiry entitled What’s It Like To Be a Teacher in America Today?

The results were notably disheartening. Of the respondents, 77 per cent of teachers reported the job to be “frequently stressful” while over half of respondents indicated they would not recommend a young person to consider the teaching profession.

These circumstances are not exclusive to the United States, however. The situation has become so dire that the United Nations has heeded warnings of the global teacher shortage crisis, noting that within this decade there may be millions of vacant teaching positions worldwide. There is an escalating apathy and hesitancy among upcoming generations to pursue a career in education.

In an attempt to ameliorate this issue, various jurisdictions in the U.S. have resorted to hiring parents and/or community members without formal accreditation to teach.

In the Canadian context, many public teachers face comparable professional dilemmas. There is mounting research over the extensive impacts the COVID-19 pandemic had on teachers’ sense of wellbeing, many rural communities continue to struggle to hire accredited teachers, and there are various communities advancing restrictive measures (such as book banning and undermining Truth and Reconciliation initiatives).

Now more than ever, we need to support and trust our public school teachers, and to stand in solidarity with our American colleagues. These struggles in the United States are not an American issue, but are rather a collective global issue. Teachers are professionals and it is time we collectively recognize their vital public service.

For teachers to thrive, it is essential to establish school sites that are conducive to exercising voice, professional judgment, and being autonomous in teaching practices.

We need teachers that are capable of supporting students’ diverse academic needs, that are motivated to initiate school projects, and are energized to oscillate among the plethora of responsibilities in which they routinely navigate.

There are perhaps winds of change in the American political landscape with the recent announcement of Tim Walz as a vice-presidential candidate. The former teacher and high school football coach has adamantly campaigned on advancing public education, violence-free schools, and protecting teachers’ practices.

There is hope for public teachers, but education remains a highly polarized political campaign item. We must stand in solidarity with American teachers and remain steadfast in protecting public education in Canada.

Jordan Laidlaw is a public school teacher, union activist, and a PhD candidate in educational administration at the University of Manitoba.