Why would a former elementary school principal in Texas warn her daughter–who wants to be a teacher–to choose another field?

 

Could it be the incessant hammering of the media on teachers and blaming them for all the ills of society? That is part of it.

 

But more important, it appears, is that schools in many states are losing funding even as the politicians demand better results.

 

Open the link and see whether your state has cut or added funds to public schools.

 

Kristi Rangle says that teachers, especially those in the poorest neighborhoods, are set up to fail. Current policies actually discourage teachers from working in schools serving low-income students:

 

 

The lack of funding sets teachers, and students, up for failure, according to Rangle. She argued that teachers these days are required to pick up more responsibilities that traditionally fell upon other faculty members, like school counselors and social workers.
Though Rangle’s piece focuses on her experience teaching in the Texas school system, her argument could apply to many school systems in the US.

 

More than half of states are providing less per-pupil K-12 funding for kindergarten through 12th grade than they did in 2008 during the financial crisis, the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities found last year.

 

Funding is not the only problem, however. Rangle also fears that in today’s system where teachers are evaluated based on student performance, good teachers who work with low-income populations have been set up for failure.

 

She’s troubled by this trend, but says experienced teachers can’t in good faith recommend that new teachers try to work in low-income school districts.

 

“New teachers, like my daughter, are urged by veteran educators not to begin their careers in the types of schools where we found our passion for students and learning – the sort of places that need eager, energetic teachers the most,” Rangle wrote.