Saturday, October 24, 2015

Why Teachers are Fair Game for Ruthless Politicians and School Officials

I just had an epiphany. The reason school administrators have license to, and indeed can be ordered, to abuse teachers beyond acceptable limits is..... because they can!
The economy has so few jobs that provide decent incomes, job security, and humane treatment, that if teachers quit, they are unlikely to find other jobs which provide the income needed to meet their responsibilities. much less the respect that has been taken from them
Teachers are basically trapped. Many are single parents. Others have spouses or partners who have irregular incomes. More than a few could lose their homes if their family incomes dropped.

Plus, and this is also important, younger teachers have huge student loans to pay off.
If the rest of the economy provided real alternatives, teachers could tell their supervisors that they will leave rather than commit professional malpractice or accept daily humiliation.
But since most jobs in the nation are now part time and without benefits and since 51% of jobs pay $30,000 year or less, teachers can't just pack up and leave.
And since teachers unions seem to have lost the will and power to fight back, teachers are being crushed psychologically, physically and morally by heartless public officials who take advantage of their economic vulnerability

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