For a substantial number of educators, there’s no amount of
increase in pay to compensate for the extreme and constant pressure of having
to keep up with a highly competitive curriculum AND provide daily social
services to an increasing number of students.
Leaving it to our teachers to guide and counsel young people (and often
other members of their family as well) through the very real issues of bullying,
divorce, abusive relationships, depression, mental illness, drug addiction,
anger management, malnutrition, suicide, gender identity and sexuality issues –
all on top off an unprecedented array of learning disabilities - is an
extremely unfair and untenable situation. The school day can quickly devolve
into a quagmire of additional disciplinary actions and reporting,
parent/teacher communications, and even legal considerations. If you think teachers in good, ol’ Alameda
don’t grapple with all these serious issues, you are mistaken.
Like any profession, yes, some teachers will leave because
their pay does not reflect all they are expected to do. We must face the fact
that teachers also leave because they are exhausted and out of fear for their
safety and wellbeing.
Our reliance on teachers as social workers has to stop. It is not their sole responsibility to cure
what ails society and secure a better future for our youth. Rather than decisively argue about the
benefits of Measure A and who should pay for it, it’s time for everyone to do
the right thing, take personal responsibility and come together as a
community. If you are genuinely worried
about educators leaving Alameda and the schools and city falling apart, let’s be
proactive and alleviate this unsustainable burden on our teachers. Volunteer. Mentor a child. Start an after
school program. Establish a scholarship. Take a kid to lunch. Let’s figure out
a way to help teachers do their job – teach.
P. Cary, Alameda
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