ATLANTA — A survey of teachers reveals what one group is calling “a five alarm crisis” when it comes to keeping educators in the classroom.
More than half of the educators surveyed by the National Education Association said they plan to leave the classroom earlier than expected due to the pandemic.
“In June of 2020, that number was about 28%,” Lisa Morgan of the Georgia Association of Educators explained. “That’s definitely a huge increase.”
However, the nation was facing a teacher shortage even before the pandemic. According to the survey, many of the educators who remain have had to take on extra duties due to unfilled job openings.
Morgan added that the pandemic has also exacerbated issues that already existed.
“We're not seeing anything changing to address the need that the pandemic has highlighted,” she said. “We are not seeing additional school counselors and social workers to address the impact of the trauma of the pandemic on our students.”
Many teachers have also been critical of the standardized tests that were shelved early in the pandemic. They were seen as an unrealistic way to gauge teacher performance but now, they’re now back.
Teachers responding to the National Education Association survey also pointed to low pay and a lack of respect from the public as reasons why so many are considering a change.