Here is Sarah's powerful post:
Tomorrow I go in to collect things from my classroom. I have resigned mid-year. There is a sentence I never expected to write.
I am feeling a lot of things- mostly sadness. But not for the reasons you’d expect. I’m sad at the amount of relief I feel. I’m sad for the current state of the profession and all of the things that my wonderful friends and colleagues, and eventually, my wife will continue to have to deal with. I’m angry, now that I’m on the outside looking in, at how insanely unreasonable so much of the demands of this profession are at the moment. I’m relieved to have the opportunity to stay home with my preemie son. I’m excited to grow in the private sector L&D and ID fields.
It’s also the mixed emotions of having so many teacher friends (and even teachers I don’t know) reaching out to me wanting to know how I got out of teaching and into the private sector. As if I’ve found some magical escape tunnel from this prison and they want a copy of the map. And honestly, I have a fire in my belly to help each and every one of them. But as a Mom, I also want my kid to have great teachers someday. I often wonder solemnly who will be left…
Let me be clear: I love teaching. I love kids & my colleagues. I love science. Always will. And I dare to say I was and am a pretty damn good teacher. But unfortunately loving it and being good at it is not enough anymore. Teaching has become an abusive relationship, and the circumstances of my life in the last three months led me to realize that I could no longer “stay together for the kids”. My own kid needs me. He is my priority now.
My final straw, coming on the heels of two years of brewing pandemic burnout, was being attacked by a very small but loud number of parents who had issues with me being openly LGBTQ, something I have been for two years prior without any issues at my previous school. Despite the kerfuffle raised by these folks, my employment was never threatened because, well, it can’t be for that, but no cavalry really rolled into my defense either. I knew I had done nothing wrong in being myself, and wouldn’t change a thing, and that’s how I knew it was time to go. My premature son only sealed the deal on that.
I will never say never to return to the classroom. But so so so much has to change for me to even consider it. Diversity has to become more than a trendy buzzword. Teachers need to be valued in actions and salary, not just words and jeans pass. Students and parents must be held accountable for their behaviors, particularly when coming from a place of bigotry and intent to harm. I don’t know what the magic formula to solving this teacher burnout crisis is, all I know is that states and school districts need to do something to stop it… fast.
Until then, I will be happy to advise and assist any educators who are needing to make these same changes in their lives in order to protect their mental health. You matter. #teachers
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