Nowadays, being a teacher is incredibly frustrating. Classrooms are overcrowded, schools and districts are underfunded, and many kids do not respect the teachers, authorities, or have the desire to learn.
With technology so readily available, students are more distracted than ever. As well, many parents are raising their children differently than they did so many years ago. Coming from someone who is not only a teacher herself, but, has many other friends who are teachers–there is an outstanding difference in teaching today’s generation than just a few generations before. Parents are not teaching their children accountability and respect, and it shows in the classroom immensely. One teacher, who has admitted she is leaving the field of education, recently shared a post on Facebook that has gone viral and received praises and recognition. Julie Marburger said:
I left work early today after an incident with a parent left me unable emotionally to continue for the day. I have already made the decision to leave teaching at the end of this year, and today, I don’t know if I will make it even that long. Parents have become far too disrespectful, and their children are even worse. Administration always seems to err on the side of keeping the parent happy, which leaves me with no way to do the job I was hired to do…teach kids.
I am including photos that I took in my classroom over the past two days. This is how my classroom regularly looks after my students spend all day there. Keep in mind that many of the items damaged or destroyed by my students are my personal possessions or I purchased myself, because I have NO classroom budget. I have finally had enough of the disregard for personal and school property and am drawing a line in the sand on a myriad of behaviors that I am through tolerating. Unfortunately, one parent today thought it was wrong of me to hold her son accountable for his behavior and decided to very rudely tell me so, in front of her son.
Report cards come out later this week, and I have nearly half of my students failing due to multiple (8-10) missing assignments. Most of these students and their parents haven’t seemed to care about this over the past three months, though weekly reports go out, emails have been sent and phone calls have been attempted. But now I’m probably going to spend my entire week next week fielding calls and emails from irate parents, wanting to know why I failed their kid. My administrator will demand an explanation of why I let so many fail without giving them support, even though I’ve done practically everything short of doing the work for them. And behavior in my class will deteriorate even more. I am expecting this, because it is what has happened at the end of every other term thus far.
I have never heard of a profession where people put so much of their heart and soul into their job, taking time and resources from their home and family, and getting paid such an insultingly measly amount. Teachers are some of the most kind and giving people I have ever met, yet they get treated so disrespectfully from all sides. Most parents can’t stand to spend more than a couple hours a day with their kid, but we spend 8 with yours and 140 others just like him. Is it too much to ask for a little common courtesy and civil conversation?
It has been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember to have a classroom of my own, and now my heart is broken to have become so disillusioned in these short two years. This is almost all I hear from other teachers as well, and they are leaving the profession in droves. There is going to be a teacher crisis in this country before too many more years has passed unless the abuse of teachers stops.
People absolutely HAVE to stop coddling and enabling their children. It’s a problem that’s going to spread through our society like wildfire. It’s not fair to society, and more importantly, is not fair to the children to teach them this is okay. It will not serve them towards a successful and happy life.
Many will say I shouldn’t be posting such things on social media…that I should promote education and be positive. But I don’t care anymore. Any passion for this work I once had has been wrung completely out of me. Maybe I can be the voice of reason. THIS HAS TO STOP.
She also included pictures of her classroom which has been abused and torn up.
Julie’s Facebook post has been shared over 400,000 times online and has over 320,000 likes. Many other teachers and parents have commented on the post sharing their gratitude for Julie’s words and speaking out.
Some said this is the reason they don’t want to teach in the United States:
“And this, Julie, is why I refuse to teach in America. When I taught abroad I was treated with respect and even honor. Parents would come down hard on their kids for giving me any problems and sort the kids out right in front of me. Like you, I love teaching. and I am good at it. Really goof. But I won’t be abused my some snot nosed little git and his or her helicopter parent because junior can’t behave or do his school work. I’m sorry this has hurt you so much. I agree, the administration is at fault in most cases for bowing down to the parents. Once again the instant gratification generation has lost an opportunity to excel.”
Others said this is why they left teaching:
Yup, this is why all 3 of my sisters in law left the teaching field. Parents are just as bad if not worse than the students. No respect for the teacher anymore. Use to be the parents sided with the teacher and demanded more from their child. The tides have shifted. More and more snowflakes are being raised instead of responsible respectable young adults!
Others didn’t even finish their degree:
This is exactly why my wife walked away from finishing her teaching degree. You’ll have my respect if you take a stand and tell your administration that you aren’t coming back tomorrow or ever again. Someone has to draw the line and start making the statement that spineless administrators are going to have to stop kissing entitled parents asses.
And, others resonated with Julie’s experience:
I’m with you girl. You read my mind. I was in the exact same shoes yesterday. I left in tears too and most kids saw me. Many of them were sympathetic but some cheered and said they were happy i was leaving as I walked by crying. I, like you spend about 20 hours outside my contract time a week doing everything I can to be the best teacher possible and spend hundreds of dollars out of my own pocket every year to have the supplies I need to give these kids the best educational experience possible. I thought I could make it another 7 weeks. But after yesterday I’m not sure. I’m taking today and tomorrow off to figure out my options. I’ll keep you in my prayers. Please do the same for me!
More Info: Facebook.