Teachers! Appreciate Them Now. They Soon Could Be Gone!

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It’s Teacher Appreciation Week! While the treats and accolades teachers get this week are, I’m sure, welcome, public school teachers deserve better. Let’s examine what has been done to the teaching profession, roadblocks to great teaching, and how conditions could be improved.

Corporate school reform has reshaped Americans’ thinking about public school teachers, pushing for a world without them.

The following are in no special order. They’re examples of how teachers and their profession have been treated over the years. They include attempts to make teachers look unnecessary or ineffectual, and these reforms have hurt them, their profession, and the students they teach. Without great teachers, there will be no more free, democratic quality public schools.

These actions have been especially pervasive in America’s poorest schools.

Corporate School Reformers have:

Promoted alternative groups like Teach for America, with five weeks of training, to create a cheaply trained revolving door, and some even end up in leadership positions.
Sold the notion that school leaders, who direct teachers, don’t need experience teaching students; they can lead teachers as principals, superintendents, or in higher-level administrative roles.
Ignored that charter schools were originally supposed to be run by teachers.
Demanded high-stakes testing in public schools, blaming teachers for low test scores, ignoring other variables, and demanding little accountability for choice schools.
Neglected to address the mental health and economic problems students have, which can affect how they learn.
Raised student expectations beyond appropriate developmental levels. No wonder students test poorly, including kindergarten, now the new first grade.
Driven by the misguided idea that funding must go to students (vouchers), not recognizing that it’s the teacher and public school who help all students learn.
Made schooling and teaching drudgery with a test-focused curriculum, reducing or eliminating classes like the arts, geography, history, science, civics, and life skills like home economics.
Overworked students with too much homework and the reduction or elimination of recess, claiming a crisis that never existed. This reflected poorly on teachers.
Dismissed the wasteful spending on Educational Savings Account (ESA) voucher plans.
Attacked tenure, the security a teacher gets after years of excelling at teaching. This job security helps teachers speak out and improve students’ schooling.
Placed students with cognitive disabilities in inclusion classes and tested with the same high-stakes standards imposed on all children.
Used reading to disparage teachers, using outside reform groups, implying teachers failed. Yet few consider other variables, including inclusion or the push down of academic expectations to younger grades.
Refused to champion higher wages for teachers and school support personnel.
Turned a blind eye to the loss of school libraries and school librarians usually in lower socioeconomic schools.
Funded reading or literacy coaches, (around since the 1990s) implying teachers need help to teach reading. This is insulting to university education schools, and a questionable use of tax dollars. Why not put those teachers in classrooms and lower class sizes?
Taught Americans to fear diversity, pushing schools to reject certain students, blaming teachers for caring for students of color, LBGTQ, and students with disabilities. This goes against the basic democratic tenet of America.
Worked to make Colleges of Education and universities unaffordable, and to look ineffectual. Instead, states purchase expensive, often unproven programs to teach teachers what they say they should have learned in college.
Refused to lower class sizes across the country to make teaching better, easier, and safer.
Blamed teachers for the pandemic, as they protected students and families. Many teachers worked in class and online (hybrid). Education Week reported over 1,000 teachers died of Covid (Maxwell, 2022).
Promoted the use of screens during the pandemic as a good thing, until they realized parents disliked screens. Then they blamed teachers.
Pushed states to spend billions on technology ($30B in 2024 alone), with few benefits (The Economist). Yet they continue to profit, moving forward promoting AI as the next best thing.
Ignored a severe shortage of counselors to address the mental health challenges students face, as well as the general challenges that surface, and career plans.
Lacked serious commitment to supporting teachers as they worked to protect immigrant students in ICE raids.
Promoted cyber learning as better than teaching. For students from lower socioeconomic areas who attend cyber learning doesn’t have great results.
Encouraged school districts to spend exorbitant funds on questionable programs profiting publishing companies, implying that teachers need retraining.
Ignored the problems of a teacher shortage and age discrimination which has run rampant, pushing teachers out when they are in their prime.
Pushed school choice even though Americans have voted against it in the polls.
Disregarded the struggle teachers often go through to get adequate contracts.
Promoted choice for schools with lacking transparency. Do Americans know where their tax dollars are going with vouchers?
Ignored the shocking amount of money spent on wars and conflicts, with little thought to raising teacher salaries and bettering public school conditions.
Disregarded public school facilities still in poor condition, and when new schools are built, they look like computer centers.
Failed to adequately discuss the real problems facing teachers. This includes most politicians who rarely sincerely address the difficulties teachers face.
Helped to appoint unqualified education secretaries often disparaging to teachers, the exception is Richard Riley and Dr. Miguel Cardona. Now there’s Linda McMahon, no experience or background, taking a wrecking ball to the US ED.
Pushed the privatized program Advanced Placement over teacher expertise, which is college in high school, including AP and college entrance tests. The College Board Revenue in 2024, $1,174,989,530.

All of the above has primed Americans to believe that public schools and teachers have failed and the country is ready for something new. Enter AI.

Yet, through all the storms, thus far, teachers have persevered. They continue to work with students despite the corporate reform hubris and are still a most stable and welcome presence in the lives of America’s children. And on this Teacher Appreciation Week, that’s something to be incredibly grateful for.

References

Ed tech is profitable. It is also mostly useless. (2026, January 22) The Economist. Retrieved from https://www.economist.com/united-states/2026/01/22/ed-tech-is-profitable-it-is-also-mostly-useless.

Maxwell, L.A. (2022, December 19). Over 1,000 Educators Died From COVID. Here’s the Story of One. Education Week, Retrieved from https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/over-1-000-educators-died-from-covid-heres-the-story-of-one/2022/12.

Additional posts:

40 Reasons to Honor Teachers in 2016

25 Reasons Why You Should Appreciate Public School Teachers

Teachers! Appreciate Them Now. They Soon Could Be Gone!

Corporate School Reformers have:

Promoted alternative groups like Teach for America, with five weeks of training, to create a cheaply trained revolving door, and some even end up in leadership positions.

Sold the notion that school leaders, who direct teachers, don’t need experience teaching students; they can lead teachers as principals, superintendents, or in higher-level administrative roles.

Ignored that charter schools were originally supposed to be run by teachers.

Demanded high-stakes testing in public schools, blaming teachers for low test scores, ignoring other variables, and demanding little accountability for choice schools.

Neglected to address the mental health and economic problems students have, which can affect how they learn.

Raised student expectations beyond appropriate developmental levels. No wonder students test poorly, including kindergarten, now the new first grade.

Driven by the misguided idea that funding must go to students (vouchers), not recognizing that it’s the teacher and public school who help all students learn.

Made schooling and teaching drudgery with a test-focused curriculum, reducing or eliminating classes like the arts, geography, history, science, civics, and life skills like home economics.

Overworked students with too much homework and the reduction or elimination of recess, claiming a crisis that never existed. This reflected poorly on teachers.

Dismissed the wasteful spending on Educational Savings Account (ESA) voucher plans.

Attacked tenure, the security a teacher gets after years of excelling at teaching. This job security helps teachers speak out and improve students’ schooling.

Placed students with cognitive disabilities in inclusion classes and tested with the same high-stakes standards imposed on all children.

Used reading to disparage teachers, using outside reform groups, implying teachers failed. Yet few consider other variables, including inclusion or the push down of academic expectations to younger grades.

Refused to champion higher wages for teachers and school support personnel.

Turned a blind eye to the loss of school libraries and school librarians usually in lower socioeconomic schools.

Funded reading or literacy coaches, (around since the 1990s) implying teachers need help to teach reading. This is insulting to university education schools, and a questionable use of tax dollars. Why not put those teachers in classrooms and lower class sizes?

Taught Americans to fear diversity, pushing schools to reject certain students, blaming teachers for caring for students of color, LBGTQ, and students with disabilities. This goes against the basic democratic tenet of America.

Worked to make Colleges of Education and universities unaffordable, and to look ineffectual. Instead, states purchase expensive, often unproven programs to teach teachers what they say they should have learned in college.

Refused to lower class sizes across the country to make teaching better, easier, and safer.

Blamed teachers for the pandemic, as they protected students and families. Many teachers worked in class and online (hybrid). Education Week reported over 1,000 teachers died of Covid (Maxwell, 2022).

Promoted the use of screens during the pandemic as a good thing, until they realized parents disliked screens. Then they blamed teachers.

Pushed states to spend billions on technology ($30B in 2024 alone), with few benefits (The Economist). Yet they continue to profit, moving forward promoting AI as the next best thing.

Ignored a severe shortage of counselors to address the mental health challenges students face, as well as the general challenges that surface, and career plans.

Lacked serious commitment to supporting teachers as they worked to protect immigrant students in ICE raids.

Promoted cyber learning as better than teaching. For students from lower socioeconomic areas who attend cyber learning doesn’t have great results.

Encouraged school districts to spend exorbitant funds on questionable programs profiting publishing companies, implying that teachers need retraining.

Ignored the problems of a teacher shortage and age discrimination which has run rampant, pushing teachers out when they are in their prime.

Pushed school choice even though Americans have voted against it in the polls.

Disregarded the struggle teachers often go through to get adequate contracts.

Promoted choice for schools with lacking transparency. Do Americans know where their tax dollars are going with vouchers?

Ignored the shocking amount of money spent on wars and conflicts, with little thought to raising teacher salaries and bettering public school conditions.

Disregarded public school facilities still in poor condition, and when new schools are built, they look like computer centers.

Failed to adequately discuss the real problems facing teachers. This includes most politicians who rarely sincerely address the difficulties teachers face.

Helped to appoint unqualified education secretaries often disparaging to teachers, the exception is Richard Riley and Dr. Miguel Cardona. Now there’s Linda McMahon, no experience or background, taking a wrecking ball to the US ED.

Pushed the privatized program Advanced Placement over teacher expertise, which is college in high school, including AP and college entrance tests. The College Board Revenue in 2024, $1,174,989,530.

Corporate School Reformers have:

Promoted alternative groups like Teach for America, with five weeks of training, to create a cheaply trained revolving door, and some even end up in leadership positions.

Sold the notion that school leaders, who direct teachers, don’t need experience teaching students; they can lead teachers as principals, superintendents, or in higher-level administrative roles.

Ignored that charter schools were originally supposed to be run by teachers.

Demanded high-stakes testing in public schools, blaming teachers for low test scores, ignoring other variables, and demanding little accountability for choice schools.

Neglected to address the mental health and economic problems students have, which can affect how they learn.

Raised student expectations beyond appropriate developmental levels. No wonder students test poorly, including kindergarten, now the new first grade.

Driven by the misguided idea that funding must go to students (vouchers), not recognizing that it’s the teacher and public school who help all students learn.

Made schooling and teaching drudgery with a test-focused curriculum, reducing or eliminating classes like the arts, geography, history, science, civics, and life skills like home economics.

Overworked students with too much homework and the reduction or elimination of recess, claiming a crisis that never existed. This reflected poorly on teachers.

Dismissed the wasteful spending on Educational Savings Account (ESA) voucher plans.

Attacked tenure, the security a teacher gets after years of excelling at teaching. This job security helps teachers speak out and improve students’ schooling.

Placed students with cognitive disabilities in inclusion classes and tested with the same high-stakes standards imposed on all children.

Used reading to disparage teachers, using outside reform groups, implying teachers failed. Yet few consider other variables, including inclusion or the push down of academic expectations to younger grades.

Refused to champion higher wages for teachers and school support personnel.

Turned a blind eye to the loss of school libraries and school librarians usually in lower socioeconomic schools.

Funded reading or literacy coaches, (around since the 1990s) implying teachers need help to teach reading. This is insulting to university education schools, and a questionable use of tax dollars. Why not put those teachers in classrooms and lower class sizes?

Taught Americans to fear diversity, pushing schools to reject certain students, blaming teachers for caring for students of color, LBGTQ, and students with disabilities. This goes against the basic democratic tenet of America.

Worked to make Colleges of Education and universities unaffordable, and to look ineffectual. Instead, states purchase expensive, often unproven programs to teach teachers what they say they should have learned in college.

Refused to lower class sizes across the country to make teaching better, easier, and safer.

Blamed teachers for the pandemic, as they protected students and families. Many teachers worked in class and online (hybrid). Education Week reported over 1,000 teachers died of Covid (Maxwell, 2022).

Promoted the use of screens during the pandemic as a good thing, until they realized parents disliked screens. Then they blamed teachers.

Pushed states to spend billions on technology ($30B in 2024 alone), with few benefits (The Economist). Yet they continue to profit, moving forward promoting AI as the next best thing.

Ignored a severe shortage of counselors to address the mental health challenges students face, as well as the general challenges that surface, and career plans.

Lacked serious commitment to supporting teachers as they worked to protect immigrant students in ICE raids.

Promoted cyber learning as better than teaching. For students from lower socioeconomic areas who attend cyber learning doesn’t have great results.

Encouraged school districts to spend exorbitant funds on questionable programs profiting publishing companies, implying that teachers need retraining.

Ignored the problems of a teacher shortage and age discrimination which has run rampant, pushing teachers out when they are in their prime.

Pushed school choice even though Americans have voted against it in the polls.

Disregarded the struggle teachers often go through to get adequate contracts.

Promoted choice for schools with lacking transparency. Do Americans know where their tax dollars are going with vouchers?

Ignored the shocking amount of money spent on wars and conflicts, with little thought to raising teacher salaries and bettering public school conditions.

Disregarded public school facilities still in poor condition, and when new schools are built, they look like computer centers.

Failed to adequately discuss the real problems facing teachers. This includes most politicians who rarely sincerely address the difficulties teachers face.

Helped to appoint unqualified education secretaries often disparaging to teachers, the exception is Richard Riley and Dr. Miguel Cardona. Now there’s Linda McMahon, no experience or background, taking a wrecking ball to the US ED.

Pushed the privatized program Advanced Placement over teacher expertise, which is college in high school, including AP and college entrance tests. The College Board Revenue in 2024, $1,174,989,530.

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