PANCHARIYA: National teacher shortage needs to be addressed
Column: Moment of Truth
School districts nationwide have shown a rapid decline in the numbers of teachers, substitutes and educational authorities. Teacher workforces have been reduced in several ways.
Harsh working conditions, salary cuts and a lack of recognition by administrators have caused some to quit this field of work or steer clear of the career path altogether.
In New Jersey alone, the number of college students studying education has declined from more than 5,000 in 2011 to approximately 3,500 in 2020. Currently, teachers are not valued enough and work in a limited creative environment due to a lack of funding.
Just as doctors, health care workers and other professionals in specialized fields are paid for their expertise, teachers should be compensated for their ability to make even the most abstract disciplines approachable to young students.
Without proper financial compensation or job stability, how can teachers be expected to perform above and beyond their pay grade?
As a society, we should put all of our effort and time into ensuring that children receive a quality education by investing in teachers as they shape these young minds. From a very young age, we are put into an educational system where we spend approximately seven hours each day with educators.
These individuals that we look up to from a young age should be highly valued, and it should be reflected in their payment, but due to financial difficulties, restricted autonomy and tough labor circumstances, teachers are swiftly diminishing in numbers. Poor working conditions and a lack of respect have created a negative educational environment in which both students and teachers are unhappy.
This issue is exacerbated by students' lack of awareness and appreciation for teachers. While the teacher shortage increases, the trend of students constantly making fun of teachers seems to be growing at a similar rate. There have been numerous cases where substitute teachers have quit on the spot during a class due to students' ill-mannered behavior.
It is something teachers just have to deal with and work around instead because society has failed to actually formulate a solution. Substitutes jump into the classroom with little to no adjustment period and must make do with limited resources. Children generally have less respect for such individuals, causing frustration and contributing to the decline.
Teacher recruitment is an integral process that is becoming as difficult as applying to college. As widely discussed, widespread burnout and exhaustion are some of the top reasons why educators leave their careers, as these improper working conditions can and have been contributing factors to significant mental health issues among educators.
They take on an overwhelming workload while sufficient resources and pay are evidently absent, inducing stress. This stress will fester until teachers are given better working conditions — which is not happening — and result in resignation.
Stress from a job that does not pay enough or provide financial stability does not seem to be worth it. Passion can fade with burnout, and being comfortable in life becomes more of a priority, which is likely why many public school teachers in the U.S. work a second or even third job.
This problem runs so much deeper than the surface level. Historically, teachers have never been given the recognition they deserve nor the resources and funding they need. It is about time we create a society where they are supported and welcomed rather than looked down upon.
There should be no reason why the leaders who mold young minds have to deal with financial instability or the prospect of working a second job. Someone must be held accountable for the change needed to expose the world to an injustice like this — but the question is who?
Teachers facing these challenges have gone on strike and found strength in unionization, but the progress is slow. Acknowledging the shortage is a step in the right direction, but there should be more commotion on this matter as it will affect the nation's future.
Priya Panchariya is a School of Arts and Sciences first-year majoring in philosophy and minoring in criminology. Her column, "Moment of Truth," runs on alternate Tuesdays.
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