U.S. Teachers Quitting In Droves Over Low Pay

Teachers are leaving jobs in growing numbers, state reports show. The turnover in some cases is highest among teachers of color.

Photo Insert: Nationally, about 80% of American public school teachers are white, even though white students no longer represent a majority in public schools.

A major culprit is stress — from pandemic-era burnout, low pay, and the intrusion of politics into classrooms, Sarah Naffa reported for the Associated Press (AP).

The burdens can be heavier in schools serving high-poverty communities that also have higher numbers of teachers of color. The last few years have been a trying stretch for teachers everywhere.

They’ve had to navigate COVID-19, a pivot to distance learning, and the struggles with mental health that accompanied students’ return to classrooms. Then there’s the pay: Educators’ salaries have been falling behind their college-educated peers in other professions.

Nationally, about 80% of American public school teachers are white, even though white students no longer represent a majority in public schools.

Having teachers who reflect the race of their students is important, researchers say, to provide students with role models who have insight into their culture and life experience. With teachers in short supply, states ease job requirements. Teachers earn $67,000 on average. Is a push for raises too late?

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