The crisis in public education has been exasperated by the pandemic, but it’s not new. For generations, the promise of a quality public education for all has fallen flat. Quality education has been connected to where you live, the wealth of your community, and how easily your parents’ identities provide access to power.
Educational programs are begging people to join. The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education reports a 25% decrease in enrollment in teacher prep programs and they’ve created a teacher recruitment platform to address this issue.
Teachers are tired and underpaid. Bus drivers and cafeteria workers are tired and underpaid. School nurses, secretaries, and custodians are tired and underpaid. As a society we cannot expect the people preparing our future to do so out of the goodness of their hearts.
The good news? People are paying attention and they’re showing up for teachers. The pandemic has amplified the problems, forcing society to look at education as a whole. We must identify ways to raise the wage of teachers and create support systems for both teachers and staff. The public outcry must be deafening or nothing will change. So, on behalf of myself and all of the educators out there, I am asking you to get loud.
Sarah Ranney
Executive Director
Lafayette Preparatory Academy
