Many young people, when choosing a career path, take one look at the salary scales for classroom teachers and turn to other fields that promise considerably more in the way of salaries and benefits. Couple the decline in numbers of college students choosing a career in education with the aging of the present teaching force 40 percent of Maine teachers with more than 20 years of experience will retire in the next decade and the conclusion is obvious. But the problem goes beyond economics. Too many parents have abrograted some of their child-rearing responsibilities. They put increasing pressure on teachers and educators to cope with students social and behavioral issues that go well beyond the bounds of the traditional school experience, and they are quick to point the finger of blame when the schools fall short.
Teachers deserve far more backing than they have received from families.
It is time for parents to take a hard look at their role in the educational process. Despite the explosion in computers and other technology, the bureaucracy still is driven by paperwork. Teachers are confronted with volumes of reports, forms and other time-consuming bureaucratic red tape that take valuable time away from classroom preparation. That is especially true with any program that involves a degree of federal funding or involvement. Needlessly complex teacher certification requirements prevent many highly educated and knowledgeable people from ever entering the classroom, despite their willingness and ability to make major contributions to the education of young people.