Jerry Seinfeld used to have a comment about being a stand-up comedian. He said that being a stand-up comedian was a lot like being a mass murderer, because no matter how many times someone tried to talk you out of it, you were still going to do it. I would say that the same mentality might also apply to teachers.

From the teachers I’ve known over the years, I would say that teaching was not something they would do, but rather teaching was who they are.

At least that’s who they were before the pressures of the job beat them down to the point they had to quit teaching and start another career to take care of their finances, their sanity, or both.

According to an article I just read in the Flatwater Free Press, as of May 15, only 27,840 of the nearly 45,500 Nebraskans licensed to teach spent time in the classroom this year. That means roughly 40% of the people who are currently certified to be teachers in Nebraska are sitting on the sidelines.

This is not just a Nebraska problem; similar statistics like this are in states all across the country. According to a survey from the University of Missouri, 78% of teachers have either left the profession or have considered leaving the profession since the 2020 pandemic.

Teachers cite increased responsibilities without increased pay, pressure from parents and administrators, as well as students with shorter attention spans and bigger behavioral problems, as just some of the reasons they no longer want to be in the classroom.

One thing I found interesting in that Flatwater article was that the problem isn’t that people don’t want to get into teaching. Like I said, teaching isn’t just a job, it’s who they are. There are plenty of students graduating with teacher certifications. They are young, energetic, and optimistic. But then, after a while, they’ve been beaten down so much that they no longer want to stay in the profession.

I’d be willing to bet that if I asked you to name your favorite teacher growing up, you’d have no problem acknowledging one who really made an impact in your life. Someone who inspired you to become the person that you are today.

There was a time in the not-so-distant past when education and science were highly respected. It was an era of great scientific advancements. It seems that in today’s political environment, knowledge is a lot less valued.

Conservative politicians have attacked public schools for political gain. Liberal school policies have socially promoted students before they’ve grasped the basics of that grade level. Not enough emphasis is put on teaching history and social sciences, in my opinion. Cuts in the arts stymie kids’ creativity.

These are just some of the pressures teachers face that can turn their dream job into a nightmare.

It seems that as a society, we tend to focus on the negative rather than the positive. And while we can’t ignore the problems in education, we also need to celebrate the successes. This past week, there have been numerous graduation ceremonies and countless promotions of educated children who will go on to do great things.

Thanks in part to the dedicated women and men who take less pay than they could in other jobs for the priceless satisfaction of molding the minds of young kids to become productive members of society.

Teachers are only human, so it’s understandable if they, like so many people, focus on the negative rather than the positive. They pay an inappropriate amount of time on the discipline problems, the administrative requirements, parents who want to bitch about the job the teachers are doing, rather than doing their part to make sure the kids get the full benefit of their education.

So, to all the teachers who have wrapped up another school year, whether you’re going to come back and do it again next semester or are planning to join the 40% of certified teachers who just don’t want to do it anymore, thank you for your services.

It’s incumbent on all of us, whether we have children in school or not, to support those who educate our future under some tough situations. It’s also important for us to remember that learning isn’t something that ends when you get a cap and gown. Learning is a lifelong journey.

And for many, teaching is something they are going to do no matter how many times someone tries to talk them out of it.

Tom Becka is a long time Nebraska broadcaster who for over 30 years has been covering Omaha and Midwest issues on both radio and TV. He has been a guest on numerous national cable and news shows, filled in for nationally syndicated talk radio programs and Talkers Magazine has recognized him as one of the Top 100 talk show hosts in the country 10 times. Never afraid to ruffle some feathers, his ‘Becka’s Beat’ commentaries can be found online on Youtube and other digital platforms.

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