Financial Aid in Education: Is it Really Needed?

Just a week ago members of the Utah State Board of Education were doing their best to learn the reason why teachers are resigning. Chairman David Crandall said, "At this point, we are just trying to gather information about it to find out as much as we can about the shortage".

This issue has long been running for 11 years.The Utah State Office of Education or USOE and State Board of Regents back in 2005, published "The Utah Educator Supply and Demand Study," a 156 page report focusing on teachers resigning from work. They came up with the resolution of improving enrollment for higher education and USOE to give aid to families of faculty members to resume work.

One educator explains, "A student teacher from our school quit last year at Christmas. Why? The students wouldn't work; when she phoned the parents, they swore at her, and the principal didn't do an awful lot to back her up. She was the top of the pack as far as student teachers go, so when we had an opening this year we phoned to see if she wouldn't try again at our school. The reply: 'Thank you, if I ever came back it would be there, but never. I have a job now with great opportunities to grow and a great working environment.'"

"Teachers are no longer supported in the classroom by the parents, administrators and the Legislature ... teachers are going nonstop with duties that take all of the time and do not even allowed bathroom breaks ... Any other workplace that functioned in this manner would be under investigation for violations of work standards." Another educator adds.

If you think about it, the real problem is not about teachers resigning from work. The state needs a leader who really understands the educational system and can fix the problem. A leader who is not after any political gain and instead has the best intentions in making education available to all and become progressive as well.