Educators in Michigan and nationwide are voicing concerns politics are demoralizing teachers and discouraging others from entering the profession at a time when more teachers are needed.

They cited comments from GOP vice-presidential nominee, Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, about childless women as teachers, including American Federation of Teachers' President Randi Weingarten. The rhetoric, along with the Georgia school shooting, are raising fears the country's teacher shortage will only worsen.

Toni Coral, president of the Hamtramck Federation of Teachers, has been teaching for nearly 30 years. She said morale is low and, since the pandemic, many have experienced poor work-life balance.

"A lot of people just decided, 'No, I'm OK. I'm done,'" Coral observed. "Because we don't get the support we need and there's this continual expectation that we will work at home and lose family time, lose private times."

After the pandemic began, at the end of the 2019-2020 school year, Michigan had 700 fewer teachers by the fall of 2020, the third-largest decrease in the past decade.

Coral highlighted the educational priorities she hopes the incoming administration will address, no matter who takes office. She urged increased funding to modernize school buildings and calls for smaller class sizes and less standardized testing to enhance the quality of education. She would also like to see all students gain better access to books, to enhance reading skills.

"Send parents home from the hospital with a box full of books," Coral suggested. "Maybe make sure there are mobile libraries, that can go around to communities like where I teach, or out to rural communities, so people can have easy access to free books."

Coral emphasized her primary wish is for the next President of the United States to demonstrate and model compassion and intelligence.

Teachers nationwide say safety issues and politics can sometimes make it harder for them to do their jobs.

A safe and secure workplace is one of 10 issues included in an Education Bill of Rights recently put together by the teachers' union in Texas.

Adam Lamont is a middle-school teacher and coach in the Dallas School District, and said making a difference in a child's life is rewarding.

"Day to day, joy that you get from interacting with kids, seeing them learn," said Lamont. "There are those days that are long, but there are those days that are really rewarding, too, and you always look back and try to remember those days and moments when you felt like you were able to break through with a kid."

Lamont has been a teacher for six years.

Most schools across Texas have been in session for only a few weeks, and Lamont said morale is still high among educators, despite challenges such as ongoing teacher shortages and pay concerns.

He said watching students succeed is fulfilling.

"I had one student who came back because they just graduated from high school," said Lamont. "Definitely those moments are special, so any time when you get to see old students is really, really, fun."

For anyone thinking about going into teaching, Lamont said he feels it's one of the most challenging jobs out there, but the good days make it worth it.





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Chronic absenteeism rates in Michigan schools have significantly declined, yet researchers warn the state's rate overall remains alarmingly high.

"Chronic absenteeism" is when a student misses at least 10% of the school year.

Michigan's rate dropped from nearly 39% to slightly more than 30% in the 2022-23 school year, but it's still higher than the 20% recorded in 2018. Climate change and extreme weather are now seen as factors that fuel absenteeism.

Veteran first-grade teacher Janice Rackozy from Hamtramck shares how her students face challenges during bad weather.

"Lot of the kids, if it's too cold, they won't come to school. If it's too hot, they call weather days. So, it interrupts the learning," she said. "One good thing out of it, we began to go online and the kids got used to going online because of COVID."

However, learning gaps because of the pandemic haven't closed.

Rackozy said her district has been proactive in making sure school buildings are updated and well insulated so students feel comfortable and safe when at school.

Many educators credit Michigan's Top 10 Strategic Education Plan, at least in part, for the decline in school absenteeism. The plan details key goals and strategies for better educational outcomes throughout the state, including support for struggling schools and promoting safe and healthy school environments.

Frank Donner, an elementary teacher in Detroit, said he tells parents at the beginning of the school year that if they do nothing else, just make sure their child comes to class.

"If they're here, we're going to work with them, and we can do a lot, and they will do a lot," he said. "But for every day that the student's missing, they're missing instruction, and it's not just that individual student that's missing out. It's also disrupting then the learning and routines and procedures for the rest of the class."

Donner said chronic school absenteeism affects students and staff equally, and that it's as big an issue in rural communities as it is in big cities or suburbs.


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The start of a new year of school in Minnesota has a new twist: intense focus from national media and voters across the U.S.

With Gov. Tim Walz running for vice president, many are trying to measure his impact from the classroom to policy decisions. On the campaign trail, Gov. Walz has talked about his career as a public schoolteacher. On the governing side, his push to help adopt free school meals for all students has drawn attention.

Bob Ihrig, a retired social studies teacher from Mankato, is among some of Walz' former colleagues from Mankato West High School speaking out. He said Walz exceeded their expectations when they hired him.

"He's just an outstanding role model for any future teacher," Ihrig contended. "There's a lot of hope and inspiration with Tim Walz."

Ihrig suggested it could help make the profession appealing to younger generations amid teacher shortages. In politics, Walz maintains strong support from unions, including the American Federation of Teachers, for actions like a taking a hard stance against private school vouchers. His opponents argued he kept schools closed for too long during the pandemic, subsequently hurting student test scores.

Walz' supporters countered he took proper steps to keep everyone safe and his administration is committed to reducing learning gaps.

Aaron Miller, a current social studies teacher at Mankato West High School, said student performance is a complex issue, along with education funding. Under Walz, public schools have received a big boost but many districts still have tight budgets. Miller pointed out it could be a lot worse.

"That money that was thrown out really just kind of helped us kind of catch up a little bit," Miller explained. "Public school funding is a hornet's nest of people demanding certain things. And there are a lot of things to consider when you're going into it; property taxes."

Miller feels the perception of public schools is too steeped in "culture war" issues often pushed by conservative groups. While he does not agree with every policy move Walz has made, Miller stressed a renewed focus on the mission aligned with being a teacher should stay in the limelight much longer.

"We need our administrations, we need our state Department of Education, to do some things to help re-instill that sense of support and respect," Miller emphasized.