Why Are Our Teachers Taking It on the Chin

likelihood of disciplinary problems leading to less effective teaching. Why this has happened may be due to the teachers themselves forming unions and eroding the perception of teacher professionalism in the eyes of the public. It may also be due to the public impression of teaching as a cushy job, only at school for a few hours each day and on vacation during the summer. Whatever the reason, teachers have borne the brunt of zealous budget cutting. I have a friend with a college-age daughter, good in math, who was considering her career choices. Her mother told her, “anything but a teacher; I don’t want you to be a teacher.” This advice, delivered very adamantly, says a lot about attitudes toward teaching.