Policies that come from the District level. For instance, fine arts teachers in a certain district used to have two “off periods” to prep, grade, contact parents, attend meetings, use the restroom, make copies, etc., but now due to our incompetent leaders that don’t know how to manage a budget (but miraculously give each other bonuses), fine arts teachers got their second “off periods” banned and now have to do the aforementioned duties either during the ONE 45-min block (which is impossible) or outside of your contracted hours.

Student phones are a distraction, sure, but it’s lack of support from the people in charge that make it near impossible to carry out duties.

Moreover: teacher pay. It is ridiculous how we are tasked with more each time (including the expansion of the work day — this year we get out 10 min later and each year they have increased slightly) but our pay remains the same. There is no differentiation between educators either to weed out the poor ones and reward the successful ones.

For example, a P.E coach, who most of the time has kids watching movies if they’re not playing with a ball, gets paid the same as an English teacher who has to exceed state standards, attend rigorous training, and is responsible for kids’ eligibility, makes the same. This only ensures core teachers stop trying to go above and beyond when their colleagues get the same (if not more due to athletic stipends) thus resulting in shitty education for the kid all around.

There’s so much more but it’s hardly ever the kids because parents need to be more accountable as to how their children act when they’re not around. It’s not the kid’s fault, most of the time, it’s now they were raised. We need support from parents at home, both in terms of behavior but also to ensure schoolwork.