Public Perception
Teachers have a difficult but rewarding job. Sometimes, they feel underappreciated for the service they provide to students and families across this country. Public education continues to take hits in the media. The public perception of education and teachers often seems negative. Sometimes, it feels like the ills of society are somehow the fault of teachers. Our education system bears too much responsibility. Consequently, educators feel the burden of trying to raise test scores, maneuvering ever changing policies, inconsistent leadership and more. It leaves teachers to wonder how does the public perception affect their jobs and morale.
We, the public are bombarded with information about school funding, standardized testing, and comparing our educational system to those in other countries. Recently, we listened to politicians debate whether the Secretary of Education is qualified to serve in the position. Also, we heard about the possibility of major decreases in funding for schools. Overall, it’s hard to see positives when all the news appears to be negative. However, the public perception of education and teachers is not as bad as it seems.
Three out of four Americans have trust and confidence in public school teachers.