For so many children teachers are a saving grace, an escape from home. There are so many special moments that I spent with my students that were so everlasting, we keep in touch almost 17 years later. I left the profession after five years. It was draining, not so much the kids, the parents, and the politics of teaching.

Safety was never a huge issue. How could any teacher be armed while standing up teaching? They actually want teachers strapped with guns as they teach the children? How sick is this? I see teaching positions all the time in my inbox and there is no way I'm going back. Too many parents behaved so poorly when they were told to allow their children to wear a mask, but will quickly make sure they wear their helmets and chest plates when playing sports.

You hear about critical race theory, fine take it out, but parents will do what they always have - teach their children what they oughta know. I earned about so much in college, never exposed in grade school. In addition, knowing history is great, but the American school system needs to modernize what they're teaching. We're so behind in Math and Science. Ask about geography - yup, a blank stare.

Some parents put all their biases out there for their children to soak in. Thank goodness we were forced to stay home at the beginning of the pandemic can you imagine the workplace violence during the election? However, the kids listened and they began to argue with their peers. They were forced back into classes mimicking their parents and it wasn't a good thing. Teachers were there, attempting to make everything better.

Our teachers are so underappreciated and it's really sad. Now, teachers are supposed to wear another cape, that of law enforcer. It's unfair, it's unjust and I clearly understand why so many are making the choice to walk away, instead of being carried out in a body bag.