You've heard the phrase that something can be a 'thankless position.' Teaching is a thankless profession. Instead of being praised and compensated for educating and taking care of our children, teachers instead are attacked and demonized by needy parents and people with highly political agendas. The right in particular has been going after our education system in an effort to eliminate public schools altogether.
Investigative journalist and author Alexandra Robbins has taken a deep dive into the lives of our teachers. She recently published her latest book, "The Teachers: A Year Inside America's Most Vulnerable, Important Profession." She focuses her efforts on three teachers from different parts of the country and levels. I love this aspect of the book because teachers in different parts of the country are treated differently. Those in the south are under much more pressure from politicians and are compensated much more unfairly than other states. Robbins takes these stories, along with those from other teachers and educators, and puts together a fascinating look at what our teachers go through on a day to day basis.
Please enjoy my conversation with Alexandra Robbins.