The American Teacher vs. Betsy DeVos
They are asking me the question, ‘Is the American Dream dead?’ And the American Dream is in trouble. But we’re going to get it back and do some real jobs.
–Donald Trump, Rochester, NH Town Hall, September 17, 2015
The appointment of Betsy DeVos as education secretary will offend every teacher in this country who has studied and committed their professional careers and lives to children. It will not be a “real job” because she is not qualified.
The American dream for teachers has been to serve. Becoming a teacher takes time and effort. And no matter what any outsiders say about public schools and learning, it is the teacher within the classroom who does the job.
Most teachers attend undergraduate school for four years. They study child development, psychology, how to teach reading, math, science, social studies, art, music and other subjects.
Many go on for two more years of graduate school specializing and earning master’s degrees to prepare themselves to be even better at what they do.
Teachers are responsible for continuously learning so they can keep well-informed of the latest ideas for their students.
They also spend countless hours student teaching under the watchful eye of a supervising teacher.
Many teachers go on to earn doctorate degrees where they must do serious research and complete dissertations. This takes years!
Teachers choose their career not based on getting rich—please look at their salaries. They choose teaching because they like kids and their subject/s.
Some teachers come to the field through an alternative path. If they are to become real The American Teacher vs. Betsy DeVos: