Ex-Teacher’s Tweet About Quitting Inspires Other Stories About Why Teachers Quit

The state of education in the United States is dismal. Even when you take out the neverending conflict over what children should be allowed to learn about in school, we’re still left with an ongoing exodus of qualified teachers, many of whom simply can’t survive on such measly salaries—and many more who are sick of the other drama that plagues them day-to-day.

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A tweet from one teacher who finally said she’d had enough, quit her job, and became a bartender has inspired a wave of stories from others in similar situations.

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“I quit my teaching job and now make more bartending for 15 less hours [per] week,” wrote Abby Norman. “Also I get blamed for way way less and get told thank you way way more. No lesson plans or grading papers. Remember this when people ask about the teacher shortage.”

I quit my teaching job and now make more bartending for 15 less hours week. Also I get blamed for way way less and get told thank you way way more. No lesson plans or grading papers.

Remember this when people ask about the teacher shortage.

— Abby Norman (@abbynormansays) July 17, 2021

Other teachers and former teachers chimed in about their own experiences.

Education here has basically been running on the fumes of what’s left of the good will of teachers, for decades. As the shortage increases, the bars will lower further and I have no idea what we do then.

— FeMaiden (@b_denum) July 18, 2021

“Adjunct Instructor” is seriously one of the worst paid jobs out there, and they keep people doing it in part by pretending there’s a path into the tenure-track from there, which there isn’t.

— Naomi Kritzer (@NaomiKritzer) July 18, 2021

I quit my teaching job in December and started nannying. I make twice as much per hour and work 2/3s of the hours.

— Molly (@mollypocket629) July 18, 2021

Guess your pension isn’t great—right? So much for the myth about teachers’ pensions being too high!

— Kate Pryde (@Mutant187) July 18, 2021

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Same, the constant evaluations and the changes in curriculum and getting ready to test “all year” for the TCAP
I stay for the kids it’s my 14th year. I honestly think the kids need us now more than ever, as the family unit continues to crumble.

— AllBlueIn22 (@look4goodinppl) July 18, 2021

Same. I couldn’t find a teaching job after undergrad (I did Business Education, which was somewhat of a unicorn back then). I ended up getting my Masters in HR & transitioned to IT. I’m currently an IT Training Director for the federal govt.

— I’m here live. I’m not a cat. (@Tina_Rae_Jr) July 18, 2021

COVID has caused even more trouble.

what a hard choice. Thank you for the years you gave I pray you land on your feet. I miss my students every day.

— Abby Norman (@abbynormansays) July 18, 2021

Which state? Super depressing.

— jay (@beakinderhuman) July 18, 2021

And parents can sometimes make things more difficult.

That is terrible. One of my teacher friends taught a hybrid class…in person and on-line. Basically, she had to teach two classes for the price of one.

— Judy White (@JudyWhite785) July 18, 2021

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My favorite was when my class read a short story about a little girl who experienced racism and an angry parent was at the principals office the next day saying “no one that young can experience racism!!” Dumb bit**

— SugarFallonRosengart (@HeavenonStars) July 18, 2021

not trying to make it an excuse but wouldnt be surprized if most parents(probably both) are just as overworked and dont have the time or energy to invest in their kids like they would like i know a few people that want time with their kids but bills are ever a day closer again…

— Rayna (@Another_Rayna) July 18, 2021

I’ve been teaching a long while – and the shift is insane. So many parents make more excuses than I’ve ever seen and those parents have reared children with no grit, no soft skills, no clue.

— HMSmile (@HMSmile1) July 19, 2021

For as much as teachers deal with, it doesn’t make sense that they aren’t compensated better—and treated better while we’re at it.

There truly is a difference between education and schooling. From my perspective students are being schooled and not educated to take a State ELA or math assessments. Teaching for learning has been pushed in the background.

— Dr.GloGibby (@GloGibby) July 18, 2021

My did too!!! After 23 years of service

— Tonia owens (@Toniaowens17) July 18, 2021

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This hit home for me when I was in a target behind a teacher in late July and watched her shop for about $400 worth of school supplies. Blew my mind when explaining it to a teacher friend and they looked at me and said “yeah? And?”

— Dave Sanders (@vulgrin) July 18, 2021

My mom retired from her public middle school teaching career at age 60 in 2001, as soon as she had accumulated enough years of service to qualify for her full pension. She was thrilled to escape from the stress. Thank goodness she retired when she did; she died of cancer in 2004.

— Phoenix Rising (@PHXrising18) July 18, 2021

It seems obvious that something has to change, but whether it will happen any time soon or what it will take to get there remains to be seen. In the meantime, our teachers will just keep becoming bartenders instead.

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*First Published: July 20, 2021, 6:11 am