Why I Can't Teach in the Public School System Anymore

Why I Can't Teach in the Public School System Anymore On August 12, the Washington Post shared educator Stephanie Keiles post about why she made what she called “one of the hardest decisions” of her life: to quit her job and start teaching at a private school. In that post, she explained why she felt like she has been driven out of public education. Her story resonated with many other teachers in public schools who are finding their jobs increasingly difficult because of school reforms that have limited teacher autonomy, over-emphasized standardized tests and underfunded public education. Joining her will be Attorney Gerald Griggs. If you remember the Spring 2015 Atlanta GA teaching scandal where Atlanta Public Educators were given prison time for changing student’s test scores, Attorney Griggs started an organization called Free Our Teachers (FOT) Now (http://www.freeourteachersnow.com/) aimed at helping educators not just in Atlanta but everywhere. FOT’s primary focus is to support teachers that serve underprivileged communities. These teachers are faced with insurmountable obstacles – malnourished children, a lack of educational resources, and the absence of parental support and guidance – due to the low socioeconomic status of the community. When presented with these challenges, teachers must assume a myriad of roles that inhibit their ability to be effective teachers.