Why Did So Many Teachers Quit During COVID 19?

Story by Joslynn Rivera and Kaylee Hill. Photo courtesy of NPR. 

On March 9th, 2020, we were all sent home for what we thought would only be two weeks, but we were in for a much longer stay at home than we expected. Two years later, many schools are finally reopened for in-person learning, but where did all the teachers go? According to the 

Bureau of Labor and Statistics, 2.6 million K-12 teachers and staff in the United States quit during the pandemic. Concerning right? 

One reason why teachers have stopped teaching during COVID is because of the vaccine mandate. Some teachers didn’t feel comfortable getting the vaccine so soon, and their schools put mandates in place that made it mandatory to be vaccinated to teach. Other teachers didn't have the resources or materials to teach at home, so they left the profession. Some teachers quit because they might have been scared for themselves and their family members, not wanting anyone to get sick from them possibly being infected at school.

There's no doubt that times have been tough for teachers and students. People are quick to criticize teachers for leaving the profession, but they should understand the stress COVID-19 has put on teachers, students, and the population in general—things aren’t always what they seem.

Joslynn Rivera and Kaylee Hill are 6th grade scholars at Friendship Woodridge International School.