As kids in Florida returned to the classrooms, it appears that teachers didn’t do the same. According to the Florida Education Association, the state of Florida is experiencing a teacher shortage with 5,100 vacancies, which has only grown since the beginning of the school year, CNN reports. This is also a 67% increase, when compared to August 2021.
For other staff positions, there are 4,000 openings, FEA President Andrew Spar claims.
“These numbers and trends are an alarm bell going off for our public schools, and state officials need to start listening,” Spar expressed. “Educators have made clear why they’re leaving our schools, and young people will readily share why they don’t want to pursue an education career.”
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The report was released in August but updated in October after a recount.
While it’s reported that the pandemic contributed to the shortage, it is also stated that low pay plays a major role in the Florida teacher shortage.
As you know, the Florida education system has been at the center of the mask mandates conversation.
Back in July, Ron DeSantis banned local schools from requiring students to wear masks. He then went even further a few weeks later and threatened to withhold the salaries of school officials who enforced mask mandates despite his order.
Weeks later, a judge stated that Ron DeSantis was “unlawful” in his initial anti-mask mandate that attempted to ban schools from requiring students to wear masks, as Florida continues to have the highest rate of new COVID-19 cases.
Roomies, what are your thoughts?
