You know why that is, right? It’s misogyny.

More accurately, its misogyny adjacent because not ALL teachers are women. Nonetheless, it’s hard to not notice the parallels between expectations of maternal martyrdom and what we expect of teachers as a society. And also that teaching is considered a women’s profession or a pink profession.

A lot of things you said in here rang out at me because I hear the same things from over worked and over stressed mothers who are also checking out. Being disposable. Sacrificing for everyone else and never getting an ounce of compassion, leeway, or grace. Constantly shifting goalposts. Disrespect. Mockery. Gaslighting. The profession or identity is an altar you’re supposed to rejoice in laying your life upon.

Coincidence? I think not.

Go on. Be a bad teacher. They don’t pay you enough to mollycoddle society because society and leadership want to revel in their Peter Pan complexes instead of holding up their own corner. It’s time for them to grow up.