Teacher Shortages

 There's a teacher shortage b/c the political hostility toward teachers is a symptom of a widespread hostility toward truth. When a culture/country/movement or person is drowning in lies, the thing that threatens the status quo is truth and learning. That's why newly empowered dictator go after the artists and teachers first. They're trying to kill the spirit of truth seeking. The conservative movement has attacked teacher's unions for wanting to make a livable wage, offering support to LGBT students, and now has politicized a whole movement against teachers teaching history. And then refuses to protect them and suggest that the underpaid, overworked teacher take up guns to protect their kids from the same hate-based grievances that trigger the mass shooters. So Anne Frank is cancelled from one school system, MLK is eliminated from another school, but open carry is year-around. And the only rhyme or reason is that the historical truth is uncomfortable to the same group that seeks to indoctrinate their children into the same system that is producing increasingly savage mass killers blinded by hatred. 

Throughout the years, my best friends have always made me feel -at some pt- like I was being attacked. And usually it's because it was some lie or error in my thinking that I was trying to protect. After the defensiveness, I've been able to examine not only why they were saying it, but why I felt attacked and the need to attack them: it was because I was protecting something that was comfortably dishonest. 

For the past few yrs I've led two diff writers' groups and it's been interesting. I've learned that you can teach anyone technique and craft. But you can't teach someone to be honest. It's a fundamental trait that is set at a young age. When an artist is getting feedback about something emotionally dishonest in their work, they either run or change. Often, they run b/c the underpinning of their art is a deeply held dishonesty in their own life. It's an automatic computer coding that kicks out the bullshit. Nothing has to be said or done. They just stop showing up b/c they can't take the feeling that 'they're being attacked' when ppl offer constructive criticism b/c what they really want is unwavering adulation. But how can anyone get better with just adoration and applause?

As a country, there is a certain segment which is not open to feedback, does not want constructive criticism, is not interested in hearing anything that makes them uncomfortable. They only want applause for being 'themselves' and anything less is an attack. This segment is exist on both the political right and left. And teachers are their enemy, like sunlight to a grave robber.