A recent Ed Week article highlighted new data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics revealing that there were 380,000 job openings at schools across the nation in February. This number is likely higher now with more and more teachers retiring as the school year comes to an end. To put this number into context, there have never been this many openings in schools across the United States in the last decade.
While some organizations and institutions will only comment on why they believe this is happening, we at The Locke Society see this as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to take action. The Locke Society was founded to follow in the footsteps of The Federalist Society. Instead of focusing on encouraging liberty minded individuals to go into law, we at The Locke Society want to encourage individuals to enter the field of education. With over 380,000 job openings at schools across the nation, we are being presented with an opportunity that may never happen again.
As positions open for teachers and administrators, the radical left has another opportunity to further deepen their hold on education as they undoubtedly are seizing the chance to strengthen their majority. The positions being filled right now will likely be held by the teachers for decades which means their influence over future generations will likely be secured. If we want to make any impact on education at all, it is crucial that these positions are filled by moderates and conservatives. If they are not, the fight for our children and the future of our country will become even more challenging than it already is. Though there are many misconceptions about the power of teachers, it is vital not to underestimate them as so many conservatives have done and continue to do.
The fact is that if we continue to stay on the sidelines when the opportunity to change the status quo presents itself, then we are the ones to blame. All of the awareness in the world is not worth one instance of action. In most cases, if not all, if you want to change the status quo, you must be the change. Depending on deep-pocketed think tanks and slow moving organizations who have raked in millions of dollars for decades and accomplished nothing will not save your child, nor will it save our nation. We cannot act as though schools will run the way we wish, we need to take action to make that happen. Those who take action and make an impact in the educational field possess an incredible amount of power and influence over America’s future. As the saying goes: “Excuses will always be there; opportunities won’t.”
