The real teacher shortage...updated 2017

This week Education Weekly released a new analysis of teacher demographic data across the country. Despite the anti-charter slant on the video, several interesting facts were shared that reflect the white dominant teacher workforce vis-a-vis the diverse student populations in public schools.

What the numbers tell us about teachers (Education Weekly)

The lack of teacher diversity has been largely sustained over the past four years as White teachers continue to dominate the workforce in public schools, including charter schools. However, charter schools tended to have a more diverse teacher workforce than traditional public schools and almost 20% of charter school teachers across the country were identified as "Hispanic".

Contrary to claims that charter schools are shutting teachers out of jobs, only 6% of teachers work in charter schools.

An older recent video circulated by Aljazeera asks, Where have all the teachers gone?

The video https://www.facebook.com/ajplusenglish/videos/612554595552718/  attempts to dig into the crisis reflected by a current shortage of qualified teachers. Forget NCLB and the past of emergency teacher credentials. What do teachers think is wrong with public education?

Here's what I wonder...

How about the browning of the student body in California while on average most teachers are still white (65%)? Of the over 6 million students in over 10,000 schools, almost 3.5 million are labeled "Latino or Hispanic" by the state. Yet, of the almost 300,000 teachers only 51,000 teachers identify as Hispanic or Latino. I am sure well less than half of these are fluently bilingual! Do you get this? Interesting how the teachers in this excellent video are mostly people of color. The message is valid - but in the communities I serve, we NEED teachers who give without being asked! Teachers seeking to serve as much as teachers whose own dignity sets an example for our youth. If you want to be a hippie, or a junkie - please find another job. We need cultural workers who are committed to love their vocation as much as our community must defend and value their contribution to the co-construction of society and the dissemination of our humanity. 

That's the real teacher shortage.

Update 2016: 

#teachingisamission #Anahuacalmecac #thediscipline #temaxtiani #kalmekak #notyourcoconut #deculturalization #caringapartheid. Source: http://bit.ly/schoolcolonies.