Dear teachers, Americans agree: You’re underpaid!

A pair of new NPR/Ipsos polls of parents and teachers shed new light on a range of issues, from teacher burnout to book bans. [View this email online]( [NPR Education]( June 4, 2023 --------------------------------------------------------------- Happy Sunday! Cory Turner here, correspondent on the NPR education team. Wherever you are, as you read this newsletter I hope your feet – and your spirits – are both up. This week, I’m feeling a little bleary-eyed. My intrepid editor, Nicole Cohen, our visuals editor, L.A. Johnson and I have spent the past many days poring over spreadsheets and studying the results of not one but two new education polls we commissioned from Ipsos. With so many stories out there about heated efforts to ban books in schools and restrict teachers’ ability to discuss race, sexuality and gender identity with students, we wondered: How are teachers and parents feeling as this contentious school year winds down? What we heard surprised us. In spite of these divisive culture-war fights, parents and the general public still broadly say they trust teachers to make decisions around classroom curriculum, and also largely believe that teachers aren’t paid enough for the work they do. As for those efforts to ban books that some parents find controversial, and to restrict what teachers can discuss with students, the public is largely against them. Just 20% of the public support state lawmakers restricting teachers, and just 17% back state-level book bans. The problem is, a big majority of teachers tell us, they worry that public perceptions of educators have gotten worse over the last 10 years – along with working conditions in their schools. [We’ve got a ton more detail in this expansive digital story]( – not to mention a pair of sound-rich radio explainers on both Morning Edition and All Things Considered. As always, thanks for reading this far – and for supporting our little team. We appreciate you. — [Cory Turner]( Correspondent, NPR Ed [Read More]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- Now, let’s get into some news … Is the debt deal changing student loan repayment? [Here's what you need to know.]( The deal spells out when repayments resume: 60 days after June 30 (aka August 29). The end of this pause will affect some 43 million student loan borrowers who, collectively, owe over a trillion dollars. — [Emily Olson]( Newshub Editor, NPR Chicago schools sit empty 10 years on. A decade has passed since then-Mayor Rahm Emanuel of Chicago called for the closings of more American schools at one time than ever before. Many promises were made, but those promises, a Chicago Sun-Times and WBEZ investigation found, largely have never been realized. [What does this mean for cities around the country who are faced with declining population?]( — [Chicago Sun-Times and WBEZ]( Mom takes on YouTube after her son dies in a “blackout challenge.” [Annie McGrath’s son Griffin is one of an estimated 1,385 children known to have died from the blackout challenge]( according to a nonprofit called Erik's Cause, which was founded by Judy Rogg, whose son also died from a choking game. — [Dara Kerr]( Reporter, NPR And before you go … Today this section is for the teachers, coaches, and school administrators who might be just a tad excited for the school year to end. How are you celebrating the end of the year with your students? Do you have any traditions you think are interesting or unique? Or are you already done and want to share a funny memory or gift from a student? We’d like to hear from you! Send us an email at npred@npr.org with the subject: “End Of The Year,” and we’ll feature some of our favorites in an upcoming newsletter. As always, thanks for reading! — [LA Johnson]( Art Director, NPR Ed --------------------------------------------------------------- Listen to your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to find your local station stream. [Listen Live]( [Facebook]( [Instagram]( [Twitter]( What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: [npred@npr.org](mailto:npred@npr.org?subject=Newsletter%20Feedback) Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! [They can sign up here.]( Looking for more great content? [Check out all of our newsletter offerings]( — including Music, Politics, Code Switch and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Education emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy Policy]( [NPR logo]