WI teachers feel the strain as classroom pressures mount

About a month into the new school year, teachers in Wisconsin and across the country are more stressed than ever, according to a new survey by the American Federation of Teachers.

It found more than 40% of educators work a second job, while many spend hundreds of dollars of their own money on classroom supplies.

Melissa Cropper, vice president of the union, said they are faced with financial strain from rising costs and ever-shifting education policies affecting how they show up for their students.

"They're fed up, they're tired of trying to comply with policies that don't allow them to teach the way that they want to teach. They still actually love working with the students when they have the freedom to teach the way that they want to teach but the pressures are just becoming too much," Cropper reported.

The survey of more than 2,000 union members found nearly two-thirds rate their weekly stress at seven or higher on a 10-point scale. More than 30% said they are likely to leave teaching within the next year.

Cropper pointed to concerns about school funding, book bans and AI policies. The survey found more than 60% believe the Trump administration has had negatively affected their classrooms, citing funding cuts and privatization pressures and increased immigration enforcement activity affecting students and families.

She noted AI is also presenting unique challenges.

"For teachers, it's not only figuring out how to navigate AI themselves but it's how do you protect your students from the dangerous aspects of AI while also trying to incorporate the positive aspects of AI and preparing our students to thrive in an AI world," Cropper explained.

Teachers said lack of support and low pay are some of the reasons they are considering leaving. Just 36% would recommend the profession to their own children. Cropper stressed teachers and educators should be brought back into policy conversations and given a meaningful voice in decisions affecting classroom practice.

Judith Ruiz-Branch wrote this story for Wisconsin News Connection, a member of Public News Service.