A new survey by the American Federation of Teachers has found that the nation’s educators are stressed out and feel underappreciated.

The survey of more than 30,000 teachers and other school employees revealed that 79 percent of teachers don’t feel respected by elected officials and 77 percent said they don’t feel respected by the media.

Seventy-three percent of the educators reported that they are often stressed while another 24 percent said they are sometimes stressed. Just 3 percent said they rarely feel under stress.

The greatest source of stress, reported by 71 percent of respondents, is the adoption of new initiatives without appropriate training or professional development. The second most common source of stress, reported by 55 percent of respondents, is negative portrayals of teachers and other school employees in the media.

The widespread stress felt by educators is hampering their enthusiasm for teaching. Only about half of those surveyed said that they are enthusiastic about their jobs.

The survey was conducted in partnership with the Badass Teachers Association. While it was not a scientific survey, AFT President Randi Weingarten said she hopes to use the results to convince the U.S. Department of Education to carry out a peer-reviewed study of teachers’ working conditions.

Education Week, May 13
NJ.com, May 1