Van Roekel Expresses Dismay At Results Of Teacher Survey

Michigan Live (3/9, Murray) reports that NEA President Dennis Van Roekel, responding to the release this week of the MetLife Survey of the American Teacher, expressed dismay at the results, which showed "teacher job satisfaction at its lowest point in decades." Van Roekel "called the results 'shocking,' and said the dissatisfaction is 'due, in part, to the unconscionable cuts to the resources their students need.' 'More than three quarters of the teachers surveyed reported that their school's budget had decreased. For most, budget cuts were significant. I have heard similar concerns from NEA members, who have told me that staff and important programs have been cut; early childhood education has been eliminated; computers and text-books were out of date; and classes such as history, art, PE and music-which provide a well-rounded education-are no longer offered,' he said in a release."