Reasons for Colorado’s growing teacher shortage aren’t a mystery

“Bill aims to address lack of teachers,” March 28 news story.

As a teacher, I look at the Colorado legislature’s attempt to understand the teacher shortage with both amusement and sadness. Legislators need only look at their pitiful attempts to “reform” education over the last 25 years — starting with wasting tax dollars on scientifically dubious standardized testing and a ridiculously encumbered teacher evaluation system. Sprinkle in some scapegoating of teachers and unions for the ills of society and, presto, aspiring teachers get the message loud and clear. Why would anyone want to invest in a college education only to go into a profession where you’re treated with suspicion and ridicule?

Legislators don’t need another “education” bill. If they were to sit down and talk to us, they’d get answers — not the answers they want to hear, but the answers they need to hear.

BBB According to your article, one purpose of House Bill 1003 is to “identify root causes of the teacher shortage” in Colorado. May I suggest that the proponents of the bill skim the pages of The Denver Post, especially between 2010 and 2015? Count the number of articles, letters to the editor and columns that denounce teachers as nothing more than greedy, self-serving union parasites robbing the taxpayers of their hard-earned cash and having little interest in children. Spattered here and there one will also find letters to the editor warning Colorado that the pervasive attitude that teachers are a worthless lot who do not deserve the money they get or any respect will result in a teacher shortage. Why would any young person want a career in a field that has been scorned by the Colorado public?