David Oldham

Guest columnist

Six years ago, I began teaching in Metro Nashville Public Schools. Five years ago, I started night law school because I saw we were headed where we are today.

Now we have sick-outs because teachers can't live in the city they teach in. This year I passed the Tennessee Bar and was voted Tennessee Lottery's Teacher of the Month, but despite my tremendous love for the job, I am leaving education.

I believe wholeheartedly that I was made to teach, but I can no longer hope to do so and raise a family here. I’ve seen, firsthand, our veteran educators driving cars that won’t last the school year, holding on to the hope that their own children will get enough scholarship money to afford college — and they’re the lucky ones because they bought houses back when homes were affordable.

Yet for someone just beginning to teach, it no longer makes fiscal sense to remain in the profession if you want to live in Nashville — not unless you marry rich. Not when it takes teachers nearly three decades to hit a $76,000 ceiling. No matter how idealistically you begin, you can’t work two or three jobs your whole life and retain your sanity.

How can we develop a strong teacher corps without veteran educators? What happens when so many of our best teachers leave teaching for jobs that pay them enough to live here? What about our vastly underpaid auxiliary staff who run everything outside the classrooms? I’ve seen their paychecks. They are deplorable.

We can say how much we appreciate teachers, but words will no longer suffice. We must let our politicians know that we will not sit by while our future is underfunded. If our leaders were as focused on bettering education as they are on bringing in businesses and growth, they wouldn’t offer a standard of living increase that doesn’t even keep up with inflation; they would approve a budget that fully funds education.

Education is literally the most important function of our government — Article XI Section 12 of our state constitution “recognizes the inherent value of education and encourages its support.” Educated citizens commit fewer crimes, borrow money more prudently, suffer fewer fatal traffic accidents, increase economic growth and stability and vote more intelligently.

We simply cannot afford to continue pinching pennies when it comes to our schools.

I could cite data on teacher attrition. I could explain how policies — like automatic 50s and guaranteed retakes — aimed at boosting graduation rates are causing teacher burnout and destroying the work ethic of an already distracted generation. I could discuss the standard of living pay shortfall.

I could tell stories of being cursed out and breaking up fights. I could describe the emotional toll of helping the most innocent kids through the most appalling struggles.

But I cannot relay how crucial a role our teachers play in this society. Their success is immeasurable. Their failure is our failure, and that failure is not an option.

I might be leaving education, but I will never give up on it. I urge our city and our leaders not to give up on education either. Our society, our city and our future are on the line.

David Oldham teaches at John Overton High School in Nashville.