Podcast | WA educators burnt out over classroom political clashes

Politics reporter Joseph O’Sullivan talked to teachers about the increasing criticism they face at school over race and LGBTQ+ topics.

 

 

Photo of Nancy Katims

Nancy Katims, president of the Edmonds School Board, wears a pro-LGBTQ+ pin on her collar while leading a school board meeting on August 29, 2023. LGBTQ+ issues have become a hot-button item at school board meetings across the country. (David Ryder for Crosscut)

Teachers have found themselves embroiled in a national culture war as parents and politicians question what children are learning in school, from critical race theory to gender identity

These days, educators in Washington say they’re feeling reverberations from this conflict. 


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Crosscut’s state politics reporter, Joseph O’Sullivan, wrote about how these confrontations are contributing to burnout among educators and union leaders at a time when their field is experiencing a labor shortage. 

In this episode of Crosscut Reports, host Maleeha Syed spoke with O’Sullivan about the pushback these educators are getting from their communities – and how these encounters are impacting them. 

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