Former NFL coach, Walmart manager and psychotherapist ditch jobs, become teachers

BY ERICA BREUNLIN THE COLORADO SUN

Overwhelmed by the unpredictable shu e between remote and in-person learning, scared of contracting a deadly virus, and tired of trying to make ends meet, many Colorado educators walked away from teaching during the pandemic with no intention of returning.

An already stressful job took on compounding pressures during the past three years, with teachers tending to more severe mental health struggles among students while grappling with their own. Meanwhile, political battles that found their way into classrooms and sustained community violence in schools stoked fear and frustration across the state.

But those stressors haven’t chased all teachers out of schools. Some newly minted educators have even sought out a career in a school amid the heavier workload and heightened sense of scrutiny many teachers are facing, abandoning other jobs to spend their days with kids. e newly trained teachers enter the eld as many schools struggle to nd quali ed educators to help them overcome shortages and retain experienced teachers, some of whom can barely nd a ordable housing in their school communities. e Colorado Department of Education spelled out shortages during the 2021-22 school year, reporting that about 7,000 teaching and other sta positions referred to as special services providers — including counselors and nurses — needed to be lled for that year. ose gures represented 10% of all teaching and 16% of all service provider positions statewide.

Of more than 5,700 open