Readers have strongly objected to a recent letter proposing that young people struggling to find work should consider teaching as a fallback career. Bob Epton of Brigg, Lincolnshire, and Lily Bond of Hove, East Sussex, both argue that such a notion undermines the profession and ignores the realities of the teaching job market.
Teaching as a last resort
Bob Epton expressed surprise that the Guardian had not published responses to Ruth Brandon's letter (18 June), which suggested that young people who cannot find jobs should go into teaching. He criticized the adage 'Those that can, do; those that can't, teach' as poisonous, feeding the idea that teaching requires few skills and is a last resort. 'It explains why teachers are so often despised,' Epton wrote. He contrasted this with other European countries where teaching requires high qualifications, is well paid, and highly respected.
Epton emphasized that teaching is an exceptionally difficult job requiring a multiplicity of skills on top of sound subject knowledge. 'We all want not just 'good' but 'inspirational' teachers for our children, not people who are incapable of anything else,' he stated. He suggested that it would be ideal if the first-choice career for the brightest graduates was teaching, with those unable to get other jobs going into banking instead.
Surplus of teachers
Lily Bond, a qualified teacher, noted that Brandon's suggestion plays into the offensive 'those who can't, teach' adage and implies teaching lacks specific skills. Bond shared her own experience of struggling to find work in Brighton and Hove due to declining class numbers and a vast number of applicants. 'There is a surplus of teachers and not enough children to teach in the majority of British towns and cities, making this suggestion even more ludicrous,' she wrote.
The letters highlight ongoing debates about teacher shortages and respect for the profession in the UK, with readers calling for a shift in perception to recognize teaching as a skilled and valuable career.
