An Illinois educator claims teachers aren’t treated like professionals, arguing that they “get policed in a way that virtually no other profession [does].” By this, she means teachers constantly have to maintain a “perfect” image, even when not in the classroom. Her video has over 131,000 views and more than 22,000 likes.
The educator said she decided to speak out after seeing another teacher receive criticism online for wearing vacation clothes, arguing the backlash reflected the unrealistic expectations placed on educators outside the classroom.
She said she experienced those expectations firsthand during her first few years teaching while working a bartending job about 30 minutes away from her school. The woman claims that when people found out, they were “so scandalized that [she] could live this double life.”
According to the educator, teachers are treated as though they are “never fully off the clock” and expected to be “a perfect moral person at all times.” She contrasted those expectations with how society views professions such as doctors and politicians, arguing teachers face a level of scrutiny that few other careers experience.
She also argued those expectations are influenced by teaching being a profession dominated by women. According to her, careers largely filled by women are often held to standards of selflessness and moral character, something she believes also contributes to lower pay in education.
Rather than expecting educators to fit the image of “Miss Honey,” the idealized teacher from Matilda, she said students should see teachers as “full people” with lives outside the classroom.
Fellow Teachers Rally Behind Illinois Educator
Many teachers said they related to the educator’s frustrations and shared similar experiences in the video’s comment section.
“We are literally taught in college that we are held to a higher standard and that we need to privatize all socials,” one commenter wrote.
Another agreed, writing, “This is my biggest beef about being a teacher: we can’t be ourselves.”
Others said the expectations placed on teachers differ from those applied to other professions. One commenter wrote, “Heavy on the ‘they don’t do this to politicians‘.” Another added, “It is often ONLY the women in the profession that get held to this standard.”
Not everyone viewed the issue the same way. One teacher dismissed the criticism altogether, writing, “They don’t pay me enough to care what they think outside my contract hours.”
The educator later posted a follow-up video responding to commenters who argued teachers should be held to a higher standard because they serve as role models for children. In response, she argued that expecting perfection from educators can ultimately send unhealthy messages to students about mistakes and authenticity.
