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    Former Teachers Are Recalling The "Final Straw" Moments That Made Them Quit Education For Good

    "I ended up having to hide in a classroom next door because the mom was so angry, and at the end of the day, had to be escorted to my car. That day broke me."

    Teachers are constantly raising alarms about the rapid decline of the education system due to a multitude of factors, including lack of funding, low wages, violence, and more.

    Teacher grading papers at a student's desk in an empty classroom
    10,000 Hours / Getty Images

    "In June 2023, 51,000 teachers in the US quit their jobs," according to the online survey and analysis company Statista. A National Education survey found that over half of teachers said they were considering quitting in the future. 

    These are scary statistics, but I wanted to hear from real-life teachers who made the decision to leave education and pursue other careers. So, I asked the former teachers of the BuzzFeed Community — "What was the exact moment that made you decide to quit teaching for good?"

    A stressed teacher sitting at a desk with her head in her hands by a blackboard with "ABC" written on it
    bobbieo / Getty Images

    Here are their brutally honest stories:

    Note: This post contains mention of violence, abuse, and mental health struggles.



    1. "The demands of admin and district officials kept increasing all for the goal of higher test scores, but our time to plan, grade, and actually provide meaningful feedback decreased. As a way to cut the budget, teachers were required to teach an extra period without receiving a corresponding pay raise. My spouse is self-employed, so I was paying for very expensive, very poor health i