uaetodaynews.com — Despite Uncertainties, These Future Educators Still Want to Teach – The 74
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Since January, K-12 education has undergone sweeping policy changes at the federal level. Hundreds of executive orders and the passage of the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” have led to the cutting of thousands of programs and a reduction in federal funding for schools.
The U.S. Department of Education has been streamlined, Title IX regulations have been rewritten, and federal protections for LGBTQ+ have been scaled back. Immigration enforcement has increased in communities, leaving many students and teachers feeling unsafe on campus.
Fewer college students may be discouraged from pursuing careers in teaching. Yet, aspiring K-12 educators interviewed by EdSource reveal a continued commitment to the profession.
Despite these challenges — alongside longstanding issues such as low pay, low morale and unruly students and parents — many remain dedicated to ensuring children across the state continue to have opportunities for learning in safe environments. They want to ensure they have access to safe learning spaces that promote growth, a love of learning, and guarantee that their basic needs are met, from dual-language to special education resources.
Determined to push onward
Peter Leonido, a first-generation education and sociology major who graduated from UC San Diego,said that as someone who believes in the success of his students, the dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education was a full-circle moment for him. In high school, he was surrounded by mentors and teachers who believed in him.
He said that what happens at the federal level impacts how students learn in school.
“Education is political because teaching students to be able to read, write and think critically will inherently have them question and challenge the status quo,” Leonido said. “By defunding it, by bashing on it, you create an uneducated generation that is doomed to fight back.”
He is pursuing a master’s degree in education at UCLA this fall. Still, he has taught high school and middle school students from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds, including lower-income and Latino students, in Los Angeles and San Diego.
Leonido said that teaching English and ethnic studies is especially important for students of color and immigrants to understand how to “read between the lines of everything they consume,” whether that’s on social media, local or national news, and even entertainment. This, he said, will “provide them the tools to empower and defend themselves” during President Donald Trump’s second administration.
Growing up in a Spanish-speaking household, David Beam always recognized the power and complexity of the language. He was inspired to pursue a related degree in college so he could teach Spanish in grade school or high school. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Spanish with a minor in Spanish-English bilingual education from UC Irvine, and is now pursuing a master’s in the university’s teaching and credential program.
“I want to inspire other students to love the language and appreciate the language and grow in the language,” Beam said.
Beam is focused on combating achievement and opportunity gaps that exist within education. Given Trump’s approach to eliminating diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, along with his threat to shut down the federal Department of Education, he said he is frustrated with the widening gaps.
Tatum White, 22, a Long Beach State alumna who has completed multiple-subject and education specialist credentials, agreed with Beam’s assessment regarding the importance of diversity in classrooms.
“As someone who really prioritizes inclusion and supportive environments and love and nurturing future minds and nurturing spaces that include everyone, that’s always going to be something that I really strive for and really appreciate in every environment,” White said. “With the current administration and with current happenings around the world, I feel that is being threatened and that is unfair to a lot of people, and especially with identities that occupy the majority of our classrooms.”
‘I feel like I can instill hope in students’
Both Beam and White say these roadblocks will not deter them from becoming teachers.
“I know that I can make more of a difference inside of the classroom and by being an example to students and teaching them,” Beam said. “Of course, it’s difficult to approach those controversial topics (such as DEI), but I really want to teach students to develop that sense of empathy or develop that sense of understanding.”
Similarly, Christine Tran, a recent graduate from San Jose State, witnessed the effects of inequitable education firsthand. Tran, a Bay Area native, said she attended an underfundedmiddle school and often struggled with English due to a lack of support.
“Heading into high school, I was not at the same level as my peers,” Tran said. “I felt super behind. There were a lot of times where I felt like maybe I wasn’t smart, or maybe I wasn’t good at English.”
It was Tran’s eighth grade English teacher, however, who sparked her passion for both the subject and education. Tran said that her teacher introduced her to new books, and now she has an English degree and is preparing for a teaching career.
Tran is currently an English teacher at Breakthrough Silicon Valley, a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing college access in underserved communities. She attended a similar program in high school.
“I feel like I’ve always wanted to teach on paper, but now, actually interacting with the kids, teaching them lessons every day, it’s really eye-opening,” she said. “I feel like I have already grown so much (as an educator).”
However, she also fears for the safety and future of her students, many of whom are Latino. Many of her students feel defeated and have lost motivation to further their education, she said.
“I think that teachers are the cornerstone of a student’s success,” Tran said. “I feel like I can instill hope in students.”
The hits to education keep coming
On July 14, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that efforts by Trump to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education and fire 1,400 members of the department’s staff can move forward.
“We will carry out the reduction in force to promote efficiency and accountability and to ensure resources are directed where they matter most,” Education Secretary Linda McMahon said in a press statement. “As we return education to the states, this Administration will continue to perform all statutory duties while empowering families and teachers by reducing education bureaucracy.”
In addition to the constantly shifting policies, the Trump administration has left California school districts scrambling to fill funding gaps in K-12 classrooms.
Further, the U.S. Department of Justice is attempting to dismantle decades of protections for undocumented students with the reversal of the 1982 U.S. Supreme Court case, Plyler v. Doe, according to the National Education Association.The case held that “denying undocumented children access to free public K-12 education” violates the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.
In California, approximately 15% of K-12 school districts and 45% of the state’s student population are in urban areas, according to the Public Policy Institute of Californiawhere a majority of the students are not white, a concern Anna Ortiz, the dean of the College of Education at Long Beach State, said is exacerbated by the Trump administration’s continued threats and actions against DEI programs in classrooms. Ortiz worries that progress toward making education more equitable and students feeling represented is falling apart under Trump.
“I think we’re afraid of going backwards because we’ve made a lot of progress in serving students from diverse backgrounds,” Ortiz said. “Whether they have come from immigrant backgrounds or from different cultures, whether they have different languages as their first language at home.”
Most of the layoffs in the Department of Education were in the Office for Civil Rightswhich handles disability and discrimination cases in school districts. Without this office handling these cases, Erika Hope, a first-year special education high school math teacher, is concerned that the 7.5 million students with disabilities in K-12 could face increased discrimination and abuse.
“I had a stepbrother who had (an) intellectual disability, and he was secluded and put into a home at a young age. And I hate the idea that that is where we’re heading, where we’re not talking about inclusion of all people into classrooms,” said Hope, who added that she is afraid special education could be privatized and wouldn’t be free for all people.
The joy of teaching
Despite the challenges that future educators face, even in these difficult times for education, the future remains bright.
Beam said he hopes there will be greater respect for the process within schools, enabling students to graduate as well-informed individuals with the skills to discern different viewpoints and formulate their own opinions.
“I was not going to let the current challenges that exist in education stop me from achieving or executing this kind of dream,” Beam said. “Or realizing this dream that I have always had for myself.”
Leonido added that he wants to ensure students can be the ones making change.
“Learning the histories and social patterns of social justice movements, the movements of people of color and other marginalized communities, and the political patterns and impacts of U.S. imperialism on national and global politics will plant a seed for this next generation of youth,” Leonido said. “To challenge the status quo, to be proactive and make change in their communities.”
For Ortiz, it’s simply a matter of reminding students about their passion for becoming educators, even when things can be difficult.
“I think the most important thing is to remember why you wanted to be a teacher and always try to channel that purpose and that joy in teaching,” Ortiz said. “As long as you focus on what’s in your classroom and try to let this noise not get you down, then I think you’re going to have a better experience, and you’re going to persist in the profession.”
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Disclaimer: This news article has been republished exactly as it appeared on its original source, without any modification.
We do not take any responsibility for its content, which remains solely the responsibility of the original publisher.
Author: Jason Green and Sarah Soroosh Moghadam and Seamus Bozeman
Published on: 2025-10-17 20:30:00
Source: www.the74million.org
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This, he said, will “provide them the tools to empower and defend themselves” during President Donald Trump’s second administration. nnnnGrowing up in a Spanish-speaking household, David Beam always recognized the power and complexity of the language. He was inspired to pursue a related degree in college so he could teach Spanish in grade school or high school. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Spanish with a minor in Spanish-English bilingual education from UC Irvine, and is now pursuing a master’s in the university’s teaching and credential program.nnnn“I want to inspire other students to love the language and appreciate the language and grow in the language,” Beam said. nnnnTatum WhitennnBeam is focused on combating achievement and opportunity gaps that exist within education. Given Trump’s approach to eliminating diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, along with his threat to shut down the federal Department of Education, he said he is frustrated with the widening gaps. nnnnTatum White, 22, a Long Beach State alumna who has completed multiple-subject and education specialist credentials, agreed with Beam’s assessment regarding the importance of diversity in classrooms. nnnn“As someone who really prioritizes inclusion and supportive environments and love and nurturing future minds and nurturing spaces that include everyone, that’s always going to be something that I really strive for and really appreciate in every environment,” White said. “With the current administration and with current happenings around the world, I feel that is being threatened and that is unfair to a lot of people, and especially with identities that occupy the majority of our classrooms.”nnnn‘I feel like I can instill hope in students’nnnnBoth Beam and White say these roadblocks will not deter them from becoming teachers.nnnn“I know that I can make more of a difference inside of the classroom and by being an example to students and teaching them,” Beam said. “Of course, it’s difficult to approach those controversial topics (such as DEI), but I really want to teach students to develop that sense of empathy or develop that sense of understanding.”nnnnChristine TrannnnSimilarly, Christine Tran, a recent graduate from San Jose State, witnessed the effects of inequitable education firsthand. Tran, a Bay Area native, said she attended an underfunded middle school and often struggled with English due to a lack of support. nnnn“Heading into high school, I was not at the same level as my peers,” Tran said. “I felt super behind. There were a lot of times where I felt like maybe I wasn’t smart, or maybe I wasn’t good at English.” nnnnIt was Tran’s eighth grade English teacher, however, who sparked her passion for both the subject and education. Tran said that her teacher introduced her to new books, and now she has an English degree and is preparing for a teaching career. nnnnTran is currently an English teacher at Breakthrough Silicon Valley, a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing college access in underserved communities. She attended a similar program in high school. nnnn“I feel like I’ve always wanted to teach on paper, but now, actually interacting with the kids, teaching them lessons every day, it’s really eye-opening,” she said. “I feel like I have already grown so much (as an educator).” nnnnHowever, she also fears for the safety and future of her students, many of whom are Latino. Many of her students feel defeated and have lost motivation to further their education, she said. nnnn“I think that teachers are the cornerstone of a student’s success,” Tran said. “I feel like I can instill hope in students.” nnnnThe hits to education keep comingnnnnOn July 14, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that efforts by Trump to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education and fire 1,400 members of the department’s staff can move forward.nnnn“We will carry out the reduction in force to promote efficiency and accountability and to ensure resources are directed where they matter most,” Education Secretary Linda McMahon said in a press statement. “As we return education to the states, this Administration will continue to perform all statutory duties while empowering families and teachers by reducing education bureaucracy.”nnnnIn addition to the constantly shifting policies, the Trump administration has left California school districts scrambling to fill funding gaps in K-12 classrooms. nnnnFurther, the U.S. Department of Justice is attempting to dismantle decades of protections for undocumented students with the reversal of the 1982 U.S. Supreme Court case, Plyler v. 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Ortiz worries that progress toward making education more equitable and students feeling represented is falling apart under Trump.nnnn“I think we’re afraid of going backwards because we’ve made a lot of progress in serving students from diverse backgrounds,” Ortiz said. “Whether they have come from immigrant backgrounds or from different cultures, whether they have different languages as their first language at home.” nnnnMost of the layoffs in the Department of Education were in the Office for Civil Rightswhich handles disability and discrimination cases in school districts. Without this office handling these cases, Erika Hope, a first-year special education high school math teacher, is concerned that the 7.5 million students with disabilities in K-12 could face increased discrimination and abuse. nnnn“I had a stepbrother who had (an) intellectual disability, and he was secluded and put into a home at a young age. 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Disclaimer: This news article has been republished exactly as it appeared on its original source, without any modification.
We do not take any responsibility for its content, which remains solely the responsibility of the original publisher.
Author: uaetodaynews
Published on: 2025-10-20 08:22:00
Source: uaetodaynews.com
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