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SANDY — "Fifty percent of our teachers leave in the first five years," Utah's first lady Abby Cox said, noting that if teachers don't receive more support from parents and the state, they will continue leaving at startling rates.
"It's devastating because we need that institutional knowledge. We need those teachers that are affecting generations of our students," she said during Wednesday's Show Up for Teachers Conference, an event she planned in an effort to empower teachers across the state.
Over 2,500 educators and administrators gathered for the event, where they would be schooled not in mathematics or literature, but in happiness techniques and stress management.
The first lady organized the Show Up for Teachers to promote mental health awareness for educators during times when many were being "villainized," Abby Cox said.
As a former special education teacher herself, the First Lady noted the importance of helping teachers receive the resilience skills they need "so that they can be the leaders in their school."
"Teachers have been trained to teach; they want to teach. They know they didn't get in this profession to make, you know, millions and millions of dollars. That's not why they're here. They're here because they're compassionate, because they believe in what they're doing. And so, in order for us to keep them there, we have to surround them with wellness techniques, with the ability, with the appreciation, with the respect," Abby Cox said.
The event included several speakers, including author Arthur C. Brooks, a Harvard Business School professor of management practice, as well as Gov. Spencer Cox.
Show Up for Teachers also provided breakout sessions for educators to learn more about goal setting, personal finance, conflict resolution and mindfulness strategies.
"Some of our breakouts cover how to be an advocate for yourself, and that's empowering for teachers. It's empowering to know that you have, you know, the governor and myself and legislators and community leaders to rally around you — that's empowering," Abby Cox said.
State Rep. Carol Spackman Moss, D-Holladay, a former educator, agreed with Cox, noting that after teaching for 33 years and being in the state Legislature for two decades, the attitude toward teachers "is the worst I've ever seen it."
"I think it's a wonderful event to celebrate teachers and to, as the theme says, show up for teachers," Moss said.
"If ever they needed moral boost, it's now — because the Legislature this past year and groups of parents who claim they're all about helping education, namely Utah Parents United, are the most negative forces that I've ever seen," Moss said, referring to a conservative parents' rights group that has lobbied for legislation to provide stronger oversight of instructional materials used in classrooms across the state, among other things.
Moss also noted that many concerns for educators came from an increase in book challenges and complaints, with some board members of the Davis School District even receiving threats after a parent asked for the Bible to be removed from school libraries.
Shawn Bliss, a bookmobile librarian with the Utah State Library and a vendor at the event, added that he felt the event united educators with school librarians.
"We're all in the business of promoting literacy, spreading ideas. Libraries are challenged right now. Books are being challenged, especially in school libraries," Bliss said. "I think there's a certain amount of solidarity coming to an event like this, even though I don't work at school, personally — like our missions are parallel."
We have teachers that are being treated like the babysitters down the street — these are professionals. These are professionals that are doing critical work in our state. We have to elevate the profession again to the status version.
–-Utah first lady Abby Cox
Abby Cox agreed that many educators and administrators were feeling burnout from the increase in parent complaints.
"We have teachers that are being treated like the babysitters down the street — these are professionals. These are professionals that are doing critical work in our state. We have to elevate the profession again to the status version," she said.
According to the Utah State Board of Education survey results, about 89% of parents are happy with their kids' schools and educators, the first lady added.
Rep. Doug Welton, R-Payson, also voiced his concerns about the anger toward teachers, stating that there was a smaller percentage of those who were dissatisfied than appreciative of all that teachers are doing.
"You've got people in Utah who are saying, 'Our kids are doing great and they're doing — our teachers are doing really well, and we've got a good relationship.' And then they see something about something that happened somewhere else, and all of a sudden it's easier to, like, be angry than it is to be happy," Welton said. "I've noticed that people are much quicker to get on and complain about the service they got than to talk about the great service they received."
Brooks, the conference's keynote speaker, added that teachers may experience work dissatisfaction from lacking one of happiness's core tenants — validation and appreciation.
"They're burning out because they don't feel like they're earning their success. These are the two things — if you're an administrator, pay attention to this," Brooks said. "You need to not just say, 'You're a servant, you're a servant, you're helping, you're helping.' It's also, 'Congratulations — you're killing it, and here are the five ways that you're excelling.'"
To show teachers appreciation, the event also provided them with resources, donated gifts, and discounts from 125+ businesses, according to a Show Up for Teachers press release.
Vendors and businesses included the Utah Education Association, the Clark Planetarium, Raise the Future, the Children's Center Utah, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, and dozens more.
Brenda Beyal, a vendor with the BYU Arts Partnership with Native Americans, agreed with the importance of the event because it gave resources for teachers to teach about Native American voices and Indigenous histories.
"We love Show Up for Teachers because we get the boots on the ground, and we are able to meet people who are interested in furthering how they teach about Native Americans and personal responsibility," Beyal said.
Another vendor at the event was FAM — or Friends, Allies and Mentors — an organization that promotes the safety of LGBTQ+ students and teachers, according to Rules Pickle, a representative of FAM.
Pickle added that the conference didn't just give a voice to the teachers, but the FAM group's presence gave the opportunity for teachers to have open dialogues about the presence of LGBTQ+ students and teachers.
"Diversity of teachers is important in that we need our students to (know) when they see it, they can be it," Abby Cox said. "It's really important for us to connect with all different diverse groups."
For the public to best support teachers, Moss added, parents ought to express their concerns respectfully and have open conversations with teachers, rather than resort to angry dialogues.
Spencer Cox agreed, noting that much of the polarization in today's political climate may have contributed to teacher burnout and animosity in education. He also encouraged residents — to better both the political climate and the attitude toward teachers — to have open dialogues and to agree, and disagree, more openly with each other.
"There is nothing more un-American than hating our fellow Americans," the governor said. "And there is nothing more American than coming together and disagreeing better."
Correction: An earlier version incorrectly identified Brenda Beyal as Brenda Bryan.
