Good points here. I am a teacher, not in history, but with a degree in my subject. I think a lot of people under estimate the education and background required of teachers. I happen to be a math teacher with a degree from a prestigious university.
I do see the value in requiring of a certain level of degree in a subject. However, seeing how you are writing this article from Texas, Texas and other places in particular do not pay teachers very well. They pay them terribly. I wouldn’t teach there if it was the last place on earth.
I am excellent teacher, with a solid background and skill, why would I go teach at Texas, Florida or one of these other states that distrusts teachers and pays them way less than their education level? Furthermore, as a queer woman, I could get fired in Florida if my students happen to find out I have a girlfriend.
I feel like we are asking a lot of our teachers, but aren’t willing to pay them what we would pay other professionals with similar degrees and professional training. It’s amazing anyone teaches at all there.
If you want quality talent, quality education, quality expertise, you gotta be willing to pay for it. If you expect your history teachers to have degrees, pay teachers well enough so that people with degrees will want to apply.
It’s quite entitled for a school board to expect professionalism when they aren’t willing to pay a living wage. If you don’t pay brought to support a person, who do you think will apply?