Teacher Quits, Cites Tech & Parent Failures: “Kids Can’t Read, Don’t Care”

A high school English teacher’s viral TikTok video is sparking a national debate about the state of education and the challenges facing today’s students. After three years in the classroom, the 10th-grade teacher announced her resignation, citing a troubling decline in literacy and student engagement.

In her candid video, the teacher attributes the problem to several factors, including the pervasive influence of technology and a perceived lack of emphasis on fundamental skills by older generations. “Technology is directly contributing to the literacy decrease we are seeing in this country right now,” she stated, highlighting concerns about smartphones and AI tools like ChatGPT.

The teacher emphasized that her concerns extend beyond typical classroom challenges. She expressed dismay at the inability of many teenagers to read and write effectively, even to the point of struggling to compose a basic five-sentence paragraph. She noted that students often display apathy and resistance when asked to engage in handwriting tasks, sometimes resorting to “tantrums.”

She described a classroom environment where students prioritize distractions, such as watching movies in the background while simultaneously using their phones to browse TikTok and social media. This constant connectivity, she argues, hinders their ability to focus and learn.

Despite being a member of Gen Z herself (born in 1999), the teacher admitted feeling out of touch with her students. She voiced a growing lack of confidence in their preparedness for the future, stating that she doesn’t have “a lot of faith in some of these kids that I teach.”

The teacher also pointed to a broader societal issue, suggesting that older generations have not adequately impressed upon students the importance of basic literacy and mathematical skills. She believes this failure has contributed to a decline in academic standards and a lack of motivation among students.

This story raises important questions about the role of technology in education, the responsibility of parents and educators in fostering literacy, and the overall preparedness of young people for the challenges of the modern world.