Jacqueline Ancess, co-director of the National Center for Restructuring Education, Schools and Teaching, asked,"Why would you want to be a teacher today?" Her comments were in response to the teacher shortage plaguing many districts. In fact, Maryland attempted to deal with the issue by rehiring retirees to staff classrooms, but still faces difficulties in getting enough people to actually teach core subjects.

Ancess, a former New York City teacher and administrator, said that there are few incentives for young people to become educators. "Look at the facts," she said. "If you can say you'd go to work in this culture - unless you can say yes - why would you expect anybody else to say yes?"

The article, entitled "Worthy Idea in Need of Checks," appeared in the December 7 edition of the Baltimore Sun .

Published Friday, Dec. 19, 2003