A teacher went viral on TikTok after he posted about the various reasons he quit after one day on the job.
TikToker Kevin Black (@kevinenvy) filmed the emotional video while sitting in an empty classroom. The video has been viewed over 1.1 million times, and has received over 115,000 likes as of publication. In the clip, the first time teacher spoke candidly about his decision to quit.
“So, it’s my first day being a teacher and I’m quitting. It was my first day. I don’t want this, I went to school for no reason, I thought like I can handle it. These kids are just mean. They’re rude. They’re smelly. They were sneezing everywhere. So today’s my last day.”
Black isn’t the only teacher to have taken to social media in recent years to document hardships on the job and the various reasons they have quit. USA Today reports that schools across the country are facing staffing shortages with 42 percent of principals claiming that they are concerned about the number of employees leaving the profession.
The situation is even worse for schools with large minority populations. According to the National Center for Education, four out of 10 schools with 75 percent or more minority populations have multiple teacher vacancies. And overall, close to 300,000 teachers leave the profession before retirement age each year.
@kevinenvy I quit on my first day of teaching.
♬ original sound – kevin black
Viewers were mostly supportive of the teacher’s decision to quit.
“This is why I BEG people who want to go to school to be a teacher- SUB FIRST. Long-term preferably. These schools are TOUGH,” one person wrote.
“People really don’t get it! And when you KNOW it’s not for you people will try to guilt you into staying. I hope you find peace with our w/o teaching,” another user said.
A third agreed about Black’s decision to quit, “Post-pandemic teaching is SO different, these kids have been through so much and I feel for new teachers having to deal with the aftermath.”
“And don’t let anybody guilt you into staying!!!” someone else added.
“I left teaching last year and I don’t regret it AT ALL!” another teacher who had also quit said.
The Daily Dot reached out to Black via TikTok comment for further information.
