Being a teacher is one of the most thankless jobs there is.

The state of Iowa and the rest of the country are in the middle of a teacher shortage that could go on indefinitely. Iowa residents who are education majors are given incentives to stay in Iowa following graduation.

Simpson has a well-established education department that produces some of Iowa’s finest educators year after year. Despite the drawbacks, they find great reward in what they do. And they realize the importance of it. Teachers have great impact on the lives of young children.

That level of influence makes teachers far more accountable for their actions than most other professions. Not only are they trusted with educating the youth of America, but they are also responsible for their safety and well-being. It is difficult enough for parents to send their children to school with the pressures of drugs and alcohol and the concern over violence in the classroom.

Teachers should be held to the utmost standards and student teachers should be forced to comply. Background checks are a must for those individuals.

This procedure is a small price to pay to provide a bit of reassurance to parents and employers. But it is not the only solution.

Student teachers must go into the classroom with their own ethical standards to live up to. Background checks will catch those who have acted irresponsibly, but they will not catch those with the potential to act irresponsibly.