Afterword

This book, “Drawn to the flame,” candidly captures the wide array of stressors contributing to teacher burnout and examines them from a plethora of perspectives. From teacher research conducted in one of the largest cities in America to studies set in small communities, we learn, through in-depth personal experiences, how teachers are wrestling with the burnout phenomena (described in their words and feelings culled from their first-hand experiences) at a shockingly high rate. The COVID-19 pandemic further escalated its effects. Teachers cannot solely be held responsible for children's life chances. The time is ripe for the public to harness its will and to move toward a more productive and satisfying future – a future people long for – not simply what they get – amid never ending cultural, societal, racial and political contestation.