[…I]n far too many cities across the country, where the connection between teacher and families is already too tenuous, the relationship is becoming more so–all because teachers cannot afford to live in the places where they teach. Particularly in larger cities and suburban areas, teachers are forced by poor salaries to live in areas far from their schools, meaning a punishing commute both ways. Since teachers are not seen outside of the school setting, there is no common understanding or common viewpoint between parents and teachers. Parents don’t respect the teacher because they feel the teacher doesn’t understand their kids or their situation. Teachers can’t understand their students because they live so far away, outside of the teacher’s living environment, and away from interactions withing the community. So the only time parents and teachers see each other is in the framework of the school. Such an arrangement does not make either the parents or hte teachers feel as though they are part of a community with a role in the education or rearing of kids. They feel more like merchants or service providers, operating at arm’s length, with a tenously connected goal.

Link: Going to the Mat: Teachers, Housing and the Impact on Community.