Why teaching, nursing and journalism have a retention crisis

+ hidden costs of replacing lead pipes with plastic US Edition - Today's top story: Journalism has become ground zero for the vocation crisis [View in browser]( US Edition | 25 June 2024 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( Top headlines - [How Jefferson and Madison shaped church and state]( - [Thursday’s unusual debate may jolt the race]( - [Growing Israel-Hezbollah clashes risk regional war]( Lead story The first half of 2024 has been brutal for the journalism industry, with thousands of layoffs at newspapers and media outlets around the U.S. Matthew Powers, a communication scholar at the University of Washington, [explains how journalism’s plight is representative of broader challenges]( facing professions dedicated to societal good, such as nursing, teaching, social work and caregiving. These roles – pillars of community cohesion and an informed democracy – are what sociologist Max Weber called “vocations,” where the work involved is connected to values like healing people, fighting injustice and imparting knowledge. Yes, the pay might not be great. But for decades, it was enough to get by. Not so anymore. On top of that, many teachers, journalists, social workers and nurses have to contend with administrative burdens and smaller budgets. Yet, despite stagnant wages and diminishing job security, people still want these jobs. To Powers, the fact that so many workers still sign up for these careers, only to become disillusioned, is “a reflection of a society unable to satisfy its citizens’ basic desires for finding meaning through the work they do.” [ [How well do you know The Conversation? Test your knowledge.]( ] Nick Lehr Arts + Culture Editor Today's newsletter supported by [readers like you.]( Journalist Barbara Walters works at her desk at her home in New York in 1966. Rowland Scherman/Getty Images [Journalism has become ground zero for the vocation crisis]( Matthew Powers, University of Washington Whether you’re a reporter, a teacher or a nurse, it’s becoming more difficult to find meaning in your work. Ethics + Religion - [How Jefferson and Madison’s partnership – a friendship told in letters – shaped America’s separation of church and state]( Steven K. Green, Willamette University More than 2,000 letters between the two founders are available online. Many attest to their deep commitment to religious freedom. Politics + Society - [Supreme Court’s slow roll on deciding Trump’s immunity is the opposite of politics]( Claire B. Wofford, College of Charleston Critics are decrying the long time the Supreme Court has taken to rule in a crucial Trump case, charging that it’s politically motivated to help Trump. A scholar of the court says they’re wrong. - [Debate offers opportunity for errors, partisan spin − and maybe an opening for change]( Susan Fillippeli, Auburn University Featuring several unique rules, including no live audience and mics that cut off when it’s not a speaker’s turn, the debate might help shape the 2024 presidential race. - [Kidneys from Black donors are more likely to be thrown away − a bioethicist explains why]( Ana S. Iltis, Wake Forest University As it is now, the transplant system treats kidneys from all Black donors as if they are at higher risk for failing, even though only some are. Environment + Energy - [When people are under economic stress, their pets suffer too – we found parts of Detroit that are animal welfare deserts]( Laura A. Reese, Michigan State University A study in Detroit finds large areas without pet resources, mainly in lower-income and minority neighborhoods. Better access to supplies and services could help owners and animals thrive together. - [Lead water pipes created a health disaster in Flint, but replacing them with cheaper plastic − as some cities are doing − carries hidden costs]( Rajpreet Grewal, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee; Laodong Guo, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee; Melissa Scanlan, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Durability and the risk of chemicals being released when pipes heat up are just 2 concerns about plastic pipes. - [Climate change is increasing stress on thousands of aging dams across the US]( Hiba Baroud, Vanderbilt University Heavier rainfall and more frequent storms raise the risk of floodwaters running over or around dams, potentially causing them to fail. Health + Medicine - [Genetic testing cannot reveal the gender of your baby − two genetic counselors explain the complexities of sex and gender]( Maggie Ruderman, Boston University; Kimberly Zayhowski, Boston University Cell-free DNA prenatal screening, sometimes called ‘the gender test,’ cannot determine gender because gender is more than just genes and genitals. Economy + Business - [US charitable giving dipped to $557B in 2023, but outlook is getting brighter]( Anna Pruitt, Indiana University; Jon Bergdoll, Indiana University Grants from foundations are gradually growing as a share of all the donations Americans make. International - [Escalating Israel-Hezbollah clashes threaten to spark regional war and force US into conflict with Iran]( Asher Kaufman, University of Notre Dame A full-blown war between Israel and Hezbollah would likely set the entire region on fire, involving Iran and its proxies, and could drag the US into direct confrontation with Tehran. - [With pressure mounting on the Biden administration, its pursuit of Assange was becoming both damaging and untenable]( Emma Shortis, RMIT University The ordeal should prompt deep reflection on the values that underpin Australia’s relationship with its most important security ally, the US. Trending on site - [Even the Supreme Court’s conservative justices are polarized about the state of American politics]( - [Rocks on Rapa Nui tell the story of a small, resilient population − countering the notion of a doomed overpopulated island]( - [What the 3.2 million-year-old Lucy fossil reveals about nudity and shame]( Today's graphic 📈 [June through August has the highest monthly average U.S. lightning detections, counting both ground strikes and lightning within clouds. July is the riskiest month.]( From the story, [Lightning season is here: Fast facts and how to stay safe, from a meteorologist]( - - More of The Conversation Like this newsletter? 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