Isiles the world of the future and the only one Richard Leonhart has ever known. Sometimes he truly wonders if maybe he came from a different world or maybe even a different time. The world is constantly moving forward with new technology while he's always slugging behind. Hell. even his mother is more in tune with the world around him than he is at times.
Ah. speaking of which, there she is.
Viola Leonhart is a graceful elder woman. Dark-colored hair cuts around her shoulders with sprinkles of grey. Brown-colored skin with deep brown eyes looking at Richard with the almost same amount of concern as the time he first told her what his career plan was. It would seem that even after 4 years of teaching she still hasn't given up trying to persuade him of this "foolish dream".
Richard simply gives her a smile and continues to get ready for the day.
"You know you don't have to keep doing this sweetheart? I can get another job! Or even see if I can get a loan or something!" She pleads with him.
Richard lets out a sigh, it's almost the same thing every day. They weren't well off by any means, between the hospital bills and mortgage, he knew he couldn't get a higher job with his qualifications. They live in the lower district if Y City, a beautiful place but no without its issues.
"Mom, we talked about this already..."
"But why Richard! Of all jobs why a teacher?! You know how they are treated and viewed! I...I understand that the pay is good but it's not worth the humiliation!"
Richard looks back at her, wanting to counter her point but knowing that she was technically correct.
Isiles is a world of advanced technologies and science. The use of school has changed dramatically over the past 100 years or so. Now almost everything is virtual with an AI to teach. However, the virtual school are close to that of a private schools of the past and are usually reserved for the low middle to the upper class.
Those who cannot afford it are then put into community learning facilities. These are run-down old schools buildings that have barely been touched in what feels like 100 years or so. There are only a few remaining and the class size is usually large. Richard would know since he also was in one himself.
In this world, teachers are seen as more or less lower civil servants. The reason why? Many blame the Virtual learning era. I
It was when the idea if virtual schools were being implemented. For Richard however he think the tragedy of teacher came from when the first successful learning injection happened.
It was at that moment the whole invented the way to simply inject knowledge into someone. After that they rest was history so to say.
The idea of teaching became redundant. No one believed that teachers were necessary anymore or looks down on the job. There also aren't really school boards and every teacher is monitored by government AI to make sure they aren't doing anything malicious.
An average day runs from 7 to 4 pm and teachers are required to be on call if a student needs help with a subject since in the ai learning this same concept is available and the government doesn't want to let the "next-generation lose out on learning". Everyone wanted the equal effort that an AI showcased as the same for an physical instructor.
It's all a bunch of bull if you ask Richard.
All the government really cares about is progress by any means, which is why he feels that pay for this job is the biggest bait of it all.
For a low-end job, it pays well but given the extreme stress and circumstances of the job it really isn't worth it.
But there is Richard, with a stupid pipe dream of becoming a great teacher. He laughs a bit to himself before looking back at his mother whose face was still looking very concerned.
"I get it Mom, I do. But this is what I love to do." He said with an almost helpless smile on his face.
And it was true, this was what he had always dreamed of doing since he was young. His main reason was seeing both his father who was once a teacher and also his own experience. His previous teacher, Ms. Valaria was invaluable for him growing up. Especially after what happened with his father...
His mother however just looks back at him, almost lost in thought for a moment before her next words rang out like a gunshot.
"... That's that same thing your father said to me.."
Richard visibly flinched as he knew to deep hurt on her face was more do with the tragedy of what happened with his father. His father was once a teacher as well. Things weren't a bit better beforehand but not by much. Every day Richard would be asking his father about his day and with an amused huff, he would tell him. It was however heavily sugarcoated as Richard now in his late 20 would come to find out. Even growing up he never fully understood the weight of that job. Ms. Valaria was always so nice to him and kind, he never knew that gut-wrenching sadness that pulled at her every time that she would come to school every day. Suffering from students, parents, and the pressure of the government every day, like many of her peers.
Ms. Valaria committed suicide a year after Richard graduated.
He only found out since she had sent him a letter, personally. She mentioned that Richard was one of the few lights of her teaching career. Unfortunately at that point, Richard still didn't fully understand the weight of her words.
That understanding came during his college years.
His mother called a whirlwind of tears, stumbling over her words until she finally was able to speak.
His father had fallen deathly ill. He remembers that day and will probably never forget it for as long as he lives.
By the time he got to the hospital, all the doctors could do was shake their heads. His father wasn't dead but as some sick twist of fate, was left in a coma. Some said it was the stress, others suspected it was an unfound illness.
And that is where he has been for the past 6 years.
Richard's mother didn't have the... heart to... She refused to give up on him. Every day she would go visit him, telling them about everyday life, what they were up to, etc.
Richard could see the strain it put on her and every day that he left to go to work, he knows that in the back of her mind she was thinking something bad is going to happen to him. It's in the way when he returns, she lets out a sigh of relief. Even with how long it's been.
She raises a hand to his face and looks at him for a second. As if committing his face at the moment to her memory as to never forget him.
"...You promise me that if it becomes too much. You'll stop?"
Richard opens his mouth before closing it after a few moments. He then nods to her, not able to put it in words. Whether it believes it himself? He's not sure.
There is really only one thing he knows for sure is that if he doesn't, his mother wouldn't be able to take it.