Results from an annual poll conducted by Phi Delta Kappa (PDK) and Gallup shed light on Americans' views on teachers at public schools. According to the poll, 76% of respondents said that they "think high-achieving high school students should be recruited to become teachers" and 74% said they would encourage the brightest person they know to become a public school teacher if that person said they would like to be a teacher. Furthermore, 67% said they would like to have a child of their own "take up teaching in public schools as a career." There was less of a consensus on math and science teachers, however. When asked "which do you think is more important for our nation's future -- to encourage high school and college students with skills in science and math to become scientists or to become science and math teachers?" 48% of respondents said "become scientists" and 48% said "become science and math teachers." While these results suggest that Americans see a need for talented scientists, they also feel that intelligent young people and their own children should be encouraged and recruited to become teachers.

BL cf