Significance Of Educators
April 30, 2020 at 6:12 p.m.
By -
I became a better teacher today … and I retired a year ago after 35 wonderful years in the classroom. Allow me to explain.
In our current state of affairs, I was in the pick-up lane at the grocery store waiting on my groceries to be placed into the back on my SUV. I noticed three vehicles just down from me in which the back of those cars were open and people were standing in line. I was intrigued by the scenario so once my groceries were securely packed, I traversed ever so closely to gain greater insight into what was taking place.
The parking lot was a designated site for the closest elementary school stakeholders to pick up meals. Indeed, there were three teachers handing out food. There were tears when a family arrived in which one of the three educators recognized a youngster who under normal circumstances would be sitting in their classroom. There were consistent “I miss you and I am proud of you” proclamations to all who stopped by while I observed.
Education stakeholders across the country have been going beyond the call of duty since schools appropriately closed. Nothing new to what educators do under normal circumstances. What impressed me most was what took place between the meal pick-ups.
The teachers I am alluding to were on their cell phones contacting students to make sure they were OK. They were on their learning devices presenting lessons and live chats to their students. They were contacting parents, asking if additional resources were needed to help explain a standard or objective covered that day.
Which brings me to my next - and most important- point. Let’s not forget the significance of educators. I applaud the willingness of our politicians to provide financial help to small businesses. I am appreciative of the continued stimulus packages to ensure employees who have been laid off to not only receive a paycheck, but in most circumstances receive checks beyond what they were making before the pandemic hit. A few trillion dollars committed - that is a lot of commas - but how much has at this point been directed toward education?
State budgets have taken a hit. Lottery income in states that provide assistance to education budgets have dropped significantly. No one can argue that our funding has always been a campaign promise lost once an elected official is securely in office.
We are going to take a historic hit unless our federal government steps up to the plate. I see our profession being the only one in which furloughs will take place. Administrators will be told there is a need for a reduction in force because of budget cuts. Student-teacher ratios will increase. Programs will be cut. We can not allow this to happen.
It is time for all of us to contact those who make decisions to let them know the time has passed for legislation to provide an education bailout. They have provided financial reconstruction to all facets of our culture other than education.
Dr. Rick Bragg
Warsaw, via email
Editor’s note: This letter was edited to conform more closely to the 500-word limit as stated in our letters policy.
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I became a better teacher today … and I retired a year ago after 35 wonderful years in the classroom. Allow me to explain.
In our current state of affairs, I was in the pick-up lane at the grocery store waiting on my groceries to be placed into the back on my SUV. I noticed three vehicles just down from me in which the back of those cars were open and people were standing in line. I was intrigued by the scenario so once my groceries were securely packed, I traversed ever so closely to gain greater insight into what was taking place.
The parking lot was a designated site for the closest elementary school stakeholders to pick up meals. Indeed, there were three teachers handing out food. There were tears when a family arrived in which one of the three educators recognized a youngster who under normal circumstances would be sitting in their classroom. There were consistent “I miss you and I am proud of you” proclamations to all who stopped by while I observed.
Education stakeholders across the country have been going beyond the call of duty since schools appropriately closed. Nothing new to what educators do under normal circumstances. What impressed me most was what took place between the meal pick-ups.
The teachers I am alluding to were on their cell phones contacting students to make sure they were OK. They were on their learning devices presenting lessons and live chats to their students. They were contacting parents, asking if additional resources were needed to help explain a standard or objective covered that day.
Which brings me to my next - and most important- point. Let’s not forget the significance of educators. I applaud the willingness of our politicians to provide financial help to small businesses. I am appreciative of the continued stimulus packages to ensure employees who have been laid off to not only receive a paycheck, but in most circumstances receive checks beyond what they were making before the pandemic hit. A few trillion dollars committed - that is a lot of commas - but how much has at this point been directed toward education?
State budgets have taken a hit. Lottery income in states that provide assistance to education budgets have dropped significantly. No one can argue that our funding has always been a campaign promise lost once an elected official is securely in office.
We are going to take a historic hit unless our federal government steps up to the plate. I see our profession being the only one in which furloughs will take place. Administrators will be told there is a need for a reduction in force because of budget cuts. Student-teacher ratios will increase. Programs will be cut. We can not allow this to happen.
It is time for all of us to contact those who make decisions to let them know the time has passed for legislation to provide an education bailout. They have provided financial reconstruction to all facets of our culture other than education.
Dr. Rick Bragg
Warsaw, via email
Editor’s note: This letter was edited to conform more closely to the 500-word limit as stated in our letters policy.
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