Cry of the Greedy Teacher

The public debate on education has become insane.  It doesn’t make any sense that foundations run by wealthy philanthropists (ex. Gates, Broad, & Walton) currently have more say in education policy than the people who are in the classroom every day teaching our children.  It is absurd that ideas like charter schools and merit pay, which have been attempted for decades with no evidence that they improve teacher or student performance, continue to be lauded as panaceas for the educational crisis.  It is frustrating to see Teach for America, which advertises itself as a leadership program and not a comprehensive teacher-training program, held up as “the answer” to all our educational problems.  As we pursue these avenues to fix our broken system, America’s students lag further and further behind students in countries with truly excellent systems.  Worst of all, those who have the most to contribute to the solution – teachers – are being vilified as lazy, greedy, and unwilling to make sacrifices for the greater good.  What?!?

As an elementary school teacher who has taught in both public and private schools in urban and suburban settings, I have worked with an overwhelming amount of highly trained, talented, caring, and exceptionally hardworking teachers.  We show up early to prep; we stay at school late to tutor; we visit student homes when parents can’t make it to the school; we pay for crayons, paper, books, classroom snacks, and supplies; we dry tears and bandage skinned knees; and we do all this while teaching children how to read, write, think mathematically, analyze information, be kind, ask questions, and believe in themselves and their ability to change the world.  We know what our students need, and work to meet those needs every day.  We deserve a voice in this debate.

         I recently saw this picture of a Wisconsin teacher protesting Gov. Scott Walker’s legislation to eliminate collective bargaining rights.  Her sign reads, “I am teaching today.  This is what democracy looks like.”  This image reminded me of my position as role model to my students.  If I want my students to believe in the power of their voice to make a difference in the world, I need to believe in my own voice.  I won’t claim to speak in this blog for all teachers, but I do believe teachers have a right to participate in the debate on education reform and have their views be heard.  It is imperative that teachers be seen as a key part of the solution to our educational woes, rather than the source of the problem.