I was truly inspired this week by the Tweets and news stories I saw about the teachers strikes on Oklahoma and Kentucky. While these professionals are looking for better wages and working conditions, those who are critical feel that teachers should not be allowed to walk off the job. This bold activism, coming off the heals of student protests, is exactly what the institution of education needs. I have said before that it is time to be our own lobby and motivate the electorate to see things from our perspective. My support goes out to these folks for a couple of main reasons; I am from Illinois and after what we have been through just to fund education, I am sympathetic and we really need to be aware of what is at stake here.
Dr. King said that a threat to justice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. This is premise that can be applied to our schools on a national level. If we allow states to fall into despair and into systems that fail our communities, one has to wonder who or what will be next. People in education know that the stage is being set as we speak and the field of education has changed dramatically over the last twenty years or so. We have a lot to lose and if we do not support our fellow educators in both activism and at the polls, we may see education as we know crumble. If you have been living under a rock you might not know that our Federal Secretary of Education is not exactly a supporter of public schools. We can't be silent.
What we cannot also lose sight of is how people see us as an institution. I challenge anyone outside the field of education to sit down with a veteran teacher and just ask what it is like to teach. Most people remember what it was like to be a student but few know what teachers go through. It is a tough job that is far beyond a 9-5 and we really do not get summers off. Here's a quick peek at just a few major issues that we have faced over the last decade:
- Pension systems crumbling
- Evaluations based on standardized tests
- School funding is a political football
- More and more unfunded mandates
- Challenging school communities
- Teacher shortages (caused by the others in this list and other factors)
It is really hard to be in this field given the beatings we are taking. When I see images like the one above, I see people fighting for respect and dignity not just money or benefits. Yes, we need to live and provide for our families but we need to see that the institution of education needs to be treated like our other noble professions again. Finland has become the model of successful schooling and there are many take-aways that we should be picking up on. Especially how the teaching profession is treated. You can read the linked article but in short, teachers are treated like doctors and lawyers and because of the pay and autonomy they have a steady flow of applicants. This is what our activism should be pushing to achieve. Imagine a society where those who prepare our most important resource (kids), are happy and respected professionals. Some countries have that and its time that we make it happen for ourselves.
For those who are critical, please do not take the activism of students and teachers as whining. The school landscape is too complicated to reduce our voices to whining or complaining. All I ask is that you listen to us. Listen to the people on the ground who know what is going on and can help educate the public about their grievances.
For those of us that support our teachers, don't ever stop. Don't stop until we have a lobby as strong as all the other special interests that get a seat at the table. Don't stop until we have inspired a new generation of kids that want to be teachers. Don't stop until we return our schoolhouses to their once respected glory. Don't Stop.
