"Rant" from Lovin' the Little Things

{Today I wanted to share with you something that I find to be truly important to all of our futures... the fate of our education system.  The blog below was written by Katie from Lovin' the Little Things.  I went to high school with Katie and she is one of the most upbeat, happy, and genuinely kind people I have ever known.  She is brilliant and selfless, and I have been following her heartfelt journey to become a teacher on her blog.  She is currently a teacher in Northern California and her school, like hundreds of others around the country, is facing cuts.  Whether you agree with her words or not, we cannot deny the importance of our teachers and their need for proper resources to lead and teach our nation's future.  You can read her blog below, or find it here.}


RANT
Rhode Island just pink slipped ALL of their teachers.

Proposed budget cuts of millions of dollars are threatening school disctricts everywhere.

The school where I work may not be able to continue its art, drama, or music programs next year.

Wisconsin just passed a bill that eliminates collective bargaining for government employees, which means people like TEACHERS will have to pay more out of pocket for their healthcare and pensions.

Aside from feeling very angry/sad/depressed about all of this, I just don't understand it. I am aware that our nation is experiencing a huge economic downturn and that every state and the federal government need to tighten their budgets, but I do not understand why education bears the brunt of these cuts.

As we all know, education provides not only the services of childcare for children ages 3-18, but also critical skills like reading, writing, and math. In addition, school teaches kids socialization, behavior norms, intellectual curiosity, and life skills. The alternatives to good education are not good: prison, deliquency, dead end jobs. It is in the classroom where we help children to grow into productive members of society. So, simply from an economic standpoint, it makes sense to invest in education. When we invest in education, we keep kids out of prison, and we help them to become purchasing, producing, productive members of society.

It makes absolutely no sense whatsoever to target education for budget cuts. If anything, spending for education should be increased because quality education benefits the entire society.

Not investing in quality teachers is the same as not investing in quality education. I have a Master's Degree in English and a bachelors in English and Spanish. My skills are varied and valuable. And yet, instead of working to attract me, schools are pushing people like me away. I don't need to make a fortune. Honestly. I put very little stock into material possessions, but I do want a secure job that will provide me reasonable compensation. I want to buy a home someday. Not a mansion, not millions, but financial security.

It's not that I think teachers are better or more valuable than other professions and therefore deserve exemption from budget tightening; I am of the belief that it takes us all and I am grateful for everyone from business owners and plumbers and financial analysts and physical therapists and mechanics and laywers and doctors and garbage men and so many more because each worker helps to keep our society running. It's that education takes resources. We need money to attract oustanding, qualified teachers. We need money for books. We need money for computers because they are the way of the present and the future and our students need to know how to use them. Without these things, we can't do our job.

And if we can't do our job, we risk the further deterioration of our society.

Because let's really face it. Education is so much more than English and Math and Science, especially in low-income schools. I don't just give my students grammar and writing and literature, I give them a way to think of themselves. As Beth says, we are planting the seeds for a better vision for their future and we are inviting them to surprise us.

My students each hold in them the potential to be great and part of my job is to expect this from them. To demand it. To show them how to unlock it.

Why don't people think that's worth paying for?

And please, if you are going to decrease my pay, increase my class sizes, and take away resources and extra curriculars, do not criticize me when test scores fall and standards aren't met. I may be teacher, parent, guidance counselor, babysitter, disciplinarian, cheerleader, but I am not God.

I realize I am preaching to the choir with all of this, but I just feel so upset about it all and I had to vent. How are you guys, my fellow teachers, and friends, feeling about all of this? Rant with me!