Why don't YOU organize something?

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Home : 2001 : August : 15

Why don't YOU organize something?
By ER

Jacko, I do understand your thoughts and your pain. There are definitely days when I go home and have all of the same thoughts that you have. Sometimes I resent that teachers before me have "let it" get this bad. Sometimes
I think I am going to get a "real job" where I am "respected." I know how you feel. BUT, the difference between you and me is that I also feel the rewards and actually LOVE the feeling that I get when I think of my students and how much I can do for them. I also know that a big problem in this country is that everyone always knows what the problem is, but no one wants to be the one

to fix it. If you think there is such a HUGE problem with teaching, then you should be the one to rally support and have this "strike." Don't run away from the problem and join the others who take advantage of and abuse teachers. If you can't rally support, then maybe you can do something to help yourself resolve the issues that you were having. But don't just run away to a new job, because every job has its stress, its problems, and its issues. I've suggested that we should have a nationwide Million Teacher March on Washington so that we can unite and make the general public aware of all of the issues concerning children, teaching, etc. I may do it someday, but I am still not sure that would really do anything except stir everyone up. I DO know that someday I will do SOMETHING to help the teaching profession achieve more respect, even if that SOMETHING is just being a hardworking, intelligent teacher for the next 25 years and touching the lives of 500 students in a positive way. But I WON'T run the other way screaming that teachers have no backbones.

I am sincerely happy for you that you have made a definitive decision to resign and find a new career. You have given it two years, and if you feel this strongly, then you have done the right thing. I know that my boyfriend would NOT enjoy teaching and would probably leave the profession too. Not everyone should be a teacher! Anyway, my point is, don't be so quick to point fingers but not do anything about the problem. And for crying out loud, don't sit there in your "new job" and talk about your lack of respect for classroom teachers. Then, will you not only be wallowing in self pity about how bad teachers have it (without doing anything about it), but you will be CONTRIBUTING to society's misconceptions! I hope that I have not come across that I am attacking you, because I respect your decision, but I do hope that you reconsider what you said about your lack of respect for classroom teachers!