Yes, It's Personal

The actions coming out of Topeka regarding education in the State of Kansas are disheartening and quite frankly, it's personal.   

It is personal because I think that fewer and fewer of those representing us or sending their children to us each day have any idea of what we, educators, do on a daily basis.  Each year, fewer students are coming to school with the items they need for survival -- food, clothing, shelter, money, love, safety.  I was talking with a few of my students the other day. Of those students, two had a parent commit suicide in the last two years; one has a father in prison; one is in the middle of an ugly divorce. My room is safe to them.  It is where they show up if they need a hug, or to be disciplined, or to "rat" themselves out for making bad choices because they know I will find out.  They come to me for food, for advice, for reassurance, and from time to time I get to teach them a little English.   It is no wonder they struggle to learn. For many of our students, simply getting to school is the only battle they can win, and now that battle has become more difficult.

I had a young man sleeping in my seminar the other day.  I usually go a "little" crazy when that happens, but something didn't seem right.  I asked him if he was sick.  He said that he was tired.  The heater in his house had been broken for 2 nights, and it was 25 degrees inside.  He needed to sleep.  He needed to stay warm, so I let him rest for 20 minutes until the bell rang.  I offered him extra clothes or a blanket. He, of course, declined, and I worried about him until I saw him the next day and he told me the furnace was fixed.  It is no wonder why he struggles to learn.

I had a young lady who runs with the popular crowd come find me before lunch, even though I do not have her in class until later in the afternoon.  She asked for a pop tart for lunch.  The kids know I have food (bottom drawer, left hand side of my desk), and they know I will feed them.  She appears to be well off, but from further discussion, has a family crisis that has drained all extra cash at the moment.  She has been back twice for cheese crackers and more pop tarts.    

These are the students that hurt the most when we cut education.  Many of these students, who are already lacking in resources are going to struggle more and more each day.  Many districts are going to cut activity busses that take students home safely from activities that give them a purpose.  Many districts are going to cut teachers, so class sizes will continue to get larger.  Many districts may have to cut art and music programs, and these programs have saved more of our creative students' lives than most will ever know.  And many districts don't yet know how they are going to make those cuts without hurting children. So yeah, it's personal. (Edit 2016: now schools will close if funding is not adequate. This means no lunch programs, no sports, no school starting on time, no custodians or hourly workers will get paid - many districts do not truly know how this will effect their schools yet.) 

I don't write about these instances to pat myself on the back or in search of compliments - walk into any effective teacher's classroom and he/she does the same thing day in and day out.  We do it for the kids because we love our kids.  So yes, when our funding gets cut, it's makes us mad.  I am not mad because I won't get a raise (been there, done that, and I am still teaching); I am mad because once again kids are being hurt and we won't know the ramifications of these actions for years to come.

Anyone with any role in a child's education, whether you are a parent or grandparent, a bus driver, a cook, a custodian, a teacher, a counselor, an administrator, has to write those representing us.  We have to let our voices be heard. Don't worry that you may have bad grammar or don't know the "ins and outs" of a particular bill.  You don't have to write a 5-paragraph essay; a few sentences will do. LET YOUR REPRESENTATIVES KNOW YOU ARE A SUPPORTER OF EDUCATION.  (Edit 2016: be respectful no matter your stance. Hatred and name calling will only hurt your cause. Use facts if you need them, but please be respectful.) If you know or love someone in education, you need to act now. They expect to hear from me; however, to make a difference, they must hear from you.

In case you need to find a way to contact your representatives: 

Open States.org - Find Your Legislator