My Teacher of the Year cohort had the opportunity to visit the Department of Education. We were invited a round-table discussion with Secretary DeVos - something that honestly surprised us. At this time she told us that ALL students were public students, and that all parents should have school choice. While it was not directly stated, this "school choice" would occur through vouchers. These vouchers would pull money out of public schools to support both private and charter schools which serve a select group of students and have shown a history of misusing taxpayer dollars with little accountability. Public schools, on the other hand, serve any student who walks through their doors. Public schools work each day to meet the mission that is visible as you walk through the doors of the Department of Education. This mission states: The Department of Education's mission is to promote student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access. It does not say "educational excellence and equal access" for those who can afford it.
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| The 2018 State Teachers of the Year at the Department of Education |
You see, a few months before this trip, my husband and I welcomed our newest son to our family. This was a different experience than the birth of our two other sons. My husband and I adopted our son out of foster care. The "baby" of our family was a 17-year-old who had been my student. He had been in foster care for about 2-1/2 years. He needed a home, and we had one.
Following the round-table discussion, my cohort went to smaller group sessions where we discussed topics such as school violence, the curriculum redesign, and teacher retention. In my first session, I remember sitting in the room, listening to a representative from the Department of Education tell us that we "just had to give Secretary DeVos a chance, to get to know her heart". Many of my colleagues raised questions and concerns about the difference in expectations between private and public schools. They spoke from experience, and they spoke from the heart.
Before I knew it, my hand was in the air. I was given a chance to speak, and I spoke about what I knew best. I spoke about my son. I spoke about children sleeping in foster care agencies because we did not have enough homes in our county to house them. I asked, "What do we do for the children who are in this situation?" I then expressed my concern that we cannot expect an overcrowded and under-funded system to advocate for their well being they way each of these children deserve. A look of shock came over this representative's face. I could see the disconnect in her eyes. This is the reality of hundreds of thousands of children in our country.
Later that day we returned to our hotel, and many of the teachers and their spouses went to dinner. I, however, was alone. I walked to the nearest Starbucks, bought a coffee, found an empty bench in DuPont Circle. I sat, overcome with emotion, and I wept. Hot, angry tears streamed down my face. I thought of my son, and I cried. I cried because he is one of the lucky ones. Prior to being adopted, my son had no parents to advocate for him. Over 430,000 children are in foster care in our country. Who is fighting for them?
During our time in DC, we were also told to have a quick 60 second story share with President Trump should we have the opportunity as state teachers of the year to visit with him later that week. We did not get to meet the president. However, while at the White House, I did get to share my son's story with Secretary DeVos. I was able to share how my role changed from his teacher to his mom. My husband and I are his advocates. He will go to college next fall. He will have a chance to beat the statistics facing children in foster care with no permanent home to call their own because he has us in his corner. Do the other 430,00 children not deserve the same chance?
Sadly, I am often reminded that many children do not have this basic need. This past Wednesday night, I was asked to share my family's foster/adoption story to a small group of prospective foster parents at our local foster-care agency. While I was there, I asked one of the social workers how many homes were needed in our county alone to meet the needs of the foster kids who were under their care. His answer was shocking: 68.
Our county alone is short 68 foster homes. (And that would be if all of the we have perfect placements for all 68 children.) And on the way home, I wept. Those are 68 children who do not have parents to advocate for them. These are our most vulnerable children. These cuts to public education will hurt them the most.
I often think of that time in DuPont Circle. I hold on to that feeling. It was raw - full of disbelief, anger, and grief. This was one of the hardest days for me as an educator and a mom during my year of service. But I left that park bench in DuPont Circle with a renewed spirit to fight for our children without advocates. Public school teachers do this every day. Those are our kids, and they deserve every opportunity this country can afford them. They did not ask to be born to unfit parents. They do not deserve a life in which they pay the price for their parents' decisions.
As educators and parents, we cannot sit silent. We must email, write, and call our representatives - be it nationally or locally. We saw that our voices had power as we advocated this weekend as it was announced that no further cuts would be made to the Special Olympics program. However, many programs are still left on the chopping block.
Our most vulnerable children and schools need these programs. We must tell the stories of the children who have no voice. Their futures depend on it.
