INVEST IN OUR CHILDREN
‘TEACHERS STRIKE IN WEST VIRGINIA!”
“TEACHERS STRIKE IN OKLAHOMA!”
“TEACHERS STRIKE IN KENTUCKY!”
“ARIZONA TEACHERS CALL FOR STRIKE VOTE!”
“COLORADO TEACHERS STAGE ‘DAY OF ACTION!’”
And so it goes — slowly, but surely, spreading throughout many parts of the nation.
Growing up in a small South Dakota town, the culture I encountered valued certain professions above others: doctors and nurses, police, firefighters and teachers. Those were considered the noble professions — individuals who had chosen a career of service to others.
My respect for those chosen careers has not waned. Oh, I’ve been made aware of some of the abuses: redundant medical procedures, strikes and union overreaching. But, a society void of committed people to these professions would impoverish us all.
Nicholas D. Kristof, writing in the New York Times, offered an understanding that puts this issue into much better perspective. In a column entitled, “Pay Teachers More,” Kristof wrote, “If we want to compete with other countries, and chip away at poverty across America, then we need to pay teachers more so as to attract better people into the profession. . . . In 1970, in New York City, a newly minted teacher at a public school earned about $2,000 less in salary than a starting lawyer at a prominent law firm. These days the lawyer takes home, including bonus, $115,000 more than the teacher . . . When governors mock teachers as lazy, avaricious incompetents, they demean the profession and make it harder to attract the best and brightest. We should be elevating teachers, not throwing darts at them.”
Modify the union work rules and require greater contribution to pension and health plans, if you choose — but, our politicians must stop dumping on these professions. Doctors and nurses, police, firefighters and teachers remain members of the noble professions. We need more of our best young people to choose these careers and we need to pay them higher wages in the process.
Attacking the nation’s debt problem is one thing — but, attacking our yawning investment gap is a far bigger problem. Our children depend on our answers to that challenge. Their opportunities are in the balance. We need to invest in them.
When public school teachers have to work multiple jobs in order to make ends meet, something is dramatically wrong. When state legislatures ignore the physical needs of their public school buildings, they demonstrate disdain for teachers and students alike. And, when those same governing bodies ignore the textbook and technology needs of public school students, they exhibit little concern for the future lives of those young people.
It’s the same old story, isn’t it?!? Lust for re-election drives far too many of our legislators. Cutting taxes is a “winner” for those shortsighted folks. Investing in our nation’s future (and, that means our young people) will bring a far greater return than reducing taxes will ever achieve.
Massachusetts’ former Governor Deval Patrick said it best: “We have the chance here to provide an opportunity to every child in Massachusetts, a chance to show them that in the face of an uncertain future we were willing to act and to lead, to preserve for them what our parents and grandparents gave to us. . . . We invest in education because we believe that it is the single most important investment government can make in our collective future.”
Wise up, America! Our children are our future!
More on Monday – – –
— Bill Walton, co-Founder, ITC Learning
April 18, 2018
www.itclearning.com/blog/ (Mondays & Wednesdays)
“THE WORLD RELIES ON THE HANDS OF ITS MEN AND WOMEN”