If you're reading this and are a NJ resident, it's no secret our Governor hates teachers. Some will argue he doesn't hate teachers, but hates the teachers' union. However, I am a teacher in the teacher's union, so I AM the union. So I am hated...and somehow punished for doing my job that he thinks can be done better at the private sector so taxpayers don't have to pay for education anymore and Corporate America (the real owners of this country) can once again control something else we often THINK we have but don't anymore- FREEDOM. But I digress....
After the helluva week I had at work, and the brief moment to reflect upon it, I wish he could have shadowed me for just ONE of those days. I can't and wouldn't want to go into specifics, but it was pretty bad. And the weak might walk away pretty shaken up that things like this don't happen at this age level, but it does...and it did. And my thoughts to Mr. Christie are not financially related. It's simply a request for compassion. I would love for a politician to shake my hand right now and I say, "I know how you feel." However this will never happen. Why? Because politicians don't live in the real world. How could a man who grew up in wealth (or at least middle class) and now resides in Mendham, possibly understand what it's like for a child who's homeless to get up and face school everyday? Or a child that's severely autistic walk through a building of 1000 students without assistance? He doesn't. And he never will. So how could he possibly ever feel sorry for me...the one who has to teach the children who have been 'left behind'?
I often wonder why Mr. Christie ( I will never call him Governor-he's not my governor) thinks charter schools will work over public schools. What will they do with all the special needs students that require a lot of services? Who will take them when the charter schools deny them? I recently read a story about a business man who thought he could 'rein teachers in' by preaching business practices to them. He ran an blueberry ice cream business. After he was done, a teacher got up and asked him about the quality of his products (cream, sugar, etc). He said he got nothing but the best. She then asked, "What if you got a bunch a blue berries that were bad and couldn't return them? What would you do?" After that, the man changed his tune. I wish people would get this. In any other job, there's control over the work that comes in. Not teaching. I never know what I'll get, and on what day I'll get it. None of us do. And granted, I'm merely an art teacher, so perhaps even some other teachers might say I have it too good.
Despite our 'lack of respect' these days, I still love my job. I would never trade it for the world. Because after all the horrid incidents that occurred this week, I got to help one of my most physically and mentally challenged students sign his name on The Signature Project at school today. This student's name is engraved in one of the most complex, and monumental art pieces of all time. And he was so proud of himself...like he won the lottery. Little did he know that I was the winner because I got to help him.
Put that in your pipe and smoke it Mr. Christie. When you shelter yourself from the world, and only preach to the choir, you may think you're protecting yourself from all that is bad in the world. And that may very well be true...but for every one bad thing you're hiding from, you're missing the million tiny blessings by its side.
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