They Deserve More than an Apple!

Post #7 

We had a tragic and untimely loss in our neighborhood last week.  A devoted family man, business leader, and reservist died many decades before his time.

At the viewing, many neighbors came to support his wife and three daughters.  We enjoyed the wonderful pictures of a life well-lived, though too short.  We enjoyed family photos and learned more about their world travels.

There were some women at the funeral home we didn't know.  I introduced myself and was astonished to learn that these women were the girls' teachers, guidance counselor, and assistant principal.  This was at 5pm, when their day could have been long over.  Each of these women was hovering near the girls, watching the video of their dad and listening to the recollections that the photos depicted.  This was an unbelievable gift of support to these vulnerable and grief-stricken young girls.

My husband was a career educator, mostly in Montgomery County.  On nights and weekends, he would be grading papers, writing tests, or creating lesson plans.  I sometimes heard friends envy his 'short workdays' or his 'entire summers off' that the teaching profession supposedly allowed.

So many of the "extra tasks" that our educators perform for our kids and our communities can not be described or quantified.  It's these extra gifts of dedication to their job and love of their students that truly help create the leaders of tomorrow.  It's not just teaching algebra, history, or grammar that's important in our schools.  Teachers and other educators also model empathy, caring, and respect every day.  

As our County policymakers and State legislators plan for the next fiscal year, I hope these character-building talents and the level of commitment our teachers give to our children are kept top of mind.  It's awfully short-sighted to balance a budget at the expense of those so devoted to the future of our community, county and state.

I would love to hear from you, dear Blog reader!  Is there a teacher who made a difference in your life?  Did he or she do something special for you outside the classroom?  Send an email to Blog@CherylKagan.org or click on the "Comments" link below to express your views.  Please be sure to indicate which post (#7) you're addressing.

Thanks for reading.  I will post again soon.