EQUITY IN EDUCATION
tough. There are trials and tribulations at work, and
a constant need for prayer. Whether it is challenges
my students face, or the overwhelming pressures in
the teaching world, I pray that positives will outweigh
the negatives…Disease, sudden illness, cruelty
towards another human...it’s hard to understand
the harshness of the world. There is too much hate,
lack of empathy, and a sense of entitlement.” She
added, “Be kind to one another. Love one another.
Slow down and appreciate the small things, and be
thankful. We need more love
and understanding. Tell those
you care about that you love
and appreciate them. You never
know when that opportunity will
be gone.”
There are literally millions of Americans affected by
mental illness. We need to provide our educators
time to deal with real life situations, without adversely
impacting their career. As a society we understand
that mentally healthy teachers can consequently build
emotionally healthy students. This must be an objective
of public education. We need the courage to address
the issue and challenge our stereotypes and attitudes.
We must provide services and support to those
impacted by mental illness. Our guidance counselors
already in schools could play a
critical role in this area.
I have no doubt
that in many
cases some of
our teachers are
suffering from
post-traumatic
stress disorder.
The stories are too similar. No
matter the issue, teachers are
to blame for the situation. And
they are told to get tough skin
or get out of the profession. We
don’t give teachers opportunities
to take time off, like sabbaticals.
They get tenure, they get fired,
or they move on. We had one
teacher who was being stalked
by an ex-husband. She was told by the district that if
her ex kept coming around, she would lose her job.
Really? Instead of reaching out to help a vulnerable
teacher who was being harassed by a potentially
abusive ex-husband, the district threatened her job
over it. A good administrator should have had a
conversation with a School Resource Officer to keep
the teacher out of this situation.
We have some tremendous school administrators
in our state, as well as some exceptional directors
of school. However, we have a lot of turnover in this
state in these positions. Approximately ¼ of the
directors of schools in this state have been in their
current job less than 18 months. That doesn’t exactly
lead to much confidence or stability. There is simply
too much change for the sake of change.
We often hear from teachers with feelings of sadness,
futility, and even worthlessness. These feelings are
also accompanied by depression and anger. These
symptoms - especially when they occur for a long
period of time - should be of concern to all of us in
the education field. In addition, there are students
in our classes, parents of those students, and others
that we interact with every day facing mental illness.
I never did talk to my dad
about his depression. That
was my mistake. I hope that I
have learned from that terrible
oversight. More importantly
I hope to continue to help
others to not be afraid to
discuss mental health issues,
and get professional help
when they need it. The subject
should not be taboo, and we
should willing to help others
get help when needed.
ANOTHER SIDE OF THE COIN:
POVERTY AND EDUCATION
Mike Sheppard, ProEd Legal
Many Americans believe that the major problem
within public education is the lack of focus within the
administration of a school. They even go so far as to
blame the teachers for not providing the adequate
time and skills needed for their child to grow and
learn on a day-to-day basis. This type of mentality is
wrong. As much as we can over analyze the various
policies and red tape that go on behind the scenes in
these schools, it is imperative that we become more
aware and cognizant of the overarching problem that
has plagued our schools for years, poverty.
Poverty, in itself, is a very uncomfortable topic. It is a
dark cloud that looms in the backyard. It is a whisper
that passes by individuals who, rather than confront it,
tiptoe around the idea whenever they hear it brought
up. But, like it or not, it is a conversation that we need
to start having. For many of our schools, especially
those that are failing, poverty is right behind it. Many