Public school classrooms: America's hope
In these troubled times, Americans are losing sight of ourselves as “We the people.” Robert Reich writes that 53 percent of us describe fellow citizens as “bad,” ranging from “somewhat" to “very" bad. At the opposite end, 92 percent of Canadians say their fellow citizens are good; 7 percent say bad.
Reich explores arguments to explain our plight: from political animosity between parties, the rise of the Christian right since Reagan, Mitt Romney’s “47 percent” dependent Americans, Hillary’s “basket of deplorables,” Trump’s vitriol and cutting funds that help Americans, and ICE’s claims it is arresting and killing “domestic terrorists.”
Teachers, under serious coercion, threats, and attacks, are America’s courageous warriors who welcome their children every day. Despite being under duress, they come to school every day, welcome each and every child who walk through their doors and honor their presence.
What can you do? Support your teachers, tell legislators not to create vouchers for religious schools and parents. Attend school board meetings and advocate for progressive candidates.
Best of all, let your teachers know you are with them, that you understand their challenges, and offer any support you can. It is, “We the people, just us, no others,” as Ken Burns’ wisely stated.
Given that “Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forward” (Kierkegaard), I write to bring ideas and methods from my life as a teacher in the latter half of the 20th century to help teachers and the public to “live forward” in this century. My latest book, “Teacher in the Rye: Doing It My Way” is available on Amazon. And I welcome comments here on my Blog or by email at frankthoms3@gmail.com
