Last year, I spent $400 out of pocket on hot chocolate. I don’t actually even like hot chocolate. .

I found that teenagers can focus in my (often frigid) classroom at 8:00 am with a warm beverage in their hands.

I’ve many times had students that this was this was their only self care moment of the day. Some were homeless, some in foster care, some with heavy household responsibilities.

Others were just busy with that weird busyness we inflict on our kids so they can excel and get into a good college and be well socialized- and stirring that hot chocolate was their moment of calm for the day.

The system has been broken for awhile. Teachers kept taping it together and hoping it held, with cocoa, dollar store decorations, and books they purchased themselves or by working many hours they didn’t get paid for.

Because we love them. We love those kids. The pandemic has exposed problem in our schools and education system that teachers can’t fix themselves with a trip to the dollar store and extra unpaid work.

The thing we love is broken, and gasping it’s last labored breaths- it isn’t too late, but it will be soon.

I know; there are a lot of things that need to be fixed right now. But don’t forget these kids. Stuffing them into unsafe classrooms isn’t the answer. Making them truly safe and loved at home no matter what home they live in- is.

Really and truly controlling this pandemic is step one. And we aren’t there, no matter what politicians try to tell you. That is only step one. We need real change so lifting children out of poverty becomes not the exception, but the norm.

Teachers can’t do this alone anymore. Please- join us.