Read on Twitter
Dear teachers - I know you think this is a good deal for you. But let me tell you how I think this ends. https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/classroom-monitors-in-person-learning/2021/02/06/cbdb6e8e-66f8-11eb-8c64-9595888caa15_story.html#click=https://t.co/ra2bNAbxZM
Your unions bargain for you to stay home for the rest of the year, and maybe 2021/22 as well. Some of you would prefer to go back to the classroom but many have gotten used to teaching from home and you think you're successful. Kids are learning to adapt!
Fall comes, the district puts kids back in the building with low-wage attendants to oversee. It's not tough; students in straight lines, socially distanced, not allowed to talk. So the district cuts the number of adults it takes to watch the kids watch you on a big screen.
Only halfway through the academic year, the board realizes they're paying YOU and all these attendants and it would be easier and cheaper to cut the number of homebound teachers in half. Why not? The chosen who keep their jobs can be on screens in 2 classrooms. Or 5.
All your curriculum ideas from the past were very cute and sweet and everyone loved them. But now that you're home, it's really better to have a standard curriculum - nationwide. Voila! The introduction of BIG EDUCATION. Why not? The components already exist.
A company like NCS takes over providing the curriculum in packets -- millions of 'em to every school in the country. Who distributes?? Why Amazon, of course. And you, teacher, are losing value by the second. You're not on site or creating lessons. You're a face on a screen.
At this point your value has sunk to near zero. There are a few really talented teachers among you - in every field. And those retain their jobs. But the ones who excelled at touching kids and noticing them and connecting with them? Huh. No longer counts. So they're gone.
Because here's the thing, we've devalued showing up. Not your fault! This pandemic has somehow convinced the entire population that the people WHO STAY HOME are more valuable. Which is absolutely completely 900% untrue.
The people who we lean on, the Frank Capraesque 'helpers' of society -- they show up. The nurses, good cops and EMTs. The bartenders! Where would we be without them? But teachers most of all. That you appear in a class every day and care about kids who aren't yours is amazing.
I speak from experience. I was a single mother of three and one of them had so many needs it took 11 or 12 of you every year to really understand and get him through. But you did. Jesus, I am grateful every. single. day. Please don't stop doing this for other people's kids.
Do not devalue yourselves, do not devalue your profession, by letting the bean counters and union thugs (sorry, they are...) make it seem like no one cares if you're in the classroom. I care. You're carrying the next generation on your backs. God bless
