Good Teachers Are Good People

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1. Alan says:

   December 16, 2012 at 9:26 am

   I had a similar thought: would a rheeformist hedge fund manager or CEO take bullets for shareholders? Most teachers I know would instinctively protect their students, I think.

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   • Linda says:

     December 16, 2012 at 9:28 am

     They would be running out the back door with their materialistic a$$ets. Check out the Rhee statement and be enraged.

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     • Alan says:

       December 16, 2012 at 9:40 am

       I did, and was. I don’t know what is worse, exploiting this horror, or pretending that she is a “colleague.”

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     • Duane Swacker says:

       December 17, 2012 at 9:26 pm

       Both and then some!!

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2. Tom Kennedy says:

   December 16, 2012 at 9:35 am

   About our nations’ lazy, stupid, over-paid, budget busting teachers: Would Bill Gates, Eli Broad, Michelle Rhee or any of the teacher-bashing governors (Malloy in CT,) or others who are so critical of teachers so readily take a bullet for someone else’s kid?

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3. Marge Borchert says:

   December 16, 2012 at 9:58 am

   Jersey Jazzman beautifully said; but please include the administrator, the building principal Dawn Hochsprung who died trying to protect her children and her staff. She was a reader of Diane’s blog. She stood up for what she believed in– a true hero. As an elementary principal, I have to tell everyone just how difficult it has become standing up to bullies. How difficult it is to tell a parent that their child needs help. How difficult and heartbreaking it is to deal with child abuse and Child Protective issues. How difficult it is to deal with people who suffer from mental illnesses. How difficult it is to run those safety drills. Knowing full well that at any moment we could be faced with the stark reality that we are confronting a real true to life situation. The responsibility of caring for little children and adults on staff is at times overwhelming. Any principal will tell you that as we accompany a child or staff member in an bulance. Any principal worth their salt will tell say that their worst nightmare is when a child or staff member dies. Last year we had a fifth grader die in his sleep of myocarditis. Having to tell his teachers and his classmates was one of the most difficult things I have ever been confronted with. Last week, our district suffered the loss of a sixth grader who was hit by a car. Last week one of my colleagues told me of a second grader in her school who has a brain tumor . Parents have come to me asking me to ” take care” of their child as they battle breast cancer or cancer of the liver. I take my role very seriously. Quite honestly, I would rather lose my life in the attempt to save the children in my school and my staff than to have to deliver the crushing , devastating news of loss of a child’s life. Most of us understand our role . Now we must educate the politicians. We know that standardized testing and teacher evaluations based on student learning objectives and test scores is WRONG. The Libyan dictatorship having made billions of dollars investing in Pearson Publishing is WRONG. We teach children NOT to be a bystander when someone is being bullied. To join in number and protect the victim of bullying. Let us not be distracted by teacher bashing. Let’s stand up, join hands and help make the world a better place. On Monday , as our children ask us about the horrific, tragic event that took place in Newtown , Connecticut we will tell our children to watch for the HEROES— the teachers, the principal, the first responders who may have had children in Sandy Hook elementary. The beautiful parents who have much love in their heart that they are able to forgive the shooter who is said to have been very bright. I wept as I heard Robbie Parker speak so lovingly and bravely of his six year old daughter Emilie. I pray for the first responders who will need counseling , and I pray for the Monsignor, rabbi and counselors who also have difficult days ahead.

   I pray that we will have courage in the days ahead to stand up to bullying, not be diminished in our role and just say: No. We can make the world a better place. I am thankful for this blog and our ability to come together.

   I find strength in your words Jersey Jazzman — please find strength in mine.

   Marge

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   • Jersey Jazzman says:

     December 16, 2012 at 10:35 am

     Marge, you are, of course, correct: ALL of the teachers and staff of Sandy Hook are heroes, and the actions of the six who died are especially so. From the reports I’ve read, Hochsprung ran TOWARDS the shooter to try to stop him. That’s the most courageous thing I’ve ever heard in my life.

     I only added Vicki Soto’s picture to my original post because, right after I published my post, someone sent it to me via Facebook. I certainly didn’t mean to slight any other teachers or staff who died, and I hope no one would take it that way.

     I’ve provided some links to reports on the bravery of the six educators who died here:

     http://jerseyjazzman.blogspot.com/2012/12/do-we-remember-heroes-for-their-test.html

     One last thing: I’ve been very lucky in my career to work for some great principals. They have enormously difficult jobs and you will hear nothing but respect from me for what they do.

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     • Marge Borchert says:

       December 16, 2012 at 11:02 am

       Jersey Jazzman — I feel as though I know you, because I have followed so much of what you have written. I know how heart felt your words are — I also know how healing music and art are for students who struggle in school and do not want to see them removed from public education due to the budget constraints we face.
       We are on the same page Jersey Jazzman!!!!

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4. Ken Previti says:

   December 16, 2012 at 3:55 pm

   Having taught at the high school level for over 30 years, I have lost track of the number of brave and self-sacrificing things I have witnessed my fellow teachers do. No, they did not face a murderer with a loaded gun; they did face physically threatening situations. The other forms of courage were as Jersey Jazzman states. Now that basic job security is being threatened due to lack of tenure and a diminution of teacher rights, we cannot even get ten out of 250 teachers in my old school to take part in a rally in Springfield, Illinois (the state capital) that has a lame-duck session of legislature meeting to strip them of their pension money. These teachers fear retribution if they are photographed objecting to legislators who are pillaging public pensions. Many teachers are also looking for other occupations that respect them and their abilities, pay a living wage to raise their own families, and give healthcare and other simple benefits.
   Thank you, Jersey Jazzman, and all the other bloggers and activists who continue to fight for the people I respect most in my life – public school teachers and retirees.

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5. Lilac says:

   December 16, 2012 at 10:52 pm

   Rather than go against the gun lobby and reform mental health regulations, Obama will most likely offer money for “Free money grants”for needless extra security. Savvy teachers know exactly where that money will go: To political buddies and retire rehired Favorites.

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