At long last, it is time for summer vacation. No more books, no more homework, no more worrying about grades, no more concern about failing or passing.
Summer will be a welcome time of bliss to lie back and reflect on the good times—study hall, recess, lunch in the gymacafetorium—times when you can take a respite from the rigors of learning, the stress of test after test in math, science, reading comprehension and social studies.
Dead ahead are two-plus months of not having to hear someone preaching about your not living up to your potential, not giving your all, being inadequate in the classroom, a failure. For a while, at least, you won’t have to listen to all that snorting about how dumb you are and how you just aren’t trying. You won’t have to live in fear of being called to the principal’s office for a few weeks now.
And that’s the teachers.
And if you really think teachers get two-plus months off, you live in more of a fantasy world than Ricardo Montalban did back in the 70s and 80s.
The teachers I know remain behind long after the last bell has rung and the last child has disappeared out the door, off with his or her family for that vacation at Disney World or Gatlinburg or Gulf Shores.
They must pick up notebooks, pencils, gather and store books, move furniture so that school maintenance may come in to strip and wax the floors. After that, perhaps a week or two of rest before returning with new lesson plans. Desks must be re-arranged, books sorted out for distribution. In short, detractors notwithstanding, teachers are overworked and underpaid. No argument to the contrary need be advanced here; we aren’t buying any nickel-and-dime philosophy about three-month vacations.
Think about that rotten kid down the street. We know your kids are perfect, so let’s use the neighborhood hell-raiser. Now lie back in your recliner and just imagine yourself as a teacher having to corral 25-30 kids just like that for seven hours a day, five days a week, 36 weeks a year. Then, throw in the constant face-offs with irate parents who can’t understand why little Johnny isn’t doing better. Never mind that the teacher has sent home notes and sent emails to those same parents calling attention to Johnny’s failure to do homework and classroom assignments. You see, it’s never the parents’ fault.
It’s for dead certain that Piyush Jindal has never thought of teaching as a calling. Ditto for Paul Pastorek and John White. Neither of those three leaders has ever taught a class but they can certainly tell teachers how to do it.
There was a year-end program at a Baton Rouge-area elementary school recently. There were two children who had to be helped onto the stage because of their physical conditions. One was wheelchair-bound and the other was on crutches. It was heart-rending to see these children so young and with such debilitating disabilities that will last a lifetime – robbed of the ability to run and play like other children. But they were included in the program just like the other kids and the care and love shown those two by the teachers and staff was enough to bring a lump to the throat of the most hardened observer.
Those teachers are professionals who go about their jobs with no fanfare, no drama and in the case of our governor – no indication of gratitude for the herculean job they do – each and every day. Piyush Jindal could take a lesson in professionalism and compassion – and humility – from these wonderful, beautiful, heoric people.
Watch a scene unfold like the one we witnessed at that program just one time and we can promise you’ll never be the same again.
The point is, despite all the negativity emitted from the fourth floor of the State Capitol about bad teachers and failing schools—rhetoric designed for no other purpose than to open the door to corporate takeovers to benefit campaign contributors—these teachers were undaunted and they let nothing get in the way of doing their jobs.
The music director of this school does exemplary work with these children year in and year out—as do all of the teachers there. It’s something called dedication – something about which the politicians know next to nothing. But you’d never know it to listen to our governor rant about failing schools and bad, bad teachers. This governor would never acknowledge the good work being done by public school teachers. He is far too stubborn, too hard-headed, too cold-hearted to bring himself to praise the work of anyone other than Piyush Jindal.
If this is the kind of political hack job that makes you proud of your governor, so be it.
As for us, we will stand with teachers.
If you wish to support the practice of handing out jobs that pay six-figure salaries to worn-out legislators who in some cases couldn’t even get re-elected in their home districts and who have nothing to contribute other than padding their own retirement benefits, that’s your choice.
As for us, we will stand with the rank and file civil service employees, the ones who get the job done, the ones who earn their salaries—and their retirement benefits.
We make no pretense of being objective in matters that involve the denigration of public employees: that’s for the “legitimate reporters,” as one administration official recently was so quick to say we are not. So if you choose to degrade and belittle these people, then be prepared for a very rude rebuttal from this side of the street.
We don’t suffer fools and idiots lightly—especially elected ones.
Louisiana Voice 
Thank you, and thank you, again! Teachers will get the job done and it will be done well, regardless of the ridicule we have been given. Morale is low, but we still care about our jobs and our students. In August we will have another “kid down the street” and a teacher will try their hardest to guide them in the right direction. The rank and file civil service employees will do the same because they know their job is important to all!
Thanks so much for your voice in the wild wilderness of Louisiana politics! We have assumed that our “representatives” would actually represent us. A dangerous assumption! We have taken “good” government for granted, and now we will pay an awful price for extremely low voter turnout.
We need to add to our busy schedules the necessity of true involvement in our political system before it becomes a complete facade.
Johanna Bowman – teacher
A Day in My Life as a Teacher:
Today, I spoke to every single child I teach. I know what their weekend plans are: what they are looking forward to, and what they are worried about.
I know that it is the birthday of one of their grandmother’s dogs.
I was sneezed on, coughed on, and hugged on.
I held a child during P.E. who was overwhelmed that her grandmother passed away – a child that is still grieving because her other grandmother passed away 3 months ago. She cried and so did I.
I called a parent back, and emailed 3 parents. I also texted a parent because their child made their very first 100 on a vocabulary test!!!!!
I made my students laugh, and they made me laugh. There isn’t anything much better than the sound of laughter of children.
I read a story that was typed in the computer lab and helped a student edit a cartoon that he has been working on in his spare time at home.
I fixed a pair of glasses and untangled a knot in a backpack.
I made a copy of a drawing that a student created because he is staying with his mom this weekend and wants to give it to her – but he wanted to give his dad a copy on Monday night when he goes to his house.
I listened to countless stories that had nothing to do with anything related to any of the curriculum, but mean everything to a 8 year old.
I read 4 chapters in a novel and hopefully have instilled a love of reading in at least one child.
I answered questions over and over…. and over.
I explained over and over… and over.
Oh… and I actually taught too!
And I will do it all again on Monday… and I will LOVE every minute, every second, of it.
These are MY kids…. I will fight for them, pray for them, and love them.
I AM EFFECTIVE- even if Bobby Jindal’s formula says I am not.
This was written by my friend a couple of weeks before our second trip to the Capitol. She will be taking early retirement.
Well written & thought out…unlike the many “reform” bills that are quickly becoming the ruin of our dedicated state employees. Thank you for a wonderful article, well worth the read…
Such a wonderful tribute to those loving souls to whom we daily entrust the future of our nation. Thank you.
Thanks again, Tom. Last night, as we closed our counseling facility at 8 pm, my fellow rank and file civil service co-worker told me, “the state got more than their money’s worth out of us today.” The two of us, working without security, had to expel a disruptive and combative individual from the evening group session while keeping order with the remaining 20 or so folks. I am very cautious around patients who go off like that….in my 20’s, I was attacked two separate times by mentally ill residents of a group home who suffered psychotic breaks. I have hearing loss in both ears from being slapped open-handed, which hurt quite a lot. Damage to my hearing did not manifest immediately, but here i am in my 50’s with the scars of 27 years’ service. (I’m aways sadly amused that politicians cull me and my co-workers from the category of “hazardous” work conditions.) We deal with chronic law offenders, drug addicts, child molesters, spouse abusers, dealers, thugs and gang bangers…hello. We do it not just for a paycheck….we’ve made a difference in many people’s lives and in doing so, helped make them better citizens AND taxpayers. We’ve helped in making our community safer and helped to improve the quality of life for all in our neighborhoods. That’s how I remember my public school teachers, too. I still have contact with some of those wonderful individuals. Here’s the deal: government should also exist to benefit the citizens, not vice versa. Whatever happened to that mother pelican nurturing her chicks–Union? Justice? Confidence? Gov. Piyush and his Krewe of Cronies are more like buzzards on the carcasses of OUR teachers and rank and file civil servants….That image can compose our new state seal along with the motto “Carnage, Betrayal, Retaliation.”
What an awesome and spot on article! I am a retired teacher with 271/2 years in the same school district. When I retired, my oldest daughter remarked how dedicated I was and wasn’t sure her college friends studying to be teachers would be able to be that dedicated. With all of the ridiculous changes coming, I agree with her. We may already be losing some amazing teachers because of the disrespectful and ridiculous changes coming to the education field not to mention those who are retiring because it isn’t “worth” staying. In what other professions are the employees treated in this way? Maybe the better question is – WHY ARE YOU ATTACKING, BELITTLING, AND DESTROYING THE PROFESSION THAT HELPED YOU GET WHERE YOU ARE TODAY? Money and personal preference from people in non-education oriented fields aren’t good answers!
Bless you and keep you, Amen! The story was amazing! There are still many, many great teachers who assist in student education and growth as well as listen to children that need your ear and always your support. Thank you for your effort. The ones now in the retirement’s bullseye support you today and everyday for our future! Serenity Now!
A simple and itnellignet point, well made. Thanks!