For several years, my wife and I were school teachers; Myrna worked in public and Christian schools. We both experienced some great but challenging times too in those schools. But the challenges teachers face today are monumental, especially those in public schools. Concerning this, I share a story I recently read and revised from one prospective teacher to another.
After being interviewed by the school administration, a prospective teacher said, “Let me see if I’ve got this right, you want me to go into a classroom with all those kids and enforce a controversial mask policy, correct their disruptive behavior, observe them for signs of abuse, monitor their dress habits, censor their t-shirt messages, and instill in them a love for learning. You want me to check their backpacks for weapons, wage war on drugs and sexually transmitted diseases, and raise their sense of self-esteem and personal pride. You want me to teach them patriotism, good citizenship, sportsmanship, fair play, and how to register to vote, balance a checkbook, and apply for a job. You want me to check their heads for lice, recognize signs of antisocial behavior, and ensure they all pass their final exams. You also want me to give them equal education regardless of their handicaps and communicate regularly with their parents in English, or any other language, by note, email, texting, telephone, and a report card. Finally, you want me to do all this with a difficult starting salary and a prohibition not to pray or read the Bible in the children’s or parents’ presence, which has always been of great strength and encouragement to me during tough times. I think I will pass on this position and search for the first available Christian school I can find.”