August Editorial Winner

Teachers deserve public's support

By Kim Poindexter, Tahlequah Daily Press

Teachers these days are treated in the stereotypical manner of used car salespeople, tawdry lawyers, and as of late, journalists. All provide a vital service, but the public hates them for it. It’s ironic, since no profession – outside of emergency health care – is more important than teaching.

America’s treatment of public school teachers is a national disgrace, so much so that some state legislatures have seen fit to pass measures to protect them. Others, however, continue to heap additional responsibilities upon them, without heaping any additional pay into their bank accounts. Oklahoma, sadly enough, is among them – and that’s despite the efforts of State Superintendent Joy Hofmeister, a loyal Republican who left her party in disgust and is now running for governor.

Many legislators in both political parties are publication advocates. That’s true of most of those who represent Cherokee County. But even they sometimes support measures that will put impossible burdens on the backs of teachers – perhaps without realizing they have done so. But they all know about the challenges, and some – like Sen. Dewayne Pemberton – have actually been there.

Last week, House Education Budget Chairman Mark McBride, R-Moore, said the State Department 
of Education and local districts should work together to provide $4,000 relocation bonuses for teachers who move to Oklahoma, and $5,000 bonuses for teachers who suffer the indignity of staying here. McBride knows, as do most others, that the state has a teacher shortage, and given the dismal pay and the hostility of those who would rather funnel money into the pockets of wealthy private school patrons and homeschooler parents, it’s no wonder.

Most “regular folks” in Oklahoma support teachers. They pass laws to increase their funding, but the Legislature moves it elsewhere. Almost every well-intentioned voter measure to boost funding for public education has been misused by lawmakers over the years. It’s difficult to understand why these same voters will turn around and re-elect a person who is essentially nothing more than a common thief.

And it gets worse. Now, teachers are apparently supposed to employ X-ray vision to decide whether students are “masquerading” under the banner of genders other than what they were assigned at birth. It’s not just athletic programs, where the concept of transgender girls competing against cisgender girls is an understand-ably controversial topic. Band students, and members of the math club, are also expected to sign on the dotted line to indicate they’re not whom they say they are, but rather whom the Legislature declares them to be. Will teachers ultimately be forced to peer into the pants of hapless kids, just to be sure?

This is the worse “job” to foist upon teachers in his-tory, but some lawmakers would also force them to lead prayer – specific Christian prayer, that is – to get God back into the schools that he never left. Imagine a god so weak he needs politicians and the zealous public to help him maintain a foothold! And that’s not even touching upon the recalcitrant kids who don’t really want to learn; the belligerent parents who pull their heads out of the powder just long enough to complain about teachers trying to make those kids learn; and administrators who kowtow to wealthy patrons trying to get their below-average progeny into Ivy League Schools.

Teaching is the most noble of professions, but with the abuse society gives them, it’s a wonder any are left in the ranks at all. Voters need to drop-kick any politician who doesn’t acknowledge their status, and who doesn’t do everything possible to improve their lot in life.