Skip to main content

Tired to the Bone


“Teachers are tired.”

I came across these words this morning in a social media discussion about a school lockdown. (Not local) I knew immediately what they meant. Not tired like, “I need a nap” or “Winter vacation can’t come soon enough.” No, it’s more like “Drained to the bone.” “No longer believe there’s a light at the end of the tunnel.” 

My thoughts jumped to this statement responding to the school shooting in Madison, Wisconsin:

The days immediately following school shootings are the very worst to be a teacher in this country. Not just in theory, either. The tension, the anxiety, and the fear are palpable. Thick. Everybody’s nervous systems go into overdrive as we mentally (and sometimes physically) prepare for the worst thing.

Living like this does damage. I know it does.  - - Chanea Bond

Teachers are tired. 

How tired?

I’m so heartbroken and so furious and way too underpaid to be dealing with this all the damn time.

And to think so many of us CHOOSE this.

We could have safer schools and communities.

Instead we just don’t.  - - teacher comment on Bluesky 

We do not pay teachers adequately for the amount of work they do, the intensity of work that they do, and on top of that we expect them to be the first line of defense against gun violence. Every single day.

Teachers are tired.

Let’s make this local: yesterday there was a rally in support of Howard County teachers in front of the George Howard building. Coordinated by the Howard Progressive Project, the event was entitled “Unifying for Community Engagement in Support of Educators.” The rally combined education supporters from a number of local groups including the Howard Progressive Project, HCEA, the African American Coalition of Howard County and others to advocate for increased funding for public schools.

Ellicott City, Maryland - - Howard County educators began this 2024-25 school year withlarger classes, fewer learning materials, and lower inflation-adjusted salaries. But a broad coalition of local organizations is calling on the Board of Education, the County Council, and County Executive Calvin Ball to work together and fund a long-term contract that keeps Howard County educator compensation competitive with neighboring counties. The coalition is also urging stakeholders to find new streams of revenue to fully fund the mandates of the Blueprintfor Maryland’s Future.
 - - press release, Howard County Progressive Project 

Folks, we can’t keep drawing water from an empty well. Teachers are leaving the profession in droves. Young people are less and less inclined to choose and train for a teaching career. 

Our teachers spend hours every day assessing and addressing student needs. What are we doing to address teacher needs? If we believe that free public education is a public good then we must be committed to making the choices that support public schools and help them thrive.

Thank you notes are nice. Teacher gifts are nice. Hot chocolate and cookie buffets are nice. If they were adequate compensation for important and necessary work that’s what we would be giving CEO’s. But we don’t. We expect that their work expectations and salary should be in line with their skills, education, and ability. 

Teachers need the same. And they need us to care enough to make schools safe places for children and adults, too. 

Because teachers are tired. Very, very tired. 






Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Getting Fresh

One of my favorite days in the Spring comes when this year’s list of Farmer’s Markets is released. That happened this week. New this year are markets in Old Ellicott City and the “Merriweather Market” which, according to the address, will be located here . I mistakenly thought at first glance that it was in the new-construction part of the Merriweather District. I find the name confusing considering its actual location. I’m going to guess that this market is an initiative of the Howard Hughes Corporation because the name seems chosen more for branding purposes than anything else.  Alas, the market in Maple Lawn is gone. The thread on the markets on the County Executive’s FB page will provide you with quite the education in who actually runs the Farmers Markets vs what people often think is going on. Short answer: they are not  chosen nor run by the county. Each market is an independent entity, sometimes started by community volunteers, other times supported by local businesses...
1 comment
Read more

They Can Wait

This is not a typical Saturday post. That’s because, in my community, it’s not a typical Saturday.  Oakland Mills High School, after years of deferred repair, needs massive renovation. It’s pretty simple: when you don’t fix a problem it gets bigger. The school system itself said the the OMHS school building was  "no longer conducive to learning" back in 2018.  2018 .  But Thursday the Boad of Education voted to push it out of the lineup of important projects which will be given the go-ahead to proceed soonest.  In my opinion it’s a terrible decision and sets a dangerous precedent. To explain, here’s the advocacy letter I sent in support of Oakland Mills High School. I was rather proud of it. I am writing to ask you to proceed with needed renovation at Oakland Mills High School in the most timely and comprehensive manner humanly possible. I have read the letter sent to you by the Oakland Mills Community Association and I am in complete agreement. You are extremel...
1 comment
Read more

What Kids Are Thinking

  It’s a Monday in February, and if you guessed that a lot of Howard County students have the new cell phone policy on their minds, you’d be right. It will mean big changes and it will be stressful, no matter how much good we hope it will do in the long run. But on this particular Monday cell phones might not be top of mind, as amazing as that seems. Some kids will go to school wondering if they or family members will be seized by ICE. Some will fear that their parents’ employment will be purged by the ongoing rampage of Elon Musk and his cronies through Federal Government. Some fear heightened and renewed racism as programs that supprted Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are vilified and destroyed.  Some worry that it soon won’t be safe for them to use the bathroom in school anymore. It goes without saying that some kids fear going to school every day because of the prevalence of school shootings.  And look! Here’s something new to fear. That old hate group, Libs of TikTo...
1 comment
Read more