Wednesday, August 20, 2014

#iwillholdtheline

As the days grow shorter, the heat subsides and the Back To School campaigns pop up in local stores, we teachers begin to prepare our classrooms. We gather bright decorations, arrange desks, lay out books, and markers, and science equipment, and we do what we can to make a warm, welcoming environment for the children and youth we will be inviting back into school. This is part of the rhythm of our lives; we mark our years from September to September, we celebrate seasons and rites of passages with children year after year, and we watch our young charges grow into the adults they are meant to be. There is a special camaradarie among teachers. There is a humour that only we share, a passion that each of us lives, and there are rewards we value beyond prestige and money. As attacks on us have grown, fostered by a neoconservative agenda to reduce every event, every lesson, and every moment to a dollar amount, we have fought back with a commitment that could only have been fueled by the real love so many of us have for our chosen profession.

And now, in British Columbia, we must fight again for 'our' kids, for our society, and for our schools. Today, tomorrow, next week, and for who knows how long thereafter, we are called upon to justify our defense of public education to a hostile and punitive government. 

This is hard. Many are frightened, and they have reason: we are losing our means of buying food and paying bills. Many are sad, because they fear that we will have no power to fix that which is so drastically wrong. Many are angry at the abuses they see perpetrated on children living in an uncaring and shattering system.

But I believe in BC Teachers. I believe that we can and will stand firm. This government is single mindedly committed to getting rid of the public education system, and they are eager to see us fall. They would love to see us falter, back down... give up. I, for one, will not.

For all of the children who sit in class, waiting their turn for help, while the teacher struggles to hold onto another, more distressed student, #iwillholdtheline.

For all of the parents who have sat in my office, tears in their eyes and on their faces, begging for the help their children needed, but could not access, #iwillhold the line.

For the school psychologists I know who have become seriously physically ill, exacerbated by the stress of knowing they cannot possibly keep up with the needs for assessment, #iwillholdtheline.

For the brilliant children, of great promise, whose programs have been eliminated and who mark time, helping others while waiting for the challenges they need, #iwillholdtheline.

For the new, young teachers, who have never taught in a system of caring and compassion, #iwillholdtheline.

For the teens who fight their own minds daily just to stay alive; the teens with whom I've sat in hospital waiting rooms, padded rooms, awaiting verdicts from an overtaxed health care system, #iwillholdtheline.

For the angry ones who rage in class, and the sad ones whose arms bear scars and who cannot eat, but also cannot get a counsellor, #iwillholdtheline.

For the, 'typical' children, who watch and wait while teachers struggle with the others, #iwillholdtheline.

For my colleagues, with whom I have laughed, cried, danced, exulted, raged and vented, #iwillholdtheline.

For my grandchildren, little faces full of eager promise, born to the 99%, #iwillholdtheline.

Whatever happens in the coming days, whether we achieve a meaningful contract or fall prey to a government that has completely lost sight of the humanity they are sworn to protect, we will prevail. Because we care. We are taking a stand. We are passionate and committed and we are doing the right thing. And at the end of the day, we will know that. We will know that we stood for the children. That. That is worth doing. And for that reason, #iwillholdtheline.


17 comments:

  1. Wow! Eloquently stated. Nicely done.

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    1. Thank you. If ever there was a time for solidarity, this is it.

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  2. And for those gifted students in my class whom I try to nurture amongst all my other special needs students #iwillholdtheline

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  3. Well said!!! Thank you for putting words to what we are all feeling.

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  4. Thanks for sharing. This is time to come together as teachers and we need to support each other as we hold the line.

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    1. I couldn't agree more. Thank you all for your support!

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  5. Thank you - beautiful and poignant. I'm a parent of a child with autism, a gifted child, and the auntie to two typical girls. I am saying: #pleaseholdtheline.

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    1. I don't see an alternative. I couldn't live with myself if I didn't.

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  6. Hold true to your values. They have to crack sometimes. We are behind you 100%

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    1. And your support is so greatly appreciated! Thank you!

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  7. I am sad and angry at what is happening to our teachers and our young people who want to learn and become better and more understanding people - but am afraid of what the co-called politicians are teaching our young people - to learn to do what they are doing - ignoring the judges ruling and their own wishes to learn!!!!!

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    1. I completely agree. It's very scary, and has ramifications far beyond our school system. Thank you for commenting!

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  8. Cecelia, thank you for this. You brought tears of pride to my eyes, and I was reminded of a conversation we had on the picket line, when you complimented my son's sign that read "Gifted students deserve their teachers' time, too". Thank you for holding the line for Geoffrey, and for Emily, and soon enough, for Andrew and Sarah, too.

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    1. ALL children deserve the best education that can be provided. Your children were delightful, and I hope the fight we're fighting now, will give them that chance to be the best they can be. Take care, and thank you so much for your support.

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