metrocity

Yay for puns and play on words. That was one of my favorite parts of Megamind, the movie i was forced to watch with my daughter this weekend that secretly i enjoyed. It made me wish that there was some clever play on words for Idaho besides the obvious relation to a gardening tool.

Because seriously lately Idaho has become a nasty boil on the face of America.

It may not have been noticed because of the similar epidemic sweeping the midwest, but in the wonderful red states the budget relating to public services is being seriously raped. Yes I am aware that we all have to do our part. I've come to grips long ago that I will never be wealthy in my profession and I actually prefer it that way. In fact most of the people who enter into my profession are givers not takers; service minded people that are trying to help children. Which is why it infuriates me that in this state of Idaho the educational system is being treated like a big business and is being forced to mold itself into a big business model as a way of reforming the budget.
There is a part of me that is pretty sure that this is a joke. That people obviously realize teachers work hard for the little money that they get and that the public, for the most part, appreciates that hard work. I hear stories on the web and protests on the streets that encourage this perhaps false belief. And honestly without a functioning tv, I'm pretty sure that it could stay this way. I have read a few newspaper editorials that would make me think otherwise, but they are the minority, right? Right?!
Then I remember that we are in a red state, a state that would honor profit over almost anything else. And I only say 'almost anything else' because I will forever be an optimist that peoples' common sense will win out at some point. And that many people listen to the propoganda, for lack of another word, of news teams and individuals who claim their religious beliefs are what everyone in this country should aspire to, but who couldn't possibly believe that when they look at their paycheck.
I can only say that greed is the backbone of this campaign against teachers, fireman, streetsweepers and other public servants. Servants. Would they consider lowering the pay of our fearless soldiers? Of risking not giving them health insurance when they risk their health everday? What about the people who fight for the future on a daily basis inside the country's borders? That's what I do. I try to help this country's future when everyone else seems to be fighting against it. These kids come to school from broken homes, broken dreams, broken ideals of what this country should be. And how do we pay them back? Well in Idaho we want to give them a laptop, sign them up on online courses, take away their teachers (which for some are the only adults that these kids will see on a regular basis, their anchor knowing that someone will always be there for them), and say "good luck kid. Just copy and paste from somewhere online if you get stuck." I will not abandon my kids this way.
And neither will the teachers I work with, or teachers across this country. Just listen to them:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/notes/elizabeth-hatch/its-not-just-wisconsin-or-ohio-or-unions-its-your-childs-future-and-yours-too/10150190671298906

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/thu-march-3-2011/crisis-in-the-dairyland---for-richer-and-poorer---teachers-and-wall-street

http://www.idahopress.com/opinion/other_letters/article_00c78c9e-240c-11e0-8115-001cc4c002e0.html

http://www.ktvb.com/news/Students-walk-out-of-class-in-protest-of-education-reform-plan-117064878.html?clmob=y

http://www.cnn.com/2011/OPINION/02/23/berstein.labor.unions/index.html


http://www.cnn.com/2011/OPINION/02/20/ravitch.teachers.blamed/index.html

http://www.idahostatesman.com/2011/03/04/1551153/letters-to-the-editor-education.html

... and many more...

I am pleading because I don't know where else to turn. Perhaps I should have been a Government teacher so I could understand better how this whole operation works. But from what I recall we are governed by the people (who are saying this is wrong in record numbers) and for the people who need the education that is being risked here.

And thank you to Taylor Mali, and the facebook friend who showed me this link for helping me remember I am fighting the good fight.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxsOVK4syxU