Suzanne Rogers
Sep 1, 2018 · 2 min read

It happened again. A teacher was crying in the night for the plight of her students. Teachers are filled with a type of guilt that simply can never be assuaged by political answers. Teachers can not fill the chasm left behind by families fractured by drugs, violence, and the resulting poverty. As a nation, We Must Rise with the occasion to save the future of our nation. Or, do we even care?

True, I did invoke Abraham Lincoln’s words. These specific words were provided to Congress in 1862. But, I stand in good company. President Obama also invoked these words in his 2016 State of the Union Speech. What IF our US Education Department was required to provide a truthful annual speech to the nation about the state of education? Would Americans become shocked to learn the realities of public education? Would they even listen? We Must Rise.

Parents who can afford to provide a private education already do so. White flight became privileged flight or purchasing power flight. It is easier to turn your back on the issues in public schools to protect your progeny than allow your progeny to face the pitfalls of a public education. We must care, and We Must Rise.

Oklahoma teachers and those who support public education recently voted out those legislators who did not support education. Education Week recently documented over 150 current teachers running for state office. We must care and We Must Rise if we intend to save the future of the nation.

One caring teacher can make a huge difference. The problem is that our schools are filled with trauma-informed students (drugs, violence, and poverty) who are primarily taught by teachers who do not look like the students and who have difficulty even imagining their students home lives. Home visits help. But, home visits do not solve the problems in the home. Home visits merely help make a connection between the school and the home. Medical care and mental health care are now critical for both the students and the teachers. We Must Rise to the occasion.

Please vote for the teachers running for office. They know the current realities of public education. They are driven to run for office based on the lack of adequate funding for schools and teachers. They know. They know their communities. Their ties run deep. Jonathan Crossley is a passionate educator looking forward to working for his community. We Must Rise with the occasion.

President Obama went on to say that we needed to “disenthrall ourselves, and then we can save our country.” Indeed. We Must Rise.

Suzanne M. Rogers, M.Ed.

@Rogers_Suzanne

District Director of Professional development, AP English teacher, ELA Coach, TPN, TLAG, and cradle United Methodist.

about.me/Rogers_Suzanne

https://medium.com/@rogers_31979

Welcome to a place where words matter. On Medium, smart voices and original ideas take center stage - with no ads in sight. Watch
Follow all the topics you care about, and we’ll deliver the best stories for you to your homepage and inbox. Explore
Get unlimited access to the best stories on Medium — and support writers while you’re at it. Just $5/month. Upgrade