Reblogged from eclectra blog
I’ve been seeing lots of posts lately about how the fight against Betsy DeVos and the “school reform” movement in general is “all about the kids.”
But it’s not all about the kids. And it shouldn’t be.
I’m a career teacher and have been a teacher educator for about 20 years now. I love kids, and have my own children for whom I want a great education. But education is not all about the kids–it also must be about all of the persons who work in and for schools. Teachers, administrators, bus drivers, school lunch workers, custodians, coaches, secretaries and other staff–everyone.
If we want schools to be healthy, sustainable public institutions, every person who works in them must be treated with dignity and respect. Schools and teachers can be “student centered” and teachers can still be treated as professionals; paid a decent salary; receive good benefits; and be guaranteed excellent working conditions. Because teachers’ working conditions are students’ learning conditions.