July 10, 2016
Today, I read an article about Oklahoma teachers who went to other states for better pay, but there is another question that needs to be answered. Why do teachers like me decide to stay in Oklahoma to teach? What are the benefits of staying here? We have been vilified, told that schools are failing, and we earn enough money. I have three college degrees, my income has remained stagnant for over 10 years, and since I'll be starting my 25th year of teaching, my salary cannot move any higher. My husband and I have 6 children, and if this situation had occurred 18 years ago, we couldn't have made it in this state. After all the disrespect and the low pay, why do I teach in Oklahoma?
I stay to make a difference in the lives of all students, all schools, and my state. I want to show my students that I will not give up on them, that they have individual paths to take in life, and that they can make a difference in society. Teachers and schools are the bridge between the current lives of students and the lives they will have in the real-world. It's my responsibility to make sure they have the reading and writing skills needed to be successful at the college or career level.
I also stay to debunk the myth from both sides of the political spectrum that all public schools and teachers are a failure. If you believe that public education cannot be saved, then you are basically saying that the community, state, and the students cannot be saved. Shame on you! There are people who go into the teaching profession who fail as teachers just like there are some people who fail as legislators, but it's not the whole group. Instead of hurling insults, it's time to work together and make Oklahoma the state that every other state looks to for solutions. There have been very few solutions; only people pushing an agenda. If we sacrifice one school for another, we are not solving the problem, just creating more to deal with in our state.
I am not going to give up on our state, our schools, and our students. Why do you teach in Oklahoma?
