In rebuttal, M. Kearney: Is he tough enough?

I write in response to Richard Sabine’s guest column (Feb. 15).

As a teacher in Lewiston, I am deeply insulted. Sabine stated that “we” have failed to prepare our children. Did he include himself in that “we” he wrote about? He was quick to blame everyone with a hand in education, but what about himself?

Those who fail to support teachers are equally to blame. Nowhere in his column did he ask how he could assist teachers in their efforts to support student learning.

Imagine the positive impact that his passion could bring forth if he helped students lacking home support or worked in partnership with teachers.

I find it interesting that Sabine failed to hold parents accountable for the failure. There is plenty of research that confirms parental support increases student achievement. I witness the benefits of parent involvement every day for those students who are lucky enough. Unfortunately, that is not the case for the majority of students.

Are educators to blame when a parent fails to attend a conference or assist their child’s learning at home?

I would be interested to know how Sabine arrived at a maximum of 35 hours as the benchmark for a teacher’s work week. Perhaps he meant to say 35 hours is the minimum. If he drove by any school in the early morning he would find lights on in the building as teachers prepare for the day. Many of those who do not arrive early will stay late.

Ask the family of any teacher how hard their loved ones work. A typical weeknight for most teachers includes hours of correcting, lesson planning, answering parent emails, coaching teams or facilitating clubs. At night, many teachers lay awake thinking of certain students and wondering what else we can do to make a difference in their lives. We worry about the students who go home to an empty house, or who just can’t seem to master their multiplication facts.

As a parent, I am never off the clock. As a teacher, it’s the same.

Sabine believes it’s time to get tough with educators. I openly invite him to spend a week in my classroom while getting to know my students, their families and my dedicated colleagues; and see firsthand all that goes into this challenging and rewarding career.

If he did agree to visit, I would caution him to eat a balanced breakfast and use the restroom before school, because reality is nothing like he suggested. There will not be a duty-free lunch hour or time to run errands. Perhaps he would gain some valuable insight and be able to write a column that is based on fact.