Hey, life? Are you kidding me?

walkout

I will probably second guess myself and delete this post, but I have to write it because it is eating me up inside. I just saw a post that April 2nd is bring your kid to work day. Maybe we need a bring your parent or even a politician to school day.
That plan needs some work though, because when I have all students in attendance I'm short a chair. There is very little room to move around as it is with 30 in a class. I'm not sure where we would fit everyone, but I do wish they could experience a day at school with overcrowding and underfunding.
I love my school. I love my kids, and I love the community. I value the support I receive from all of these.
That being said, until you live it you can't realize how different education is from when we went to school. I'm not talking about technology or educational standards. I'm referring to being a priority. How was it even ever okay to cut funding for education? Were we over valuing our children...their futures...our state's future? Who in their right mind said 'You know we are really putting too high of a price on kids'?
Or were they smart? Maybe they realized teachers and administrators love what they do so much they would take up the slack. Because we do. We have fundraisers in communities where the majority of the kids qualify for free and reduced lunches. The money for these fundraisers go for things our kids should not have to ask for. Chairs, supplies, electives, field trips!
I have spent over $100 since January on pencils. Yes, pencils! Why? Because my kids need them. Teachers do this all the time, because it's the right thing to do.
I'm not saying I'm not thankful for a raise, because I am. Teachers deserve it. But please hear these words....OUR KIDS SHOULD NEVER BE A CUTBACK. Give them what they need to flourish. Invest in them! Value them! Respect them! Oklahoma students should know they are a top priority.
They deserve proper funding. Let them have the opportunity to experience putting on a drama play or having a reasonable class size. Provide for them what our generation got to experience! Your kids are worth so much more.
Teachers see it. My heart aches that not everybody does.