#teachers

They can’t fucking think for themselves (or rather, they’re losing the ability). This is not “ooooh technology scary” -- this is a fundamental, they can't fucking answer questions when I ask them to their faces. I fucking HATE when my colleagues roll their eyes and say, "Well, this is how we felt about phones! Just accept it!" First of all, it's different. And TWO! We're FUCKING FIGHTING PHONES every day! We've literally banned all cell phone use during class in my district because letting kids use their phones and not fighting their use in class FUCKED US OVER, and now we have to FIX IT.

I had this one science teacher in the 10th grade—he taught biology—and he was just… so cool. He made science feel engaging and exciting and I actually really enjoyed that class… despite how before then I had never felt “good” at science.

He was also kind, and encouraging, and he let me and my friends eat in his classroom at lunch when the weather was bad. I read the Hobbit for the first time in that classroom when we had free time after we turned in assignments.

It’s one of those things you don’t really stop to think about in the moment while it’s happening, but that teacher was an influential person in my life. Way more than I gave him credit for at the time.

I’m about to graduate from school with a Masters in School Counseling. I want to work in schools with students. And I’m not saying this one science teacher was the sole reason for me going into public education, but… I can’t deny that he was definitely an influence, somewhere in the back of my mind.

All this to say—teachers, you are so, so, so important. I have worked with so many teachers, and I am constantly amazed with their passion and dedication to their students and their careers. They have the hardest job in the world, and so many of them handle themselves with grace and love and compassion and intelligence. So thank you, teachers. I love you.