Teachers as Social Activists.

Two separate news articles caught my attention this weekend and they both had to do with teachers going far beyond their traditional and contractual responsibilities, to act on behalf of their students. You won’t find these listed in any job description, but unbeknownst to the general public, classroom teachers have been going "above and beyond" for years.

The first has to do with funding. For many years teachers have gone into their own pockets to provide supplies for their students that schools would not or could not provide. They included items such as craft supplies, computer software, museum admissions and (back in the day) disposable cameras. Teachers  did not expect to get reimbursed for these items, yet they felt that they helped to create a more productive classroom experience for their students. This has been the case especially in schools in low socio-economic areas. Enter the Internet age. Today resourceful teachers have gone to web sites like gofundme to request funds from the general public to help with their projects. Some teachers have been successful in raising hundreds of dollars for their programs. This creativity and resourcefulness became necessary as school districts cut their supply budgets and after the 2008 Great Recession, found many parents out of work. While we should salute the resourcefulness of the teachers, this story exposes a sad commentary about the state of public education in America.

The second issue has to do with homeless students. According to a recent Associated Press article there are now more than 1.3 million homeless students in US public schools, a number that is expected to increase in the future. Many of these students live in cars, tent cities, under highways or motels. These children are entitled to an education. Many of these students have been kept out of school because their parents did not have the required paperwork for enrollment. Once again classroom teachers have come to rescue, identifying homeless students to the administration and advocating for them, by making sure they participate in federally funded breakfast and lunch programs. They refer students to county health clinics for free screenings and immunizations. Teachers advocated for these students to be eligible for bus services. It is imperative that schools reach out to these children and their parents to guide them to the proper agencies to receive needed services.

Everything you need to be a successful teacher was not taught in your education courses at college. Teachers need to continue to be advocates for their students’ success and their efforts should not go unnoticed.

c. 2016 J. Margolis