×

Support Elizabeth Warren

Not too long ago, I spent a good deal of time reflecting on what I might do to give back to the world around me. I had worked hard at my jobs, had raised a wonderful daughter who is already giving back as an environmental consultant, and had taken care of my friends and family. One skill that I enjoyed the most, was my ability to speak French. I had always had a deep desire to teach French, and decided that there was no better way to give back to the world than to teach in a public high school. While excited by the challenges and rewards ahead, what I did not yet realize was the realities that exist in the daily life of a teacher.

The most unexpected reality is that most folks that work in the world outside the walls of a classroom are unfamiliar with what it is like to be a teacher. Concurrently, most teachers are unfamiliar with what it is like to work outside the walls of a classroom. From this unfortunate norm grows a plethora of misunderstanding. Before teaching French, I was a coffee and cocoa trader, a publisher, a CFO of a not-for-profit, and a bank officer. Teaching is the most challenging, difficult, and exhausting job I have ever had.

Besides putting on a seven hour performance in a classroom each day, teachers are asked to serve as surrogate parents from bell to bell, assuring the security and well-being of those in their charge. The legal lines or our jobs are clearly stated in laws and regulations. However, the realities of life offer an obstacle course to those conformaties that sometimes seem beyond practical expectations. The challenges are immense and offer a degree of difficulty unlike any I have ever experienced. Yet, teachers are masters of softskills, and we preserve because we care about our students, our families, our communities, and our world.

When choosing my next president, I know that I need someone who will understand these dynamics. My next president has to have experienced both the inside and the outside of a classroom and must understand that education is the foundation for all else. I want my Presidential candidate to ensure that my students and my family and friends are able to choose a path toward a secure future. This is why I am supporting Elizabeth Warren in the upcoming primary.

As a former public school teacher, an attorney, a United States Senator, and a mother, Elizabeth understands what it is like in and out of a classroom. She, more than any candidate, fully understands the importance and challenges of education and the importance of supporting public schools with our tax dollars. She listens to the voices around her and understands what students, teachers, and families need to thrive and succeed. She even has pledged to appoint a Secretary of Education who is a former public school teacher like herself, ensuring that teachers’ needs are heard even at the highest level.

Elizabeth’s policies put families and students first. Elizabeth, more than any other candidate today or in recent history, knows that a comprehensive approach and careful plans are the only way we can solve the many challenges and problems of today and tomorrow. I support her plans as an educator, as a citizen of New Hampshire, and as a mother, and I am excited to vote for Elizabeth Warren on Feb. 11, 2019.

COMMENTS

[vivafbcomment]