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Tip Line

It was appalling to read that a government would create a tip line for parents to report teachers who in their opinion behaved objectionably. It was already very hard work being a teacher in the public school system and the pandemic made things that much worse. Now they have to look forward to parents snitching on them to the government. It will be no surprise that teachers who have any other options to remain gainfully employed will quit teaching. Crowded class-rooms with teachers who just check of the boxes and comply so they don't get fired make for the worst outcomes for the kids. 

J was lucky to have many contrarian and rabble-rousing teachers from elementary through high-school. These folks were not all politically correct, they held strong views on subjects and enjoyed a lively debate with kids in the class-room. This was part of the teaching process - it was not all about getting through the standardized tests and meeting standards established by the state. Kids felt free to have unpopular opinions and debate their peers without fear of censure. That culture shaped the adults J and her classmates turned into. These are kids that can hold a conversation, advocate for their ideas, pursue their goals and feel comfortable with friends and strangers who have diverse ideologies. 

The thought that all of these possibilities will be stamped out of the very classrooms where they can blossom is depressing. 

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