Karnia+P.+Grande

=Are you There Politicians? It's Me, A Teacher = = Written By, Karina P. Grande =

= = = Since I was in third grade, I knew what I wanted to be when I grew up. I = = had a teacher named Mrs. Harry who was such an inspiration to me. I was = = going through a rough time in my family life, divorce and tough financial = = times made attending school as an = = eight year old child difficult. Mrs. Harry made me feel like a smart, = = young lady with the world at my fingertips through her patience and = = diligence in not allowing me to slip through the cracks. She told me to = = believe in myself, and dream big. I did that, and now I am a third grade = = teacher trying to instill the same hopes in my students. I'm confused = = why teachers and students are under attack by you. What is it that we've = = done? How can you look at a budget and determine that slashing education = = would be a wonderful starting point for turning things around? The bills = = that you are trying = = to pass, the budget cuts that you're trying to make - they aren't what's = =<span style="font-family: courier new,courier; font-size: 12px;"> best for the children of our state. School districts that have the = =<span style="font-family: courier new,courier; font-size: 12px;"> most children suffering from poverty and broken homes will be destroyed by = =<span style="font-family: courier new,courier; font-size: 12px;"> your initiatives. Why shouldn't every child have the same opportunity to = =<span style="font-family: courier new,courier; font-size: 12px;"> dream big? This angers me both as a teacher and as a mother. Simply said, = =<span style="font-family: courier new,courier; font-size: 12px;"> what you're doing is wrong. You're asking teachers to take a freeze, = =<span style="font-family: courier new,courier; font-size: 12px;"> school districts to take a budget cut, students to lose valuable programs. = =<span style="font-family: courier new,courier; font-size: 12px;"> Yet you give yourself a raise, keep your daily spending expenditures, and = =<span style="font-family: courier new,courier; font-size: 12px;"> renovate housing for state representatives to suit their = =<span style="font-family: courier new,courier; font-size: 12px;"> personal taste with the tax payers' money. Had you led by example, this = =<span style="font-family: courier new,courier; font-size: 12px;"> wouldn't have been such a tough pill to swallow. Don't we always tell = =<span style="font-family: courier new,courier; font-size: 12px;"> children to treat others the way that you wish to be treated? Why aren't = =<span style="font-family: courier new,courier; font-size: 12px;"> your cuts affecting you as well? It = =<span style="font-family: courier new,courier; font-size: 12px;"> seems hypocritical from my point of view. I have always been, and = =<span style="font-family: courier new,courier; font-size: 12px;"> always will be proud to call myself a teacher. I care about these children = =<span style="font-family: courier new,courier; font-size: 12px;"> as though they were my own. I work hard and give all I have to them when = =<span style="font-family: courier new,courier; font-size: 12px;"> they are with me each and every day. I value the fact that my school = =<span style="font-family: courier new,courier; font-size: 12px;"> district = =<span style="font-family: courier new,courier; font-size: 12px;"> wants a highly educated staff and I push myself to make my district proud. = =<span style="font-family: courier new,courier; font-size: 12px;"> Lowering the education standards for educators is one of your current ideas. = =<span style="font-family: courier new,courier; font-size: 12px;"> I'm not sure why parents would want less educated teachers doing the = =<span style="font-family: courier new,courier; font-size: 12px;"> educating for their children. As = =<span style="font-family: courier new,courier; font-size: 12px;"> a mother, I certainly don't want that. I will not allow you to = =<span style="font-family: courier new,courier; font-size: 12px;"> belittle my profession without voicing my opinion. We are at your mercy, and = =<span style="font-family: courier new,courier; font-size: 12px;"> you know it. Please consider the children and the dreams and aspirations = =<span style="font-family: courier new,courier; font-size: 12px;"> that you are destroying if you pass the education legislation currently on = =<span style="font-family: courier new,courier; font-size: 12px;"> the = =<span style="font-family: courier new,courier; font-size: 12px;"> table. It doesn't have to be this way. Any educator would be more than = =<span style="font-family: courier new,courier; font-size: 12px;"> willing to sit with you and explore options. Isn't it your job to = =<span style="font-family: courier new,courier; font-size: 12px;"> listen? = = = = = =<span style="font-family: courier new,courier; font-size: 12px;">Karina P. Grande = =<span style="font-family: courier new,courier; font-size: 12px;"> Third Grade Teacher = =<span style="font-family: courier new,courier; font-size: 12px;"> Hartwood Elementary School = =<span style="font-family: courier new,courier; font-size: 12px;"> Fox Chapel Area School District = = = = = = =

=//This letter was submitted to the Pittsburgh Post Gazette.//=

= = = = =Personal Messages= =home=