Public school will be starting next week as the summer is winding down and Fall is on its way. With public school budget cuts, there are more students per class and the workload is more stressful for teachers. It will take patience and determination to see our youth educated through to the end of the school year.

A few years ago, a little ditty was passed around the internet which takes a humorous, yet thoughtful look at the life of a public school teacher. It rings true today as it did ten years ago. A sad commentary on what our youth has become over the years and what public school teachers must endure to keep their jobs.

Teacher Applicant

After being interviewed by the school administration, the teaching prospect said,

“Let me see if I’ve got this right: You want me to go into that room with all those kids, correct their disruptive behavior, observe them for signs of abuse, monitor their dress habits, censor their T-shirt messages, and instill in them a love for learning?

You want me to check their backpacks for weapons, wage war on drugs and sexually transmitted diseases, and raise their sense of self esteem and personal pride. You want me to teach them patriotism and good citizenship, sportsmanship and fair play, and how to register to vote, balance a checkbook, and apply for a job.

You want me to check their heads for lice, recognize signs of antisocial behavior, and make sure that they all pass the state exams. You also want me to provide them with an equal education regardless of their handicaps, and communicate regularly with their parents in English and Spanish by letter, telephone, newsletter, and report card. You want me to do all this with a piece of chalk, a blackboard, a bulletin board, a few books, a big smile, and a starting salary that qualifies me for food stamps.

You want me to do all this and then you tell me . . . I CAN’T PRAY??”

This is a great task for anyone to live up to especially those who are expected to teach our youth. “The aim of education should be to teach us rather how to think, than what to think — rather to improve our minds, so as to enable us to think for ourselves….” A wise saying from Bill Beatie, a Canadian philanthropist and builder who encouraged his hometown of Calgary to help others.

My hat goes off to those people who run our schools to educate our youth. It is a difficult job to teach a classroom of 30 students in the basics of history, math, English and science to pass their graduation exam. Not only to pass the examination exam but to be educated enough to be a contributing member to society. Let’s pray that the county will think smart in ways of educating our children.

Loxley resident Valerie J. Steimle is now the author of four books. Her latest, "Dogs, Blogs and Hobbits: Writings from a Widow's Perspective" is available on Amazon.com. Contact her at valeriesteimle@yahoo.com or visit her website at www.stregthenyourhome.com.