I know an exceptional teacher.

She has been teaching for over 10 years.

A wife and mom, she loves the beach and college football.

Her greatest joy is her child, and her second greatest joy is the child that steps into her classroom.

She goes above and beyond for her students.

Her free time is often not free.

She plans, plans, and plans some more for her students.

Her lessons are innovative. They require time, planning, and so much sticky glue that you would probably lose your mind.

Some of her paychecks are often spent on classroom items and ways to enhance her diversified lessons and teaching approach.

You might say, “Well, she chose to be a teacher.”

Yes, she did.

Her mother was a teacher for over forty years. Her sister is a teacher too.

Teaching runs through her veins.

Her students adore her.

Teachers right now are being questioned.

Asking if their heart is in the right place.

They are told that they should quit if they do not want to teach.

Is it that simple?

Has anything this year been simple?

Let us remember that without teachers, the doctor that saved your life would not be working.

The dentist, the attorney, and the movie star would not exist without teachers.

Teachers are people too.

They are scared, just like you.

Just like you, they don’t know what to do.

Teachers feel trapped between a rock and a hard place.

Like you, they have no idea what the fall holds. They know as little as you do at this point.

Some teachers do not even know if they will be paid this coming August or if they have a job at all.

They are expected to teach to the best of their ability, and many have no idea in what conditions they will be teaching.

We should not be making this about “Us .vs. Teachers.”

Teachers want to teach, but they are concerned.

They want to be sure it is safe for themselves and for your children.

The person and teacher you see in this photo is the mother of a child with cystic fibrosis.

She gives more than one hundred percent of herself to your children, and what is left at the end of the day, she gives to her son.

As a teacher, she puts your child first day in and day out.

Let us not turn on our teachers.

Let’s raise them up, as they should have been raised up from the beginning.

They are not disposable.

Their families are not disposable.

You need to go to work.

So does she.

We are all on the same side.

We can work together in a way to make it safe for everyone or as safe as possible.

The solution found may not be ideal for everyone.

I do not know what the answer is for the single mother who needs schools to open to put food on the table.

It breaks my heart when I think of her.

I do know that we cannot help one another if we are fighting among ourselves.

Let us remember that this entire year has not been ideal for anyone.

We are in unprecedented times, and all of us will be under extreme pressure this fall.

You might say, “Well, she chose to be a teacher.”

Yes, she did, and the world is better for it.

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