THERE'S LABOR THEN THERE'S TEACHING
/IT SOUNDS HARD. But, we do it because after-all, Labor Omnia Vincit! Right!? That's Oklahoma's official motto. Did you know that? Did you know this:
Labor omnia vincit or Labor omnia vincit improbus is a Latin phrase meaning "Work conquers all". The phrase is adapted from Virgil's Georgics, Book I, lines 145–6: ...Labor omnia vicit / improbus ("Steady work overcame all things"). The poem was written in support of Augustus Caesar's "Back to the land" policy, aimed at encouraging more Romans to become farmers. The actual meaning of the phrase can be obtained as the following: "anything can be achieved if proper work is applied". --borrowed from Wikipedia.
This Labor Day, 2022, I'm offering my appreciation and support to TEACHERS; this year especially because they are back at work, putting the pieces together after the quarantine quake, where remote-learning proved that without our teachers our kid's "education" might suggest that remote-learning is an oxymoron--kind of like football coach/social studies teacher. Just kidding coach. Yessir, I will drop and give you twenty, sir.
Further, [Hey look Ms. Osborn, I used further rather than farther] in addition to teaching in a classroom with a few more promising-young sponges than that classroom should have, in spite of the fact that she will fork over her own funds for classroom supplies because our politicians have a stranglehold on the purse strings. Oh, and because of shortages, Mr. Teacher will also have to drive the bus and then go to work at Home Depot to make ends meet.
Inherent in the idea of Labor as I picture it, there is this thing called: duty. Teachers have to do a lot extra of that--duty. Hall, lunchroom, recess, the craziness of the car line; it's their duty.
Last week, in a school near here as the end drew near, the elementary principal received word that there was an old man in an Hawaiian shirt, shorts and Birkenstocks standing out front. So she snapped into duty, going outside to confront him.
Her: "Can I help you sir?"
Old Man: "I'm here to pick up some little girls."
Her: "Any in particular?"
Old Man: "Harper and Nora and Karlee."
Her: "You must be Pops. You should be in the car line."
I turned to look at the car line which now stretched beyond the horizon.
Her: "Come to my office."
Me: (mumbling under my breath) "Oh crap!"
Nothing has ever gone well for me in my many trips to a principal's office.
What happened next is a blur. A lady at the front desk, a student aid and Dr. Smith, the principal, spoke together in a sort of code and the next thing I knew the girls were in the car explaining to me how I had done everything wrong. "Hey, that's how I roll," I explained.
AND NOW? What are we doing to teachers? Apparently we're swallowing some storyline concocted by the far-right-wing-nut-job-lunatic-fringe, that teachers are conspiring and conniving to poison young minds. I swear if I see one more fundamentalist soldier threatening to burn books like "A Wrinkle in Time" by Madeleine L'Engle, or worse yet, threatening a librarian or teacher for having that book on their shelf, well...
I don't want my vocal support of teachers here in this humble blog to be just words. I'll admit that as a student back in the day I wasn't a dream student or teacher's delight, but I've changed (although if I'm ever called on again to pick grandkids up from school, I'm not going to use what life I have left waiting in that dang pickup line). I want to show my support for you and the high ideal that Labor Omnia Vincit.
Here's what I have to offer:
Do you need a cold refreshing beverage at the end of the teaching day after the last of your little einsteins gets on the bus? I'm happy to make a run to Sonic, Braums, Starbucks to get you something--my treat.
Do you need something for your classroom? Let me buy it.
Do you need a testing monitor for state testing day? If I can, I'll be there. I actually have experience in that area and can pass a background check with flying colors.
Do you need someone to come to your class that you can point to and tell your students that if they don't do their homework this is how they might end up? Scare them straight!
I will also do this:
I will campaign hard for Jena Nelson for Oklahoma's State Superintendent. I will do what I can to make sure Ryan Walters' quest to damage public education and go after teachers like some baseless witch hunt ends in November.
I will campaign hard for Joy for Governor. It would be so refreshing to have a leader who values public education.
Oh, let me add: I know many people who have chosen the homeschool path and done so beautifully. Good for you, but I'm not going to Sonic to buy you a cherry vanilla Dr. Pepper at the end of the day. You're on your own.
