On Gratitude and Vouchers – Letter To The Editor by Troy Pulliam, President, Jefferson County Education Association
On Gratitude and Vouchers
I am grateful for 26 years of teaching at Jefferson County High School and am especially grateful for the students, families, fellow educators, and the experience of educating and caring for three generations of young people. I am humbled to know that I had a very small part in making Jefferson County a better place for my neighbors.
My work has also been enriched by driving a bus. Last year classes were interrupted by a driver shortage, so I took some ownership in the problem. It’s been called a thankless job, but since my first day the kids haven’t stopped saying, “Thank you very much,” “Have a good day,” “See you, Mr. P.,” as well as gratitude from parents when I call them.
When you work in public schools where 90% of people attend, the students you taught are everywhere. They have worked on my car and house, been my nurse, served me food, bagged my groceries, cleaned my classroom, and some are teachers. This is the whole point of public schools. When in public, I commonly hear, “Hi, Mr. P. I was in your class in 2008! It was my favorite.” Or “I know you. Are you a teacher? I was class of 2014. I didn’t have your class, but I remember you.” When you serve your neighbors, they are grateful. That’s all the thanks I need.
There are some with a thankless and contrarian view of our community and its schools. That doesn’t make for helpful neighbors. They pretend we are a school somewhere else and try to convince us of it. Their designs would tear away at it, give its money to someone else, leave us no way to know what they are doing with it, and, for only the most well off, no way to benefit from it. This is what Governor Lee’s voucher plan does. This is not about choice; it’s about government subsidizing an exclusive education for less than 10% of people and taking away from our neighbors what they can depend on, appreciate, and afford. It’s about the government being a quitter on its people. Put another way, this group’s answer to a bus driver shortage, instead of learning to drive a bus, would be to sell the bus and tell the kids to find their own way to school.
Our students reflect where they are from. A former principal was fond of saying, “our parents send us the best they have.” As the only high school serving the county, I have often said if you don’t like what you see here, you don’t like Jefferson County. Please remember this as you vote by March 5th. It is our responsibility to make the future as bright as we can for all our neighbors. We all need to share ownership, or the bus will keep showing up late. We are the only school for whom this is a purpose and duty. No one else will. Don’t let anyone tell you differently or turn you against your neighbors.
Troy Pulliam, President
Jefferson County Education Association
“Opinions expressed in Letters To The Editor are those of the author and not necessarily reflective of the views of The Jefferson County Post.”
