ESP of the Year

Well so much for keeping up with post, or even getting caught up from the summer. I started this almost a month ago and am now just getting to finish it. At the NEA-RA each year we get to meet and hear from the teacher and educational support professional of the year. These educators are always inspiring, dedicated and well deserving of the honor, and this year was no exception. This year's ESP of the year was Laura Vernon and at the close of her speech she read a poem that she wrote, it says it all.

When did we become the enemy?

The target of scorn
The Hero unborn
The reason they fall
The brunt of it all

When did we become the enemy?

The purpose for unkind
The hidden victim of No Child left behind
Said to be a monument, but with no solution
Even called terrorist, deserving execution

When did we become the enemy?

Labeled failure, not in the running
High expectations without the funding
Training, experience, education specified
But to them, not highly qualified

When did we become the enemy?

Hard work, unappreciated labor
Their answer to funding, Tabor?
Taxes rising, money depleture
Easy blame, why not the teacher

When did we become the enemy?

Teacher Cadillac Insurance, be the foe
We are not the reason for the Health Care woe
Cut backs, eliminations, Education pollution
Their remedy, 65% solution
Created reasons they exercise
To justify, to privatize

When did we become the enemy?

So cooks, janitors, secretaries, security
They're not important, a liability
Bus drivers, paras, they've cut the cost
They are always first to be layed off

When did we become the enemy?

Have they dismissed the history of this nation
Education is rooted in it's very foundation
Have they not noticed that we with pleasure
Nurture and mold our future's treasure
Have they forgotten, because of our dedication
They received an education

When did we become the enemy?

Well we're not taking this lying down
In fact, we as educators are going to turn this around
And whoever they are had better take note
The greatest power we have is the right to vote

Now just watch our educators organize
Because despite what they might think, we are highly qualified
An enemy maybe in their eyes
But a change is coming in their lives and when history is made, and education once again becomes this country's necessary feature, they had better think twice before attacking our students, retired, Higher Ed, ESP and the teacher.

Do not forget to vote, and when you pull the lever think about the candidate, local, state or national, that is a friend of education, because if we do not help ourselves politically who will?