Average people can see this for the insanity that it is. Congratulations to this teacher for taking a stand.
The Iowa Torch reports:
Iowa Teacher: Why I Resigned After 25 Years of TeachingI am a veteran teacher who has served over 25 years as both a Special and General education teacher in the same school district. In my profession, I have been extremely flexible and open to research-based initiatives that our district has implemented throughout the years. Whatever types of “programs” the Department of Education has thrown our way – from No Child Left Behind to the Common Core – I have willingly incorporated elements of those “mandates” into my teaching. My classes ask students to critically examine sources of information, teaching them how to conduct research and how to express their opinions/findings based on EVIDENCE and corroboration of resources.I examine issues of racism and inequity but also point out the great opportunities that this nation allows ALL people. I use the history of the interwar period in Germany to warn against the restriction of personal freedoms, the dehumanization of people groups, and the quashing of free expression. I also use this to encourage students TO vote (not HOW to vote) so that they can ensure that they still can enjoy personal liberties. Personally, I engage in daily reflection on my craft – what went well, what needs to be improved – in order to provide more effective learning opportunities for my students. It is a profession that I love and into which I have poured my heart and soul.Unfortunately, the events of the past year have completely turned that passion on its head. After the George Floyd incident and the subsequent riots, my district announced that we would begin addressing the race issue by inviting a speaker from the local college to talk to us about equity and diversity during a couple of zoom sessions in the mornings of two of our first professional development (PD) days.That would ultimately prove to be the beginning of the end for me in regards to my hope for public education.
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