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February 2003
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Have a newsworthy item? Comments? Questions? Contact Paula Byrne, editor |
By Dorothy K. McQuillan, MSLMA President
mcquilla@rcn.com
Generally I am not one to make New Year's resolutions. However, this year I am going to have to make an exception. I am resolving not to allow all the depressing news on the international, national, state, and local fronts to interfere with my work with students. I know this will be more difficult than losing weight or getting more exercise, but I am determined to do it because I am a professional. Our students deserve the highest quality of education we can give and they should not be shortchanged because of politics.
Yet, I am just having the most difficult time reconciling the imbalance that I see. We are the wealthiest superpower the world has ever seen and yet we are not able to educate our children because there is not enough money. We are told we are facing financial difficulties that have not been seen since the Great Depression. And we don't have the wherewithal to prevent Draconian cuts in education and social services. It just makes my 1960s Berkeley blood boil. But I am taking blood pressure medications.
So while I was trying to find some positive, hopeful message, I decided that was untruthful (a lie in the old language). I think we should all fasten our seatbelts and prepare for lots of turbulence. However, please know MSLMA will be working as hard as we can to preserve our jobs and give dignity to the work we enjoy doing. We are, after all, professionals.