sweetest slices of their own children's lives as I know only too well.

Will the educational bureaucracy and the present society change these teachers? Quite possibly. The rate of burn-out for new teachers approaches 33% within the first three years. If only the new teachers realized what awaited them( having next to nothing to do with education at all) - baby-sitting, record keeping, keeping parents happy, meeting after meeting, sweating under the magnifying glass of a system seeking to find flaws - I can only wonder.

I have noticed many teachers (wonderful, brilliant, passionate people) who suffer from a crisis of self-confidence. At a school board meeting, I found myself the lone member of our entire faculty (60 or more teachers) speaking out in defence of a fellow teacher who was unfairly disciplined due to a ridiculous complaint from parents. Why? Why?

Cultures in Europe and Asia profoundly respect teachers. America? Those entering the teaching profession in America (and more often than not these are females) have a lower sense of self-esteem than peers in comparable professions. They have grown up with the flippant belief my father voiced, "Anybody can teach."

I wonder. Can they?

I wonder what might happen in American education if local, state, and national political figures were required to prepare lesson plans, teach lessons, march children to the restrooms, settle arguments, call parent conferences, grade papers, etc., etc. Perhaps. . .just perhaps, some of those who could make a difference would catch a glimmer of the truth of what teaching is and who the real teachers are and why saving public education in America should be at the top of everyone's agenda.

One day at school our Science teacher - a good friend and wonderful educator - suddenly announced that he was leaving education and going into politics. "Politics!" I groaned. "Why?"

"I can't do any more here. If I want to change education for the better, I have to go where change happens."

If education is all about politics, is it any wonder that teachers tremble for their future? Perhaps all of us should similarly tremble because education is the future of America.

Learn more about this author, Morton Mcinvale.
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