My reward is not in Heaven

by folkbum

My reward is not in my wallet or my bank account, either, for that matter. But one of the lines from Sarah Palin in last night's debate that rankled me the most was her "compliment" of Jill Biden's career as an educator. "Her reward's in Heaven, right?" she asked of Joe Biden.

McCain-Palin was not likely to win the teacher vote, but Palin may well have cost the ticket some of the fence-sitters in my profession, and the result may now be overwhelming as opposed to simply massive support for Obama-Biden from teachers. Among the things that we hate in education is mock pity and forced empathy, and that "your reward's in Heaven" line is a classic kiss-off.

My reward is in the classroom, in what I do every day. If you value what I do, then support me in my efforts instead of insisting that I and my colleagues in the public schools are at fault. Forgive me if I do not trust the top of the GOP ticket when the local Republicans and conservatives who have more direct influence over where and how I work seem more interested in making public schools and public school teachers irrelevant and the least important thing about education in Milwaukee.