P.U.S.H.

Greetings folks! I'm bringing you a surprise post today. I wrote something for a friend who's hosting an awards show for a school district and I liked it so much that I thought I'd share. Actually it was a piece of something I wrote and delievered a few years ago. She has part of a hard copy of the original piece and wanted me to alter it to fit her needs. I couldn't find my copy so I took the part that she had and ran with it. Thankfully she still likes it. This is different from every other post because it wasn't written for the blog. Hope you enjoy it. Stay Up and Be Blessed!


As the end of the school year draws near I’d like to take the time to reflect on the past. Reflecting on the past gives us insight into the future. If you don’t know where you’ve been how can you properly prepare for where you’re going. Those who don’t study and know their history are bound to repeat it.

As the school year concludes so does the 2011 Florida Legislative session and with its closure has come some grim news. This past legislative session saw the end of teacher tenure, teacher pay being tied to student progress, a reduction in per pupil spending, massive cuts in education spending, and easier access for charter schools into the domain of public education.

Governor Rick Scott proclaims to have sought the measures he and the legislature have undertaken this legislative session to vastly improve education in Florida, make us more competitive and provide more opportunities for our students. However to most educators it appears as though he’s placed K-12 education on the back burner for private interests, put privately run charter schools ahead of the line, and made a once stable profession as unstable as the economy.

Morale amongst educators is at an all-time low as we see the writing on the walls that no person and no school is safe. Worst yet caught in the middle of the political battle are the children. Who speaks for them in Tallahassee? Who represents their interests before the Governor and the legislature? Where is their voice? Shouldn’t they be heard the loudest? They’re silenced; muted; unheard and ignored.

It’s game 7 of the playoffs, we’re down 1 and have just been fouled and are at the free throw line to shoot 2. There’s no time left, we’re in the third overtime, our team is fatigued, so a 4th overtime isn’t an option. We need to end this now. Worst yet, the player taking the shots at the line has a bad shoulder injury. We are that team that’s down and out and our opponent’s starting 5 consists of the Budget, Teacher Tenure, Teacher pay for Student Progress, Pension Cuts and Charter Schools. The prospects look dire and the championship seems fleeting.

Yet there is hope. “Without struggle there can be no progress.” Dr. King once stated, "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." My fellow educators, this is such a time. Instead of looking at this as the time to give up and retreat, we should look at this an opportunity to stand tall, hit the winning shots and show what we’re truly made of. Michael Jordan’s legacy was made in the 4th quarter. Dwayne Wade’s greatness is best seen when things are at their worst. In order to win the game we must P.U.S.H.

Despite the grim outlook in our profession we have to hold our heads up and P.U.S.H. For the student who comes up to you and tells you that they’re pregnant and you’re the first person that they’ve told, you have to P.U.S.H. To the student who tells you that they only meals they eat during the week is the breakfast and lunch they get at school, you have to P.U.S.H. To the student who tells you thanks and that without you they don’t know how they would have graduated, you have to P.U.S.H. To the student who needs your wisdom, discipline and direction as well as the instruction that you give them, you have to P.U.S.H.

Ladies and gentleman P.U.S.H. stands for Pray Until Something Happens. Until the legislature and the governor realize the error in their ways we have to P.U.S.H. Until the public realizes they can’t continue to cut millions of dollars from the education budget every year and expect us to compete in a global economy, we have to P.U.S.H. Until the day that we retire or the Good Lord calls us home, we have to P.U.S.H.

I know it’s tough. I know the pay isn’t that great. I know that times are hard and the rent is due but we must P.U.S.H. No matter what our socioeconomic status may be, no matter your race, ethnicity or gender one of the things we all have one thing in common. One thing we all have in common is that in this great country we all get a teacher. We all get a superintendent, a principal, a paraprofessional, a security guard, a guidance counselor and office staff. As such, our profession as educators has the opportunity and the potential to affect more people than the President of the United States and the Governor. What will you do with your opportunity? My hope and my prayer is that you’ll continue to P.U.S.H.