Rucker wrong. There’s
lots of fear in schools
In a recent news article, state Sen. Patricia Rucker, R-Jefferson, spoke about bringing back all of the components of SB 451.
She also spoke about what she believes will improve our public schools. Rucker said, “I believe strongly that there needs to be a little bit of fear. We don’t have that in our public education in West Virginia. There is no fear,” she said. “There is no fear you’re going to lose your job. There’s no fear there’s going to be any consequences. There is no fear that anybody is going to be made accountable.”
I can tell Rucker has never been in a West Virginia public school classroom or taken the time to listen to those that spend their days in the West Virginia public school system. There is plenty of fear.
We fear for our students and what they may be carrying with them when they get on our buses and enter our schools. We fear what behaviors they may exhibit each day because of the trauma they have or are experiencing and that we may not be able to reach them. We fear they may not have anything to eat all weekend or that the food backpacks we send home with them each Friday may be taken from them. We fear for their parents or guardians that may be working so hard to take care of them but just can’t seem to get ahead. We fear that despite our dedication, passion, and tears, we are not doing enough for each of them. We fear that even though we have seen tremendous growth in a struggling student, it won’t be seen on state testing because they didn’t reach mastery. We fear for ourselves and the ever-growing battles we have to fight year after year. We fear for our future and our state.
I could go on about how much fear there is in public education in West Virginia, but I don’t believe fear is the way to success. There are numerous ideas I have about what may help us, but I will save those for the public forums I plan to attend. Rucker should attend them, too, because I know there will be others just like me ready and willing to share their ideas with her.
Colleen Broyles
Bradley
