Editorial: Bless the teachers when no one else will
Children — not oil, not coal, not solar or wind power — are our greatest natural resource.
You’d hardly know it from the way we treat teachers. In Oklahoma, a state budget shortfall has resulted in cuts to education. Teacher pay is low; so is morale. Some educators use their own money for classroom supplies. Nearly 100 districts have moved to a four-day school week.
In many of the states where our fellowship is strongest — Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee — schools in low-income neighborhoods are struggling to give kids the education they need to succeed.
Should we help? Many of us send our children to private schools. Some of us homeschool. After all, public schools routinely push aside our beliefs and teach viewpoints contradictory to our faith.
We must stand up for what’s right, but non-engagement isn’t the answer. When we give generously of our time and resources to help educators and schools in need, our help leads to that all-important question: “Why are you doing this?”
Many of our congregations have adopted inner-city schools. Countless church members assist in reading initiatives and after-school programs.
Let’s continue and expand that good work. Let’s constantly be hunting for those in our communities who need encouragement for the work they do.
Serving those under-appreciated by society helps the church grow — in spirit and numbers.
Our resources aren’t ours. They’re on loan from the giver of all good things. Let’s use them to fund the underfunded and bless the overlooked.
