Where your mouth is…

So here is my theory, my challenge, my quest…

A few years ago I read an article about a woman who started a web page to collect donations to pay off her credit card debt.

And she did it. Multiple thousands of dollars in debt, paid off by the goodwill of strangers.

Bearing this in mind, I have often wondered if people would be so generous to teachers.

Sure, there are programs to donate supplies, books, etc. to classrooms, both to take some of the financial burden from the teachers and to help out students who may not be able to afford supplies.

And this is all wonderful.

Additionally, teaching is consistently among the most respected professions in America.

This, too, is wonderful.

But when it comes down to it, the level of respect given teachers does not equate to just wages. In some places it does not even equate to living wages.

Someone told me last week that one of the greatest challenges of teaching is making far less than most other people with the same level of education and still making it work.

While that sounds noble, it is hard. Many young teachers are living paycheck to paycheck, trying desperately to save a little money, all while managing the same expenses as many other people with comparable degrees and much higher salaries.

And many teachers are working more than one job to make ends meet.

Considering all of this, it is little surprise that as many as fifty percent of teachers leave the field within the first five years.

So I must ask why?

We supposedly live in a society where education and educators are highly valued and respected. So why aren’t they treated like it?

This is where we return to the woman who had her credit card debt paid off by the kindness of strangers.

Are there people out there who are willing to put there money where there mouth is?

How much do we value education and educators?

If we’re willing to pay off someone’s credit card debt, why aren’t we willing to help out teachers?

Here’s the thing: I think we are willing; we just need to find a way to do it.

And here’s where this diatribe comes full circle…

I am going to start taking donations to pay off my student loans.

Will it work?

Your guess is as good as mine.

But, once again, if we’re willing to pay off someone’s credit card debt, one would have to assume that we are willing to help get teachers out of educational debt and hopefully keep them in the profession.

I have hope, and hope is an amazing thing.

I figure that if I can collect enough donations to pay off my student loan debt, I will slowly start to open this forum up to others teachers, hopefully helping them find release from the burned of student loans, as well.

So this is where you come in…

If you claim to value education, put your money where your mouth is.

Send me the change from your car or couch.

Send me the money you’d spend at a coffee shop tomorrow morning.

Send me a dollar.

Send me whatever you see fit.

But more importantly, spread the word.

Maybe send a dollar, then forward this to anyone you think would want to help out a teacher.

When it comes down to it, this is all just an experiment on my part, but I believe I can make it work.

And if I can make it work for myself, I hope I can make it work for other educators.