Hey Everyone!
As you all may know, today Betsy DeVos was confirmed as Secretary of Education. There has been many who have been AGAINST the idea of her being the Secretary of Education, me being one of them. Why? Well there are many reasons why.
But the main one is the fact that she doesn't know that the Individual with Disabilities Education Act is a federal law. This post isn't about going on and on at how this decision is not the best decision to be made so please watch the video of Senator Cory Booker's speech on his DeVos Opposition who goes in great detail about students with disabilities.
So what is this post really about? Well you can look at the title. I am writing this to thank all my teachers that I've had while I was in public school from Kindergarten to Senior Year, as well as my college professors.
I have spoken highly of the Township of Union's Board of Education many times. From the very start of my education, I have been included and treated with the same respect as my classmates.
When I raised my hand, I was picked on. When I wanted to take part in gym classes, I did. When my teachers needed to accommodate the classroom in anyway where I can take part, they did. When I had questions about what we were learning, they helped.
For so many years, I knew I was lucky to have grown up in this town but when I got older - I realized just how lucky I was as I heard many students with disabilities don't have the same opportunities in their school district as I did.
To My Teachers,
Thank you. Thank you for always including me in discussions. Thank you for moving desks around to make sure that I can get around the classrooms. Thank you for always picking on me when I raised my hand. Thank you for allowing me to speak in front of the class for speech assignments.
Thank you for letting me lead the class in the hallways (back in elementary school, we walked on the line to go to the next class). Thank you for listening to me when I needed help. Thank you for respecting me as you would any other student.
Thank you for teaching me English, Math, Science, History, Business, Music, different languages, Journalism, and so many more subjects.
Thank you to my gym teachers who always pushed me in gym class. Thank you to my case managers who were always there for me if I needed any new accommodations or needed something changed. Thank you to my guidance counselors for helping me make decisions about my classes and next step in my education.
Thank you to all my classroom assistants who were there for me when I needed help with moving chairs, taking my backpack off the back of the chair, going through the hallways, and so much more. Thank you to all the nurses who helped me when I was sick, needed to take my medications at lunch time, and so much more.
Thank you to my transition coordinator who pushed me to open myself to speak in front of over 200 people. Thank you to all the security guards for making me laugh and for protecting our schools. Thank you for all substitute teachers who filled in for my one-on-ones & our teachers.
Thank you to all the principals who were there if I needed you and to make sure that all students were getting the same respect from our teachers. Thank you to my bus drivers & aides for getting me from home to school and school to home safe & sound.
This is only some of my thank you's to all of you. You all have done so much for me over the years and I wouldn't be the same if I didn't have you all as my support system in school.
No matter what happens in the public education with this new change, just know that you have touched many lives and you will continue to touch more lives.
Caitlin
I would love for every student with a disability to have the same experience as I did. Now all we have to do is wait and see what happens with the new Secretary of Education.
Until Next Time
CGoerlich <3
