Teachers are not Heroes
My entire life there have been a narrative surrounding teachers. Teachers are selfless. Teachers are givers. Teachers inspire. Teachers are heroes.
A hero, by definition, is a person who is idolized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. While I do believe that teachers have all 3 qualities, the truth is that they are not idolized for them. And, the perpetuation of calling teachers heroes leads to a dichotomy that is neither accurate nor fair. What is the opposite of a hero? A villain. So, if you have a heroic teacher who decides that they deserve to make a decent wage, they deserve to work in a safe environment, they deserve to not be placed at risk for catching a deadly virus, then our heroes fall and villains emerge.
The problem with the hero image is that it leaves teachers in a position where they are essentially helpless. You see, a hero saves the day and asks for nothing in return. A hero does what is right and just despite the odds. A hero does not think about their own personal safety and well-being before rushing into the burning building to save the child. They simply do it. Because they are heroes and that is what heroes do.
We are not your heroes. We are people who care very much about children and about their right to be educated. We are professionals trained in a variety of skills that allows us to do things that most people in our world don’t want to do. And then we are placed on pedestals and showered with pretty words that hold no real meaning.
The problem with the pedestal is that the only mobility it offers is downward. We must fall.
And fall we have done. Every time we ask for respect for our profession, we fall. Every time we seek to make our jobs less complicated, we fall. And every time we remind those in power and those around us of our humanity, we fall. Heroes aren’t human. It ruins the image if Batman asks for more sick leave or smaller class sizes. We don’t know how to react to Superman insisting on gun regulation so that he isn’t shot at as often. After all, how dare he? Don’t we dote on him our love and affection? Don’t we send him a Starbucks card each December to show him how much we appreciate him? Why isn’t that enough?
And now, we sit in the midst of a global pandemic that most of us living have never experienced before. We watch our friends and family members get sick and sometimes die from a virus that could have been stopped months ago if only our government had stepped up. We are all struggling with mental health right now. We are told to give grace to our students, but none is extended our way. If our kids flounder, if our kids struggle, if our kids fail, it is our fault.
No, teachers are not heroes. We are human. We are working hard to make sure your kids get whatever they need. We are tired. And we are desperate for some grace.
