We need to support schools, teachers

Education is and isn’t an issue of mere dollars and cents. “Bottom line” doesn’t always equate with public education’s true value. There are so many factors that “equation” becomes a weak concept.

How many of you can remember a teacher who changed your life for the positive, who said what was needed at a pivotal moment in your life.

What is that worth exactly? I feel sorry for those who never had a coach who inspired them to produce beyond what they thought possible; a teacher who showed them what they didn’t formerly understand; a counselor who understood what their pain was about and helped them get through it in a positive way; an administrator who gave them that break they knew they didn’t deserve; the janitor who always had that smile and a good word; the bus driver who protected them; the lunch lady who knew their name.

This is our educational system in addition to the bricks-and-mortor and floor polish. This is why we all need to support it. The value is immeasurable; the cost is nominal.

DAN SHOOK

Sandpoint