As the saying goes, "not all superheroes wear capes". West Islip Public School educators exemplify exactly that.
The challenges for public education in the time of coronavirus have not been easy. But educators have risen to the challenge. In West Islip, where I teach high school physics, the students I serve have worked hard with me as we adjusted to the "new normal" of remote distance learning. Although we made the most of it, what was made clear was that there is no substitute for the traditional classroom environment. Our educators have gone above and beyond. West Islip teachers have worked well outside of our normal work hours to be available to students and their families. We have been there to help academically, but also to meet the social and emotional needs of our kids. I am proud to work alongside these teachers who, like me, view the West Islip Public Schools as the center of the community. Remember, school never closed, only our buildings did.
This crisis has made clear the challenges our community faces. Yet, through it all, we have all come together to lift each other up. My fear, however, is that our safety net is about to be cut out from underneath us.
Proposed cuts to public education in our region and across the state would be devastating. Losing staff, classes, or essential services will have ripple effects among our student body.
Now is not the time to deny resources for public education. We need help from every level. Federal stimulus funding for our schools is one piece of the puzzle. We also need the billionaires and the ultra-millionaires living in New York state to step-up and pay their fair share toward public education.
I know that we are going to make it through this pandemic. Together, we need to make sure that the public services we are relying on now during this most difficult time, will still be there when COVID-19 is just terrible memory.
On behalf of all our members, I wish you happiness, safety and good health.
