Grant School District 3 has started publishing a monthly newsletter, Prospector Pride. This month Mr. Matt Jones wrote an article titled “Struggle.”

This is the best instruction manual for teachers, coaches, students and parents I have ever read. I have reread it at least five times, and with each new read I see a sentence I didn’t comprehend before. Matt mentions some teachers in the article. I personally know or was taught by all. Every one of them were not teaching simply for a paycheck. They were there for the students, and serving our community. Besides, you can’t hardly pay these kinds of teachers enough money.

As parents, we need to trust the teacher, and what they say about our children. I worked at School District 3 as a janitor, teacher aide and bus driver for four years. I had students on video misbehaving, and the parents would make excuses for their child the entire time watching it. Too many parents don’t believe their child is wrong or misbehaves. This undermines the teacher’s/coach’s authority, meaning the child will never learn from that teacher and, possibly, all teachers and authority figures in the future.

I do know there are a few toxic teachers who bring their politics and ideology to the classroom. They are usually weeded out, and if not, it’s a good learning experience for children to have for their future.

Matt is right! I encourage everyone to read this article, and hold parents, children and teachers accountable to do their part in school.

Justin Deming

Mount Vernon