Letter: Board needs to support teachers

Becoming a good teacher takes education and training. Becoming a great teacher takes time, dedication and a love of the profession. The teachers we remember are those who inspire us, believe in us and encourage us. They invest in their students because they enjoy their work and feel supported by school administrators and school boards.

I saw this magic happen for many years while my daughter was a student in the Carlisle school system. She not only had superb classroom instruction, but had teachers willing to commit their time to a full range of extracurricular and enrichment programs, including Quiz Bowl, National History Day, National Model UN, Shakespeare Troupe and many other programs designed to develop student talent and prepare them for the competitive college admissions process, and the workforce.

These programs have long thrived in the Carlisle school district, and they have brought immense benefit to our students. But these programs can exist only where teachers feel appreciated and respected, and where school board meetings are designed to support teachers and create the best possible opportunities for students. Such programs wither and die when school board meetings are turned into chaotic battles and culture wars by a minority of people who bring political agendas and seek to impose them on everyone else.

On Nov. 7 we can protect our schools and our children’s opportunities by voting for a team of experienced educators and public servants who will maintain the high morale of teachers in our district, and preserve the breadth and depth of the educational opportunities open to students. Vote for Bussard, Clash, Shane, Stroud and Tarrant. Schools are at the heart of a community – and they protect the future of a community, including property values. Let’s protect Carlisle!

Tami Biddle

Professor Emerita of U.S. Army War College

Read Tami's letter