Teachers must have what they need to do their jobs

Education is the lifeblood of a free and democratic society. In today’s global, competitive economy, we must provide children access to education that prepares them to succeed in a world where technology evolves each and every day.

Quality education is crucial to the development of the individual, and it is also clearly linked to the future economic, security, and social health of our democracy. If we are to remain a global economic leader, we must continue to invest in math and science education. The foundation of innovation lies in a motivated, well-educated workforce equipped with science, technology, engineering, and math skills. But the United States has been the leader in innovation because we also teach our children to be independent, critical thinkers, and to challenge the status quo. So we must continue to graduate students with strong reading, writing, and analytical skills, as well.

The importance of our ability to provide students with a quality education in these areas can’t be overstated. If we don’t, it will threaten both our economic and our national security. Evidence of this fact exists in the final report of the Hart-Rudman Commission, convened in 1998 to evaluate threats facing our country’s national security over a 25-year period.

The report, released in early 2001, received national attention after the attacks of 9-11 because it stated that the number one threat facing our country was terrorism, and it predicted that an attack was likely to take place on U.S. soil. But what is less well known – and what deserves our attention – is that the second-biggest threat to our security was our nation’s inability to educate children in math and science.

Just as it is our local law enforcement officers who are manning the front lines to protect our homeland from terrorist threats, likewise it’s our teachers who guard the front lines in our battle to protect our intellectual capital. We must give our teachers the resources and flexibility they need to do their jobs and prepare our children to succeed

I will continue to stand firm and work to provide our schools and teachers with the funding and resources they need. After all, it is our teachers who know best how to equip our students with the skills they need to lead our country, not federal bureaucrats in Washington, D.C. If there is any hope of better educating our children in math and science and closing the achievement gaps, we can’t continue to ignore the needs of our local schools and our teachers, or continue restraining them with heavy-handed federal regulations.

Our teachers are important – not only to our economic and security interests, but also to the future security and success of our children and their personal development. I am the eldest of seven children. Growing up, my family didn’t have it easy. We didn’t have much money, and I grew up in a home with domestic violence and abuse. I even ran away from home for a few months and lived out of my car. But even during that period of time, I still got up and went to school every day, thanks to one exceptional teacher who believed in me and taught me to believe in myself – and to have hope for the future. Had it not been for this teacher, who knows where I would have ended up.

During my 33 years in law enforcement, I witnessed firsthand the importance of investing in our children’s education. Access to education and healthcare is the very foundation of our children’s growth and success. Without these, our children cannot get jobs, they end up on the street, they get mixed up with drugs or prostitution, they sometimes have children at a young age, and the same vicious cycle repeats itself.

If we hope to overcome the economic, security and social challenges facing our country today, investment in education has got to be a top priority. We must live up to the promises we’ve made to our children and teachers and fund our promised share of special education; we need to ensure every child is taught by a highly qualified teacher; we must engage and involve parents; and we must continue to work to reduce class sizes and increase school safety so our children are taught in an environment conducive to learning.