Some people would like to claim that our teachers have it easy and have nothing to complain about. But most teachers do far more than we think. Their work doesn’t end when students leave; it goes on late into the night grading papers, preparing lessons and working after school events.

Decrepit infrastructure, with air conditioning that seems to break regularly (if you haven’t noticed it before, just wait a few months), and a lack of funding for basic school supplies that forces teachers to pay thousands out of pocket every year, complicate a job in which teachers are already cussed out by their students and harassed by administrators every day.

It is hard to stand in opposition to teachers, especially under these conditions. That is why politicians are resorting to partisan rancor as teachers attempt to hold them accountable for not addressing these issues. If you talk to a teacher, they can tell you the rally is more about reform than money.

— Daniel Troutman

Salisbury