To Lou and all teachers...an open letter from a former student and city resident I am a resident of New Bedford and a former student of the New Bedford Public School System . - Sandra Sylvia

It saddens me to hear the school teachers being blamed for the failures of the school system. If New Bedford teachers treated our children with the same disrespect and worthlessness the school department, superintendent and mayor have unfairly bestowed on teachers, the public outcry would be deafening.

They teach respect and kindness but don't receive the same from the very people who criticize their ability to teach. They teach self worth and are belittled and bullied by a system that lacks the ability to understand the difficulties they are up against each day. Perhaps before you decide to trash the very people you rely on to educate our precious children you should ask yourself if you could do it better. Are you willing to spend a portion of your earnings to supplement a classroom or students who don't have the necessary equipment needed to complete the tasks they are required to learn? Are you able to keep one child on track when he refuses to complete assignments without losing the rest of the class? Are you willing to give up evenings and weekends to grade papers and find creative ways to keep children interested in subjects they find senseless? Can you close your eyes at night knowing that no matter how hard you try your superiors consider you a failure and voice that opinion publicly? Now there's a morale booster! I think not. Our teachers should be valued and appreciated for the things they accomplish and not blamed for the short coming that are the fault of the entire systems irresponsibility. WE as a society are all to blame. We stand by and allow our teaches to be demeaned and degraded by the media. Everyone remembers a teacher who made a difference in their lives. How quickly we forget. 

To the teacher who quietly sent my class to recess when I had a bathroom accident in first grade and did not scold me or humiliate me....THANK YOU! You taught me empathy.

To the teacher who offered to share her lunch with me in third grade when I forgot mine.... THANK YOU! You taught me how to share.

To the teachers who realized early on that I wasn't lazy or uninterested but simply could not see the board...THANK YOU! You taught me things aren't always as they appear.

To the teacher who saw through my tears when I received a failing grade in math and stayed after school with me...THANK YOU! You taught me perseverance. I remember you saying, a failing grade did not make me a failure. You taught me to embrace the improvement no matter how small. You gave me confidence and I earned a B that year.

To the teacher who said," I have given you the tools but, you will only get out of the lessons what you put in." ....THANK YOU! You taught me responsibility.

To the teachers, (and there were many), who worked tirelessly to see that each and every child felt important and special...THANK YOU! You taught me compassion.

Yes we were listening, yes we understood, and yes we appreciated all your hard work. I learned respect for myself and others. I learned that not every student is good in every subject. Every student has a talent and every student excels in something. It doesn't happen at the same time and it isn't always in the same subjects. I learned that the degree of improvement is a much better indication of progress than letters on a report card. I learned that a little kindness goes a long way. Most of all, I learned that I am the person I am today because of the wonderful teachers I had along the way. There is no test given that could accurately evaluate the things I learned thanks to the teachers of New Bedford. I was not an A student but, I went on to graduate from college.( No one has ever asked me the score I received on my boards .)

My point is children are so much more than grades on a test and teachers are more than keepers of the scores. Scores on a test should not define the ability of children or the success of teachers. The job they have is about much more than teaching to a test. They are parents, councilors, problem solvers, motivators, cheerleaders and mentors. Why? Surely it isn't for money or fame. They do it because it is their passion. They do it because despite all the obstacles before them, they believe they can make a difference. Shame on the New Bedford School department, superintendent and mayor for not supporting the teachers who give so much of themselves for the good of children. 

To the teachers of New Bedford, " YOU DO MAKE A DIFFERENCE!"
Please watch video... The Starfish Story
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lugVQigMMWw