Looking at what's being said by politicians about education today, a lot of it seems very different from what I do in my classroom. A lot of the talk is about "school choice" and "parental rights" or, on the other side, about "equitable funding" and "closing opportunity gaps."

I recently read a quote from a political leader talking about how parents should have more control over their children's education. The quote was something like, "Parents, not bureaucrats, know what's best for their children."

While I completely agree that parents are a child's first and most important teacher, this rhetoric often misses the reality of my classroom. The kids I teach come from all sorts of backgrounds, some have parents who work two or three jobs and don't have time to be as involved as they'd like. Some of my students have special needs that their families need support with. The public school system is designed to provide a safe, consistent, and well-rounded education for all of them.

This kind of political rhetoric feels very focused on a single, idealized family unit. It often lacks a real, substantive plan for supporting schools like mine that are the backbone of the community. It doesn't talk about funding for better classroom resources, professional development for teachers, or support staff like school counselors and nurses, all of which are essential for every student to succeed. It's a lot of talk about values and not enough about the practical, day-to-day needs of our students and teachers.