Dear Yuma County & Arizona Residents,
During the past week I have heard some very negative and very divisive statements regarding the #RedForEd movement. The thing that astounds me is that these negative and divisive comments are coming from within the movement and are directed toward other members of the movement.
Today some Educators chose to Walk-OUT to show their support of Education and their Students. Today some Educators chose to Walk-IN to show their support of Education and their Students. Today some Schools closed in order to support their Educators and their Students. Today some Schools remained open in order to support their Educators and their Students. The astounding thing is that there are people from each side who feel passionately, and vociferously, that the other side chose incorrectly in how they demonstrated their support.
This divisiveness and negativity from within the movement brings to mind "The Butter Battle Book" by Dr. Seuss. Within that book, two groups (the Yooks and the Zooks who have a great many similarities to each other) become entrenched in a disagreement regarding the correct way to butter bread. It is a wonderful book that most Educators have read. I would implore our Educators to remember the tale of the Yooks and the Zooks and to apply its lessons in this situation.
Please have compassion and understanding for those Educators who chose to demonstrate their support in a manner different from your won. Please stop berating your colleagues or trying to shame them because you choose to butter your bread Butter-Side-Down and they choose to butter their bread Butter-Side-Up. Both Choices still give you a lovely slice of bread with a smear of butter. Both Choices give your mouth a treat as you chew and satisfy your tummy once swallowed.
So whether you and your colleagues decided to butter your bread today Butter-Side-Up or Butter-Side-Down, please remember that the important thing is that Both Sides chose to have a slice of bread with a smear of butter. Please be kind and respectful to your fellow Educators, even though they may have chosen to demonstrate differently than you. Each member of the #RedForEd movement is supporting the cause in the manner they think best for themselves and for their Students. We have enough opposition from without; Please stop allowing this movement to have division from within. Let's start supporting our colleagues in their choices even though they may differ from our own choices.
Please remember that we are Stronger Together!
Sincerely,
Sarah
Mother to a Bunch of Kids
P.S. I am not saying that the divisiveness within this movement is going to lead to a nuclear catastrophe. I am saying that the divisiveness is unnecessary and should be curbed.
