He was too embarrassed to face his family. How could he after what had just happened?  Unfortunately, the ones who assaulted him did not understand that his entire family would be affected by their decision.

On his income, he was making just enough to provide the necessities for his family and to give them an occasional unexpected small gift.

Taking in a deep breath, he stepped out of the car and headed to the front door. As he unlocked the door, his wife opened it and tenderly embraced him sighing, “I heard on the six o’clock news. I have already explained to the kids that we probably would not be going on a family vacation this year. I also took the liberty to cancel the tickets for the Gala.”

John and his family had become a victim of Senate Bill 310, the bill that eliminates tenure and fair dismissal rights for every K-14 employee.

Misleadingly, the bill has been named the Students First Act. How is it that students are considered first when there is nothing in the bill that adds funding for new textbooks or reduces the increasing size of the classroom? Every day John arrived at school 30 minutes early and left at 5 p.m. in order to help students who were struggling. All the students that entered the doors of his classroom were immediately a part of his extended family. They were the reason for his existence.

Everything that he had, he poured into the lives of his students. He made sure that his students learned beyond what was required. John was not just taking up space, he was an exceptional teacher.

We all have had teachers like John, those teachers who challenged us. The more we progress in life, the more we realize that every assignment they gave only made us better.

Even now, many teachers continue to believe in our children and in us, but who will believe in our teachers? In 2001, President George W. Bush signed the No Child Left Behind Act. Ten years later, I am proposing another act, No Teacher Left Behind.

Without tenure or fair dismissal, quality teachers like John will not come to Alabama in search of employment.

In order to get our educational system off of crutches and running again, we must ensure that teachers like John do not have to take that long drive home.