Teacher of the Year honor is beset by partisan rancor

Having spent 46 years in education, as a teacher and head of school, I was particularly heartbroken by Tal Kopan’s article “Classroom honor marred by ugly politics: They were named Teacher of the Year. The wild accusations drove them out” (Page A1, Aug. 13). I have always felt that teaching is a calling, and for me, it is why I and many of my peers accepted jobs that paid much less than many others that might have been available to us. We felt it was an amazing opportunity to work with young minds and looked forward to helping them grow as our teachers had helped us.

As we prepared for our chosen profession, we learned a great deal about how to best meet the needs of our students and which techniques could help us do that. I am certain there were no lessons on how to best indoctrinate our students into any particular worldview. In fact, the best teachers help students become critical thinkers who try to make their own decisions.

That is why Kopan’s article was so disheartening. Instead of respecting teachers, people are trying to intimidate them. The result will be fewer people choosing this important profession. How sad.

JOHN WATERS

Hamilton

The term “culture war” is often used to describe right-wing attacks on left-wing (or centrist, or apolitical) teachers and administrators. Since, while there may be protest, there are virtually no attacks by the left on the right, why use the term “war”? Perhaps another term — say, “culture terrorism” — would be more appropriate.

MARK HOOKER

Newton Highlands