By Brenda Blackburn

Being an educator has always been about a calling — a desire to positively impact the lives of the students in the classroom.

Educators who answered the call in Montgomery County are facing tremendous pressures due to an unfortunate set of economic circumstances. The same teachers who teach our children every day, provide them with safe places to learn, comfort them when they fall on the playground and encourage them to make good decisions. These same teachers no longer have the security in their profession that they used to.

In Montgomery County, teachers haven’t seen a cost-of-living increase in four years. While American Electric Power costs rise and the price of a quart of milk or a gallon of gas continue to skyrocket, our teachers are pinching pennies to make ends meet at home and in the classroom. They didn’t enter teaching for the money — they did it because they love to see students learn. And now? Our teachers face larger class sizes, lower supply budgets and an increased list of additional duties.

Continue reading.

Blackburn is Montgomery County Public Schools superintendent.