It's Okay to Judge Me

 We are in the middle of a pandemic. 

Our numbers are increasing not decreasing. In the last month in my county we've gone from 112 to 250 daily cases per 100k on average. We continue to be in an upward trend. Our governor and governors from states around us are starting to shut back down. The state is instituting travel warnings and quarantine practices. 

But so far schools are still allowed to be open for "targeted student groups" 

I have friends who have been in person with students 2 days a week since mid-September.  There is currently no cap on when they would stop providing services. I am being told I am selfish for worrying about numbers instead of wanting to provide in person services to students.  So if I am going to have my employer make the decisions on what degree of risk to put me in, I need to be willing to make decisions for myself that may include risk for my overall well being. 

I am working weekends and using my planning time to meet with students. Teachers around the country are being called lazy because we are teaching online; but I promise you in my 8 years in the classroom I have never worked harder in my life than this year. I need a break, I need my people, I need a vacation.

Like millions of American's my mental health has suffered as a result of the pandemic.  My anxiety and depression are in a constant war with each other on who is in control and none of it puts me in a healthy space. So I will be traveling to Minnesota for Christmas, for my health.  That must sound crazy during a pandemic I will get on an air plane and expose myself to a state with significantly higher covid case numbers than Washington, for my health.  

Health isn't just physical, it's mental. I am falling apart and the vast majority of my support system lives in Minnesota. Those that don't will also be home for the holiday, so I will be too.  Feel free to judge me. I know I am making a choice that many people feel is irresponsible given numbers. Hell I feel it's irresponsible sometimes; but it would be more irresponsible to not do what I need to, to protect my sanity.  I want to be around to teach next year. I want to have the energy and desire to teach next year. In order to do that, I have to find the energy, capital whatever you want to call it to get through this year; and that means going home. 

I will be in Minnesota for 2 weeks at Christmas, because it's what I need to do for me.  I have spent 8 months feeling incredibly selfless. I have spent 8 months giving up my time, my resources, my sanity all for my job, so I am taking 2 weeks for myself. 

I will get a covid test before I leave and will quarantine prior to travel to protect the people I will see and I will get a covid test when I return home to protect my community here in the PWN. I will follow rules on social distancing and masking. I will bundle up with warm coats and boots and blanks next to outdoor heaters to enjoy beers with friends. I will spend time with family. I will restore my soul.

-C

Worth Fighting For

 While all of the news media outlets including Fox have called this election for Biden I am too pessimistic to believe that Trump will accept that. His behavior and continued string of lies on social media and in courts show us that.  Certified Counts are due 12/14/2020.  I will probably accept excitement then, though I am certainly less anxious now, it's not gone as I don't put theft of an election beyond the scope of what our current supreme court or GOP would attempt to do, they pushed Mrs. Barrett through for a reason.  But, I have no control over the way the GOP or our supreme court choose to live their lives and do their business, but this election has forced me to identify the things that are worth my time and my effort.  

In my professional life a common slogan this year has been "If everything is a priority, nothing is" So I wanted to create a list, of where at 31 years of age I am placing my priorities.  What is important to me, what is worth fighting for. I have tried to break them into categories I'm sure I'll forget somethings, but I want to document where I am today. 

 

1. Healthcare
1. Women's health care and the ability to have domain and choice over your own body.
2. Comprehensive Sexual Education.  Abortion numbers are lower in states with comprehensive sex education that goes beyond abstinence only education.  If we actually want to lower abortion rates we need to be proactive. 
3. Public option - This DOES NOT remove private health care for those who want it, it provides another option for those who don't have reasonable access or who want a public option.
   
4. Maintain Protections of Affordable Care Act- Primarily of concern for me is the protections for preexisting conditions and the waiving of life-time maximums

2. Taxes- I wont pretend to understand the intricacies of American tax law, however what I do know is that taxes pay for the things we value in society and if we want nice maintained things we have to pay for it. That's what taxes are.  If you do enjoy reading tax code or tax proposals here is what Joe Biden Proposed

My personal belief is that those who benefit most from a system should contribute the most back to that system that is those who make the most money should contribute the highest percentage back to allow the system to continue to run smoothly as it will continue to benefit them and those they rely on. 

The way corporations and the wealthiest Americans can avoid taxes is deplorable and needs to be stopped.  I am not suggesting that we go back to the tax structures of the 1950s, but I am suggesting a much more progressive tax structure that would allow us to do the things that are long past due:

1. Investing in Green Technology and Infrastructure
2. Improving America's Highways
3. Maintaining funding for Social Security
4. Funding Education- Creating funds for free college education 

3.  Climate Change

1. Re-join the Paris Climate Agreement
   
2. Invest in Green Technology and Infrastructure
3. Regulate land use, pollution and emissions 

4. Drugs

1.  Oregon did an amazing this this election cycle in de-criminalizing possession of hard drugs instead creating a system that provides support to addicts to help them get clean. 
2. Marijuana for recreational use should be legalized nationally.  This is coming from a strictly economic stand-point. While it is legal in the state of Washington, it is not something I choose for myself. States where it has been made legal have increased tax revenue that they can use on projects like what is happening in Oregon.  The US spends millions of dollars annually in its war on weed.  There are better ways to spend that money.  Additionally this election cycle 4 more states legalized it for recreational use taking the total number of legal use states to 15, it's been decriminalized and is legal for medical use in another 13, and decriminalized in a further 2.  That's over half the country. We're ready for a national shift. 

5. Education 

• Access to public education matters.  Continuing to fund public education matters.  We need to change how we think about funding public education to provide more equitable access to high level quality education regardless of where you live.  

•  I have worked in some of the poorest, places in this country I have also worked in some of the wealthiest and the different in access is something that should bring us a great level of shame as a country. 
• My first 2 years teaching I had to use my own computer and an overhead projector. I had to purchase all of my own school supplies, including those for my students. I had to purchase my own copy paper because we were only aloud 150 pages per quarter. 
• The district I'm in now, I can write a grant to our PTA for $3500 and get it approved without the bat of an eye.  The services, supports and classes that we are able to provide in this district are dream for my students in Syracuse, Minneapolis and St. Paul. 
• If our goal is truly to create a robust and competitive economy we need to focus on how we are educating our youth and how we are leveling the playing field across the country.
  
• No Waivers or vouchers-  Funding for public schools needs to stay in public schools.  We should not be granting vouchers to take tax dollars from public education and put them into private schools. We should be focusing on making public schools places that families want to send their children. 
  

 

I am sure I have missed things. But right now Health care, Education, Climate change, America's f***ed up war on drugs and restructuring our tax code are the things that matter most to me. 

 

Signing off for now

-C