From: Marc Rape
Columbus
Let me start by stating that I am a 1987 graduate of Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. All three of my children are BCSC graduates (2007, 2011, and 2017). One reason that our family chose to stay in the area is the safety and quality of the public school system. As a professional engineer who understands the competitive nature of recruiting talented professionals – I remain steadfast in my belief that a strong public school system is an immeasurably important community asset.
The school district’s most valuable resource is its teachers, and that doesn’t change when they retire. That is why, at the March 31st BCSC school board meeting, I was pleased to hear Dr. Laura Hack introduce a mentorship program that will allow retired educators to work with newer teachers. This program has the potential to provide critical support to those who are just beginning their teaching careers, ensuring that students receive high-quality instruction from confident and well-prepared educators.
There is no substitute for experience, and when veteran educators share their knowledge, it benefits not only individual teachers, but the entire school community. Having access to the wisdom of those who spent decades in the classroom can only help our students. I commend Dr. Hack for recognizing the need for mentorship and for finding a way to bring retired educators back into our schools in a meaningful way.
Unfortunately, at the same school board meeting, board member Tom Glick made an inappropriate remark referring to potential retired teacher mentors as “egotistical.” Comments like those are disrespectful and dismissive of teachers who dedicated their lives to education. Our schools are stronger when we uplift experienced teachers, not tear them down.
I commend the other school board members who asked thoughtful questions, indicative of their genuine interest in the betterment of our school system.
