(JENN STAHN / iNFOnews.ca)

“I AM SCARED TO ENTER A PROFESSION HATED BY THE PUBLIC”

SALMON ARM - An anonymous high school student in Salmon Arm has a message for teachers.

“What I want to say to each and every one of you is that I appreciate you and everything you do for your students,” wrote the grade 12 student in a letter posted on Salmon Arm Secondary teachers’ doors.

“I know that all of this job action is because you love and would do anything to see your students succeed and be happy.”

The author, whose goal is to become a teacher, expresses fear of entering a profession “hated by the public” and encourages teachers to keep fighting the good fight.

The North Okanagan school district (SD 83) held its portion of the second round of rotating strikes Monday.

Here, you can read the student’s compelling letter in full:

Dear Teachers,

It doesn’t matter who wrote this letter. All that you need to know is that it comes from a grade 12 student who loves their teachers. What I want to say to each and every one of you is that I appreciate you and everything you do for your students. I know that all of this job action is because you love and would do anything to see your students succeed and be happy. If I didn’t have teachers who cared about me I would have completely hated school. Teachers really do make a difference; don’t let anyone tell you that your profession isn’t important. Being a teacher is the most important job in the world. Everyone whether they liked school or not had teachers and chances are that they liked at least one of them. Teachers shape our world; behind every single person’s education in this province is a teacher. Teachers are a special type of people. They are loyal, determined, hard working, and love their students. Some people can be taught to teach but others were truly born to teach. You were all born to teach, you are all very nurturing, compassionate people, and that’s what makes you such good teachers. When I was 5 I decided I wanted to be a teacher. That hasn’t gone away. And as I stand here about to graduate I am scared. I am scared to enter a profession hated by the public. So why am I still looking at teaching as my career? Well, as my mother says, I was born to teach. I thank you for fighting this unfair battle of no help, huge class sizes, and unfair wages. And thank you for fighting for the only profession I will probably ever want to do. Keep fighting the good fight and come Tuesday, when you are all out there picketing remember that your students love you and that yes, you are making a difference.

Love,

Students of this year, last year, and all the years to come

An anonymous student posted this letter on teachers' doors at Salmon Arm Secondary.

Image Credit: Contributed

To contact the reporter for this story, email Charlotte Helston at chelston@infotelnews.ca or call 250-309-5230. To contact the editor, email mjones@infotelnews.ca or call 250-718-2724.

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