Dear Sir or Madam, It is disheartening to, once again, witness the attack on the teaching profession by one of our local media outlets. On January 2, you reported an arrest of an individual for the alleged robbery of a CVS drug store in Alton, IL. On December 14, 2018, an article was published detailing the apprehension of a man wanted for murder. Also on December 14, your publication reported alleged shots fired at police. In your November 29th issue, it was reported that a man had turned himself in for a variety of charges in association with a fatal crash. However, in a story published on January 4, 2019, you reported the burglary of a Granite City residence allegedly committed by “a former Granite City fourth-grade teacher.”

My question is, why was it necessary to indicate the former employer and professional title that the accused had not held for nearly 7 years? In virtually every recent story that I found, none of the accused were identified by what they did for a living currently, let alone 7 years prior to their alleged crimes. The teaching profession is one that is under constant scrutiny, and to some degree rightfully so. It is incredibly important work in which educators are charged with preparing our children to become self-sufficient members of society.

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While it is rewarding work, it is becoming increasingly popular to diminish, disparage, belittle, and attack teachers and other members of the educational community. More and more often, teachers are being asked to fill roles in the lives of students that would otherwise remain vacant. Unfortunately, at the same time the media, government, and other members of society continually attempt to strip away any advantages and resources we have and then blame us for falling short of our goals.

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It would certainly be foolish of me to claim that any line of work was made up of 100 percent perfect human beings. However, taking an opportunity to point out the shortcomings of an individual and attaching them to a title with which they have not been associated for just short of a decade is intentional, sensationalist, irresponsible, reprehensible, and poor journalism.

Respectfully, Chuck Noud President, Granite City Federation of Teachers, Local 743 Executive Board Vice President, Illinois Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO

Opinions expressed in this section are solely those of the individual authors and do not represent the views of RiverBender.com or its affiliates. We provide a platform for community voices, but the responsibility for opinions rests with their authors.

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