Commentary; Posted: 10/5/05
Teacher, coach sees lessons from the gridiron and life
Matt Cleary
Guest Columnist
With high school Homecoming festivities this week and the Levy for Learning vote in another month, I know many eyes in this community are on our schools. While I canít speak for all the other coaches and teachers, I can speak about our football program and my social studies classes.
The lessons Iím trying to impart to both groups of kids are the same: take responsibility and be a good citizen. Theyíre lessons we all need to be reminded of now and then.
ďTake responsibility
Our football players know they need to take responsibility. They have an obligation, as a member of the team, to play fairly, be the best they can be and to work together as a team. Likewise, the kids in my social studies classes are learning they have responsibilities as citizens of the United States: to obey laws, to vote and to work within our system.
Our form of government is based on the belief that if citizens gather together and need services, they form government entities to provide those services. Schools and city governments only exist because a community wants and needs them. To cover the cost of services, citizens pay taxes. This is how community funding in America works.
What happens if people donít take responsibility? In a community, if people donít take the responsibility to pay for services, those services get cut. I can tell you, as both a teacher and a coach, I see the direct impact of service cuts in our schools. I see it every day in my classes. My smallest high school class has 34 students. In my previous teaching experience, I was concerned if my class sizes approached the upper 20s. Itís amazing what a difference eight or 10 kids in a class makes.
I believe getting to know kids is an important aspect of my job. If I can establish relationships, itís easier to deal with difficult situations when they arise. So far here at Forest Lake High School, Iíve had a more difficult time getting to know my students and effectively educating them because of the class sizes we are dealing with.Itís frustrating to me as an educator, because I feel I canít do my job as well as I know Iím able to.
I also see the impact of cuts as a coach. I believe we are understaffed in many of our activities, which is a disservice to these kids.
I am a huge proponent of having kids do something positive between the hours of 3-6 p.m. Keeping them busy during this time period is vital to curtailing drug use, crime and teenage pregnancy. Yet, because of budget restraints, these are the hours in our studentsí lives that have been affected the most.
ďBe a good citizen
A big part of my job as a coach and teacher is to help each student become a better person, so that when they graduate theyíre ready to take their place as an upstanding citizen of a democratic country. This isnít a philosophy unique to me because of my social studies focus. This is the philosophy of our countryís entire public education system.
Many parents in this community are setting good examples of model citizenship. Our football parents, for example, spend countless hours volunteering on the booster club to make our Friday night home games real community events.
I also want to thank the business community in this area for setting a good example. Because the tax support from individuals hasnít been at the levels we need, teachers and students have gone knocking on the doors of local businesses. Despite getting requests from numerous activities and school programs for many years, many businesses continue to give generously. They need to be commended for playing a key role in keeping our schools running.
To me, the philosophy toward our schools should be the same whether you are a parent, a player, a student, a coach, a teacher or a community member: We are all in this together. We should all be proud to be a part of this community, to be Rangers.
Look at the facts and decide if the Levy for Learning is going to improve our community.
Then cast your vote, as a good citizen, on Nov. 8.
Writer Matt Cleary is head football coach and a social studies teacher at Forest Lake High School.
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