Snow days not welcomed by teachers

When I was in a store last week, I overheard someone say, “I sure wish these snow days would end. Those teachers are just getting a vacation.”

Really? Since I am both a teacher and a minister, I can tell you for sure that teachers are not in favor of an unscheduled “vacation.”

First of all, teachers have a set amount of material that we have to cover in a year. Each day that students are out of school puts us farther behind.

State testing hangs over our heads like a guillotine and personal integrity makes us strive to cover the materials that students need to succeed in life. There is no time for slacking off, and snow days interfere with that.

Since I am a band and choir director, I have required concerts scheduled for March and so far, I have not been able to even get the students started on their new music. This makes me nervous.

My students are a month behind and that leaves the success of the concerts in question.

If we look farther down the line, we can see that the missed days affect bigger things than just concerts and materials.

In some districts, the date of high school graduation is now up in the air. Moses Lake School District has announced that graduation will go on as usual but other districts are still considering what to do.

All missed days have to be made up in June and that conflicts with college courses that teachers have to take in the summer.

All these misconceptions could be avoided if people would not jump to conclusions about other people.

If we would just take the time to talk to each other and ask the questions we don’t have the answers to, we wouldn’t need to pass judgment on each other.

What we need to remember is that when we judge others we are setting ourselves up to be criticized also.

James 5:9 says, “Do not complain, brethren, against one another, so that you yourselves may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing right at the door.”

As Christians, we must look at others in the most positive light we can. It is our job to build people up and bring God’s love to the forefront.

I believe God would look at these snow days with compassion for the students and teachers and do everything He could to help out.