Education in the United States is failing.

This is something we hear on the news, in politics, and from people we know. In response, significant energy is spent by teachers and friends of teachers trying to convince the world that education is not actually failing. Students lives are complicated. Poverty runs rampant. Parents are unsupportive. Administrators are too controlling. Government sticks their nose where it shouldn’t be.

The list goes on and on!

We comfort ourselves by thinking this way because we are fighting the good fight, right? The odds we are up against are insurmountable! Educators are doing the absolute very best we can in light of the situation.

But let’s be real, we aren’t.

I have worked in 3 school districts across many grades and content areas. In general education and gifted education, and with many students who are twice exceptional. I have met, learned with, and worked with hundreds of educators. Through all of this, I wish I could say that we are all all-in and doing our very best every day.

But we aren’t.

This could be an unpopular opinion among many teachers. I know. But it needs to be said.

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We are doing it wrong.

There are pockets of educators who are doing it right. In every school you go into, every district, every community, there are teachers who are continuously improving their craft, reaching the unreachable student, connecting with parents in a meaningful way, and truly making a difference in the lives of their students. But the unfortunate truth is that there are many of us who are not.

I have sat in far too many team meetings listening to educators complain about everything from their students’ behavior to kids (lack of) engagement in content and the way the child’s parents write an email. I have heard excuse after excuse after excuse about why a child is not succeeding.

“The parents aren’t doing anything to support their students’ learning.”

“The principal needs to discipline more often (or less often or differently).”

“This child is lazy! If they would only put some effort in, they would be fine.”

And when you’re a teacher who does not think this way and choose to speak up in defense of students, parents, and communities you are laughed at, criticized, and ostracized.

Why are we doing this to ourselves?

Why are we as a professional community willing to let this kind of thinking infect our schools? We must be champions for our students. We must commit to and believe that we do have the ability to reach the unreachable student.

Teachers, principals, educators, friends…Education is failing, and we have to do something about it. Do not hide behind excuses. Do not give in to the temptation to blame others. You can only change one person who affects the lives of your students. Yourself. Do not give in to the temptation to blame others.

We can save education. But to do so we have to hold a mirror up to ourselves and see us for who we really are.

Time to wake up, folks.