My Wisconsin wish for 2024 is that we stop villainizing public school teachers | Letters

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Editor's note: A number of readers took us up on our call for letters to the editor on what you wish for Wisconsin in 2024.

As a Wisconsin public school teacher, my hope for the new year is that we can work together to prioritize public education funding and support.

Since I began my career, the teaching profession has been widely disparaged not only in this state, but country-wide. I have worked tirelessly to attain the education and experience needed to ensure that the students who come into my classroom will feel safe, included and emboldened to become the best humans they can be.

I wish the general public understood that most teachers pursued the field of education because they genuinely enjoy working with young people and inspiring them to become curious, creative, critical thinkers who see the value in participating in their democracy and giving back to their communities.

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I hope that before villainizing teachers and the profession, more people will be willing to take a moment and listen to the voices of the people who work in these environments every day.

In 2024, I dare every Wisconsinite to imagine a future where teachers no longer exist.

Katie Herrmann, Pewaukee

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Teaching profession unfairly disparaged in WI and across country