John Kuhn, Superintendent of Perrin-Whitt Consolidated Independent School District gave remarks at the Save Texas Schools rally on the steps of the state capitol in Austin, Texas.
"I stand before you today proudly bearing the label of unacceptable because I educate the children they will not educate. I, day after day, take these children broken by the policies adopted by the people in this building, and I glue their pieces back together. And at the end of my life you can say those children were better for passing through my sphere of influence. I am unacceptable and proud of it.
Look around you. Public school teachers, you are the saviors of our society and always have been. You are the first responders standing in this rubble while they sit in their offices and write judgmental things about you on their clip boards. You are our heroes, and 27 billion is not near enough for what you're worth. You are priceless, public school teachers of Texas.
Fear Not. This is our eternal glory.
It is ours to educate.
I will march into that classroom full of children who need me. I will walk proudly into that classroom.
Bail out the bankers and bankrupt the teachers. We will still teach.
I'm not in it for the money. I'm not in it for the benefits. I'm in it because it is right. I'm in it because the children ... need somebody like me in their lives.
I will Teach these kids."
Saturday, March 12, 2011 Austin, Texas
