As summer ends and fall peaks around the corner, the President of the United States was giving out the Presidential Medal of Freedom awards. The Medal of Freedom is the highest civilian award that Americans can receive. Sixteen people earned the award. Notables who received the award included actor, Sidney Poitier, Senator Ted Kennedy, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and 13 other fortunate people. It was a little disappointing to see that President Obama couldn't find an educator in the mix. Luckily, Stephen Hawking, the physicist received an award so academia was well represented, but it would have been nice to see a rank and file teacher get the award. Bring in Jaime Escalante or Raef Esquith and pin a medal on them....
Oh well, people don't necessarily teach for either monetary awards, but it would have been a nice gesture. Ronald Reagan, Mother Teresa, and Margaret Thatcher were all recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. One may note that getting one of these medals is based on the choice of the President. What do Obama's choices say about him. He picked Chita Rivera, the Broadway actress... he likes talent. He gave a medal to Billie Jean King, the female tennis player who was a champion on the court and for women's rights. She was both talented and a great spokeswoman for equal rights. Ask Bobby Riggs. Many of the recipients were politicians. Gay activist, Harvey Milk; Ted Kennedy, and Jack Kemp all received the award. Nancy Brinker, a woman who championed the fight against breast cancer was a worthy recipient whose efforts had been inspired by a promise she'd made to her dying sister to help fight a deadly disease. Another scientist who received the award was Janet Rowley, a scientist who discovered a role of chromosome tranlocations in hjuman cancer. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Conner was given a medal. What Obama tried to do was create a good mix; science, religion, anti-poverty, women's rights, gay rights, and human rights.
It was a nice award, but it would have been nice for someone for someone who busted their tail in a classroom for years to be recognized. Yet, most teachers don't teach to be recognized, they teach so that someone else will be. Hopefully, the people who received their awards remember to thank people that helped them achieve success in life; parents; teachers; and publicity agents.
Maybe next time a teacher will get something other than an apple.
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