36 Then he took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them, 37 “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.” Mark 9:36 – 37
This weekend we will head north again to one of our favorite places, Grand Marais. It’s the winter break for the Duluth Public Schools and now as a paraprofessional I more fully appreciate the excitement around this time off. Getting away will be great, especially because this past week some of the kids’ behavior has been difficult. Could this bad behavior be because of the full moon, too much sugar with Valentine’s Day or something else? I was grateful when another paraprofessional, who has worked for the district for over 23 years, reminded me that time off isn’t always a good thing for some of our kids. Food insecurity, lack of structure and difficult home situations can make a week off stressful, not rest filled for many of our kids.
I’ve learned so much from the kids, teachers, and other staff these past six months while working at Lincoln Park Middle School. I love it there and in small ways I know I make a difference every day in at least a few kids lives. So when State Representative Liz Olson asked me to testify at an Education Finance Committee Hearing on Tuesday, I said yes. She was bringing forward a bill that would increase the hourly wage for paraprofessionals and other hourly school workers. The bill would also allow for unemployment benefits for the summer months when hourly workers are typically laid off. Her bill is critically important.
Because of the low wages, some of the folks I work with must work other jobs to support their families. I’m so tired by 3:15, I can’t imagine then going to work at Menard’s or driving for Door Dash as some of the other paras do. I’m tired enough after making my way through the crowded halls, helping kids with math problems or vocab, learning how to use a drill or washing dishes after helping kids make tacos; no way would I be up for checking people out or delivering their pizzas.
I have tried to recruit other people into the many, many openings the Duluth School District has, but so far no go. Maybe, just maybe with the efforts of Rep. Olson and others we can use the state budget surplus to help our kids and teachers, by helping the ones who help them. After all Jesus did put a child in the midst of us, just what kind of welcome will we give?
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