After 20 years, Coach Scott is still at Jordan High because ‘these kids need me more’

I asked a question last week, and what a stir it caused in social media. Never would I have guessed such a response would ensue from the ramblings of a simple classroom teacher.

Through all the hoopla of labels and reputations, the haves and have-nots, one thing remains: a school is a building full of people. Regardless of socioeconomic status, race, religion or upbringing — schools are made of people.

So, perhaps the question isn’t why teachers leave a school like Jordan. Perhaps the more important thing to ask is why people stay.

What do we have that they don’t have?

The switch of the pronouns changes a lot. I’ve often written about how a slight variance in our perspective can alter our opinions, ideas, or mindsets. So, instead of wondering why we keep losing “the good ones,” perhaps celebrating the good ones we keep is where I should focus my attention.

One of several Red Jacket staples is Coach Russell Scott. He’s seen about everything one can see in his 20 years at Jordan High. He has stood alongside other staples like Mrs. Strickland and Mrs. Moore and watched teachers come and go throughout the years. He has watched classes walk across the stage at graduation with the same tears in his eyes as any teacher. And he has molded the athletic careers of many college athletes and guided the lives of many more.

I have seen the Midas touch of Coach Scott firsthand. His wrestling teams win championships. His winning track and cross country teams run circles around the competition. But the way he turns a rough and tumble boy into a man or a fumbling bumbling girl into a woman through the catalyst of sport is remarkable.

A successful coach like Coach Scott could go anywhere. So, why does he stay?

He says it best. “I stay because I feel these kids need me more. There are so many hidden gems here at Jordan waiting to be discovered,” and there is nothing more rewarding than helping a young person discover the treasure they truly are.

Kids at Jordan are used to being cast aside, according to Coach Scott. They are familiar with being forgotten and overlooked. For him, staying committed to them and to Jordan neutralizes that familiar feeling of being disregarded and chosen over.

Coach says, “Teachers that stay recognize the importance of loyalty no matter the circumstances.” They see opportunity when others see failures. They are hopeful when others are exasperated. They are optimistic when others are judgmental. The very things many see as drawbacks and deterrents are the very things that cause most of us to stay. We stay because we know our kids need us. Not just to teach them math or science or English or social studies, they need us to be a voice they simply don’t have. They need us to smooth out their rough edges and mold them into strong and capable individuals. They need us to fill in the gaps of what is missing in their lives. They need us to teach them...really teach them.

There are 750 reasons why we stay — 750 faces, 750 stories, 750 voices who need someone. Simply put, we are committed to be that someone.

This story was originally published April 18, 2017 at 6:20 PM with the headline "After 20 years, Coach Scott is still at Jordan High because ‘these kids need me more’."