Honoring the veterans who work in Columbus public schools

My duty every morning is to sweep up tardy students from the back hall and escort them to the front office. By the time my entourage and I round the corner of the main hall, we usually hear the words, “Would you please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance and a moment of silence.”

With this request, the hallway becomes still. It doesn’t matter if I’m escorting a frequent-flyer or a coworker is following a first timer; it doesn’t matter if a teacher is walking to the work room or a visitor is looking for the conference room, everyone stops out of reverence and respect.

Every morning, the scene is remarkable to witness because it teaches me a lesson about kids. Sometimes the ones standing motionless in that front hallway may be some of our infamous doozies that cause us all headaches and frustration. Some may be the do-gooders who simply slept late that morning. They represent all backgrounds. All makes and models. All ages. All the same. All equal.

Sure, some may stand in still silence out of compliance or to avoid sticking out. But even defiance halts at the words, “I pledge allegiance to the flag…” For a brief moment of the day, everyone in the building is quiet and of like mind. That’s the kind of respectful behavior our veterans have fought to foster in the country they love so dearly, and that’s all that matters to me.

And rising from the battlefield are many soldiers who continue carrying the mantel of service as they accept the mission of teaching in our public schools. I can think of no better instructor of English than the men and women who have spoken the language of peace across the globe. I can imagine no more effective teacher of History than the man or woman who has lived it in the sands of faraway lands. No more efficient Math teacher exists than the soldier who solved problems amidst the chaos of battle, and there is no better Science teacher save the man or woman who hypothesized a way to come home safely and did.

The experiences of a soldier are unmatched. Their discipline learned and earned are unparalleled, and certainly their insights into humanity are unequaled. What a remarkable treasure a school has when a veteran walks through its doors and assumes the reins of a classroom full of impressionable young people who need guidance and direction. What a gem is the soldier who trades a combat uniform for a mascot-embroidered polo shirt of school colors.

The morning hallway has taught me that there is hope for our youth. When troublemakers, misfits, wrong-doers, or transgressors will stop and acknowledge something bigger than themselves, there is hope. When men and women devote their lives to fight an enemy trying to steal our freedoms, there is hope. When soldiers commit themselves to continue waging war against ignorance, then there is hope.

I did not serve alongside the brave men and women of our military. My path was different, and each morning I am reminded of the sacrifices others have made so that I could walk my path in freedom. I may have never marched into battle, but I teach beside someone who has, and I’m a better teacher, a better human being because of him. To all our veterans, especially those in our public school classrooms, thank you for your service.

This story was originally published November 7, 2017 at 8:52 PM with the headline "Honoring the veterans who work in Columbus public schools."