Cheryl Bost: A Big Year Ahead

The United State’s Women’s National Team dominated the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup and won their fourth World Cup, becoming only the second nation to defend their title.

As young girls, these athletes worked on their soccer skills day and night, persevered through injuries, sacrificed time with friends and family, and traveled across the world to fulfill their dreams and reach the pinnacle of their sport.

When these incredible athletes and role models won the World Cup they weren’t greeted with the usual chant of “U-S-A” resonating in the stadium. Instead it was “equal pay” that echoed throughout the stadium and around the world. Their voice and power have gone far beyond the soccer field. They are the voice of women and our fight for equal pay.

Educators work tirelessly to reach the pinnacle of our own profession and give our best for Maryland’s children. We craft lesson plans, create the best learning environments for students, work long hours assisting students with individual needs, and care for students’ academic, physical, social, and emotional well-being.

We work day and night, persevere through lack of resources and unfunded mandates, sacrifice time with friends and family, and skimp on self-care all to prepare our kids for success.

But like the US Women’s Team, our voices and our fight must travel beyond its normal confines. The red for ed movement exemplifies a greater calling for all of us. We must use our collective power to demand increased education funding for our public schools that have been starved for way too long.

This is our year to make it happen. This is the time that educators — joined by parents, students, community members, elected officials, businesses, and all Marylanders — must use our voices and not accept excuses for why our students should wait for the education resources that they deserve now.