President Bush,

I have supported you 100% since your
inauguration. I was so impressed at how you
handled the Sept. 11 attack.

My husband is a minister, and we were
active members of your presidential prayer
team and got others in our church to do the
same.

I am a teacher and work very, very hard
like all the other teachers out there.
Since I have read about your "No Child
Fails" (or whatever it is called) in
education, I can no longer be a part of
your prayer team. I tried this past week to
over look it and just keep praying like I
was on "your team" as before...but just
cannot.

Teachers are under an enormous amount of
pressure. We do our very, very best. This
year I have taught the lowest group of
fourth graders. They have made tremendous
progress but ARE NOT AND NEVER WILL be on
grade level. I have worked and worked and
worked with them. It breaks my heart to
know that I (and they) will be judged on
how they perform beside other regular
fourth graders instead of how much they
have progressed from last year. Surely your
wife Laura understands.

I realize they need to know how to read and
write, and they do and I am very proud of
their accomplishments. But they do not
catch on quickly and we have to go over and
over new things before they "catch on." And
how can you judge them and me on how they
perform on one test-a stupid standardized
test at that? They did horrible on it. It
is only one indicator of what they can do.

What you and other education gurus (like
Ga. Governor Barnes) should do is look at
the kids and make sure they are making
progress...good progress and not judge them
with the others.

Good teachers are getting burned out
terribly, and there is already a teacher
shortage.

I love teaching, I love the progress my
kids have made...they are reading and
writing so much better than when they
started...but the stress is almost not
worth it. Working at Walmart is sounding
better and better.

I wanted to inform you that I will continue
to pray for you each day, like I have all
presidents all my life, but I will no
longer be on "your team." I tried it and I
just can't. I feel too much like a
hypocrite when I do.

Sherri McWhorter

4434 Brothersville Rd.

Hephzibah, GA 30815

email:themcwhorters4@yahoo.com

Sherri McWhorter, themcwhorters4@yahoo.com,
5/03/02

This month's letters: