Fix Your Hearts or Die!

What's really wrong with education?

I see you.

It took a few years, granted. But I didn’t know what I was looking for. I didn’t know what the problem was.

But now I do.

And you’re in danger.

Because I’m coming for you.

You know who you are. You have a degree. A master’s in education from some fancy school. Maybe even a doctorate and the mountains of debt to go with it. You’ve checked all the boxes, read all the books, cited all the studies. You’ve been doing this for 10 years. 20 years. 30 years. You came back from retirement, just to help the children.

You’re a teacher! You’re helping shape the young minds of the future!

No.

You’re fucking bullshit.

Worst of all? You committed the most grievous sin: you lied to yourself.

You’re not a teacher. You’re a husk. You’re a thrall to an industrial system that doesn’t make people. It makes consumers. It makes voters. It makes idiots.

I’m not the only one that sees it. Some students do too. And they laugh at you behind your back.

You think they’re being disrespectful? You think they’re not listening to you?

No.

They hate you not just because of what you are, but because you’re too stupid to realize it. These young men and women? They see through your shit. They see through your mask.

And you know what they see? Nothing.

Here’s the sword I’m driving into your heart every day until my dying breath. Ready?

You don’t teach.

You nag. You annoy. You badger. You make rules. You enforce rules. But you don’t know anything at all. Rome? Constantinople? Caesar? Christ? Funny little things I just keep talking about every time you visit. Can’t imagine why. Can’t imagine my students really care. Can’t care. Don’t want to care.

But some do. And more are everyday. Know why?

Read the Gospel of John, Chapter 1, verses 1-5.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

The same was in the beginning with God.

All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

And the light shinest in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

This is why you’re mine to conquer. Mine to destroy. Mine to mangle. You took this from the little ones. You stole this from them. In your ignorance, you refused to show them the world.

You led the little ones astray. You did that. And He knows.

And so I will be His light shining in the darkness.

And unfortunately for you I don’t expect Him to do all the work.

You see, I know the little ones care. I know they want to care. I know they want to see the glory of God’s creation in its fullness. They don’t want what they want.

They want better things.

Everything you tried to kill? Everything you tried to stamp out of them?

It lives. I just have to dig a little.

And you won’t stop me. You can’t stop me.

You have no power here, so keep your forked tongue behind your teeth!

Here’s just one little taste. Just the tiniest morsel of how bad it’s going to be for you. This week, for the first time all year, I assigned homework. Want to know what it was, wretch?

At night, go outside. Look up. The next day, tell me what you saw. Dozens did. I told them this:

Everyone we’ve ever spoken about? They looked up at the very same sky. You’re connected, through time and space.

The next night after that one took a photo and sent it to me. It was well after midnight.

Gaze, if you dare.

They’re looking up. Because I told them to. Have you figured out why they listen?

It’s not because of my degree, my certifications, or my experience. It’s because I walk in the Light of Lights.

And they trust me.

So I’m coming for you and your imagined legacy. Your imagined accolades. Your phony certifications. I’m burning each and every one of them to dust.

And sister? I’m bringing all of Heaven with me.

Run, if you want.

You’ll only die tired.