But the loudest voices speak only of taxes, while'failing

But the loudest voices speak only of taxes, while'failing to even consider some of the broader issues at stake. And we all fall into the trap of pointing fingers at one another and at the teachers. I don’t think the largest issue here is money. Rather I sense that the teachers have come to feel as a group that the county has absolutely no interest in their efforts on behalf of our children. Of course they are going to be upset; we have tom their hearts out right in front of them, all the while telling them that they should be grateful to live in such a special place.

On Route 522, near the northern border of the county, some of you may have noticed the historical marker noting the actions of one Albert Gallantin Willis during the Civil War. It seems that Federal troops were going to execute a Southern soldier as retribution for the deaths of some of their comrades. Willis, a seminary student, offered himself in place of the condemned man who was married and a father. His offer was accepted and he was hanged near the spot where the marker stands. His grave, marked by a plain white fence constructed by an Eagle Scout, lies in a churchyard in Flint Hill. Who of us would not agree that this was the most selfless (even biblical) gesture, which a man could make, to lay down his life for another? What an honorable part of the Rappahannock Heritage! And yet, with our next breath we might also think to ourselves, “What a stupid fool, to do such a thing! What a sucker he was!”

While they do not offer themselves as mortal sacrifices, as Willis did, schoolteachers nevertheless make a similar kind of gesture through their work. They give a great deal of themselves to children, more than most of us ever take the time to see. So what if it is not your children? So what if not all teachers are so dedicated? Enough