As a former teacher and a mother and grandmother, I know

In the words of Sue Kelly, spoken with the authority of both experience and love, we hear: “As a former teacher and a mother and grandmother, I know firsthand the importance of a quality education.” These words are not mere opinion; they are the testimony of one who has lived the many roles through which wisdom is gathered. She speaks as one who has stood before a classroom, guiding young minds; as one who has nurtured children in the home; and as one who has watched generations unfold before her eyes. In each of these stations, she saw the same truth: that education is the foundation upon which life’s destiny is built.

To call education important is too weak; to Kelly, it is essential, the very thread that binds together family, community, and nation. The teacher knows its value, for she has seen the spark of comprehension transform a child’s face from confusion to clarity. The mother knows its value, for she dreams of a better life for her children, secured by knowledge and understanding. The grandmother knows its value, for she sees in her grandchildren the flowering of seeds planted long before. In her words, all three voices unite into one: the voice of wisdom gained through the seasons of life.

History echoes this truth in many forms. Consider Thomas Jefferson, who declared that an informed citizenry is the bulwark of liberty. He believed education to be the great safeguard of democracy, for without knowledge, people fall prey to tyranny and corruption. Or think of Malala Yousafzai, who, though a young girl, recognized that education is the weapon against oppression, the light against darkness. Through suffering and courage, she reminded the world that denying children the right to learn is the cruelest theft of all. These examples reveal what Kelly affirms: education is not merely personal enrichment, but the shield and sword of societies.

The meaning of Kelly’s words also rests in the continuity of generations. As a mother and grandmother, she understood that the investment in education does not bear fruit in one season alone. What is taught to a child ripples outward, shaping grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and all who follow. The lessons of one generation become the wisdom of the next. This is why her words resonate with the weight of responsibility: the failure to provide quality education is not merely a disservice to individuals—it is a betrayal of the future itself.

Yet her tone is not only grave but hopeful. To say she “knows firsthand” is to say she has seen the power of education with her own eyes. She has witnessed how it lifts the poor, how it strengthens the weak, how it opens doors that otherwise remain locked. She speaks not in abstraction but in evidence. And in this, she teaches us that the truth of education is not only in statistics or policies, but in the lived experience of families, in the transformation of lives across generations.

The lesson is clear: we must cherish and protect the gift of education. To do this, we must honor teachers, who are the stewards of the future. We must support schools, not as buildings of stone but as temples of knowledge where the destiny of nations is written. We must nurture curiosity in our homes, reminding children that learning is not confined to classrooms but is the breath of life itself. And we must fight against inequality in education, for when some are left behind, the whole society is weakened.

In practice, this means three things. First, let us show gratitude to those who teach, recognizing their labor as sacred. Second, let us create homes where books, stories, and questions are treasured, for the family is the first school. Third, let us remember that education is not finished in youth; it is the lifelong duty of every soul to learn, grow, and pass on wisdom to others.

Thus, Sue Kelly’s words stand as a hymn to the generations: “As a former teacher and a mother and grandmother, I know firsthand the importance of a quality education.” Let them remind us that education is not a privilege but a responsibility, not a luxury but the very foundation of freedom and hope. If we honor this truth, our children will rise higher than we did, and their children higher still, until knowledge and wisdom cover the earth like the light of dawn.