I think teaching should be an exalted profession, not a

Hear, O seekers of wisdom, the words of Senator Chuck Schumer: “I think teaching should be an exalted profession, not a picked-on profession.” These words are not merely a defense of one vocation, but a clarion call to honor the sacred labor of those who shape the minds of generations. For what is a nation without its teachers? What is a people without those who guide its children from darkness into understanding? To teach is not to recite dry facts, but to kindle fire, to draw forth light from within another soul. And yet, too often, the teacher is ridiculed, underpaid, dismissed, as though the very builders of civilization were expendable.

In the age of the ancients, to be a teacher was to be revered. Socrates walked the streets of Athens, and though he owned no wealth, kings and citizens alike came to hear him. Confucius, wandering across the provinces of China, gave counsel to rulers and peasants alike, planting seeds of wisdom that shaped an entire civilization. In India, the guru was seen as the bridge between ignorance and enlightenment. In every land, the teacher was honored as a custodian of the sacred flame. Yet in our times, many who bear this noble title find themselves weary, burdened, and forgotten. Schumer’s cry is a reminder that the tide must turn.

Consider the story of Anne Sullivan, the devoted guide of Helen Keller. Though history remembers Helen as a symbol of triumph, we must also remember the one who labored in silence, shaping her mind with tireless patience. Anne was not exalted in her day with riches or status; she was simply a teacher, often overlooked. Yet by her dedication, she transformed despair into brilliance, giving the world not just a student, but a beacon of hope. Should we not exalt such a role? Should we not see in every teacher the possibility of awakening another Helen, another leader, another sage?

To call teaching an exalted profession is to recognize its sacred power. For the teacher does not build monuments of stone that crumble with time; he builds monuments of spirit, etching wisdom into the hearts of the young. What empire is stronger than a generation trained in justice, kindness, and reason? What throne is higher than the mind awakened to truth? Let us no longer allow this profession to be picked on, mocked, or diminished, for when we belittle the teacher, we weaken the very roots of our society.

And yet, the burden of this truth falls not only upon governments or institutions, but upon each of us. Do you remember the teacher who first saw your potential, who praised you when others did not, who stayed late into the evening so that your light might shine brighter? That one did not labor for wealth or acclaim but for the love of learning itself. To honor teaching is not merely to speak in praise but to act — to support schools, to encourage those who enter the profession, to lift their voices in policy and in practice.

The lesson, then, is clear: we must see teachers as heroes, not as servants to be overlooked. In every culture that has thrived, those who guided the young were given respect equal to warriors and kings. For while the soldier guards the walls of a city, the teacher guards the soul of its people. One preserves the body of a nation; the other preserves its spirit. Which is greater? Can one endure without the other?

Therefore, let us resolve: honor your teachers, past and present. Support them with your voice and your resources. Teach your children to respect them, not with fear, but with gratitude. And if you find yourself in the noble position of teaching, remember the weight of your calling — stand tall, for you are among the exalted. Do not bow your head to ridicule or weariness, but walk as one entrusted with a holy task.

So I say, in the spirit of Schumer’s words: let teaching be lifted high. Let it be crowned as the foundation of all professions, for every doctor, every artist, every leader once sat at the feet of a teacher. And let us not wait until the flame flickers weakly, but now, while it still burns, let us fan it, protect it, and exalt it — for upon this flame rests the destiny of all future generations.