To the editor:

Education is not static.

As the needs of students change, teachers are constantly working to keep up. For those of us who have made education a career, that can be laborious, but it’s a labor of love.

On World Teachers’ Day this Oct. 5, we all should take a moment to thank the teachers in our lives who committed themselves to improving our education and our lives. But we also need to take a moment to think about who will be there to help the next generation of students grow.

This year’s World Teachers’ Day theme is the future of the profession, and even here in New York — where we are lucky that a sound, basic education is a constitutional right for every child — there is uncertainty about what the future holds. Enrollment in our teacher preparation programs has dropped significantly, and some school districts struggle to fill open positions.

Education is not static, and we as a society cannot fall into complacency about the future of education. We all should invest in ensuring that teaching — a public service in its own right — is not demonized, short-changed or made out to be a lower-tier career.

Ensuring a bright future for teaching is ensuring a bright future for the next generation.

Don Carlisto

New York State United Teachers Board of Directors

Saranac Lake