Who needs a Flack Jacket & Combat Pay?

I worked for 34 years in education.  The first 7 in a blue collar neighborhood, a year in a rural neighborhood, & the final 26 years in a suburban/rural/urban neighborhood.   The stories you'd here about what it must be like teaching in the cities of Troy, Albany, & Schenectady.  How you'd need combat pay & flack jackets if you taught there.  Then I retired & have done most of my subbing primarily in the city of Schenectady & have had student teachers in the city of Albany.  I can only say how impressed I have been in the quality of their programs, the staff I have worked with, and the kids.  If anything these kids come from so much less and are appreciative of whatever you can give them.  The other day I witnessed a 7th gradeboy who had borrowed a pencil return to class to return the pencil.  Sounds small but he could easily have kept it or just thrown it away.  Today I had a 6th grade boy remind my class of third graders that they needed to help me pronounce their names rather then ridicule me for my efforts. He didn't have to say anything. You should have seen their reaction. I had a great day with them.  I can honestly say, that I have enjoyed every day that I have subbed & have walked away impressed with the efforts of the staffs and children.  KUDOS to all those involved in educating the kids in these schools.  No Flack Jacket or Combat Pay needed.  I'll be back.