Freeport Superintendent Tom Gray urges community to honor teachers' professional expertise

Tom Gray, superintendent of Regional School Unit 5, argues that communities must treat educators as key partners in shaping local values.

Gray, who oversees schools in Freeport, Durham, and Pownal, published a column this month reflecting on the role of public education. He states that schools are one of the most important collective investments a town makes. This investment defines the kind of community residents want to be and the aspirations they hope to carry forward. Gray says he views education not just as a service for children, but as a system that helps define a community's character.

The superintendent brings a personal history to this view. He spent many years as a classroom teacher before moving into administration. He describes teaching as a craft that requires knowledge, judgment, creativity, and patience. He notes that much of the most important work happens in quiet relationships and conversations. These interactions often do not appear in formal assessments or annual reports. He says the work involves recognizing potential in children and creating conditions for them to discover it.

Gray also writes from the perspective of a parent. He raised three children in public schools and says he trusted educators to recognize their individuality and encourage their interests. He admits to having moments of deep frustration when his children struggled. However, he also had moments of deep gratitude. He understood that the adults teaching his children were influencing how they saw themselves and the world. He believes these adults shaped more than just academic skills. They helped shape how his children viewed their place in the community.

The column addresses the current public discourse. Gray says society often shows a diminished regard for expertise and those who serve others. He argues that public education is an institution that brings people together. At their best, schools are places where curiosity is encouraged and differences are respected. He says every child is regarded as someone worthy of time, attention, and belief. Gray contends that if a community truly values education, that belief must be visible in how residents speak about and listen to educators.

Gray calls for a shift in how society honors this work. He says it must go beyond occasional expressions of appreciation. He wants the community to recognize the expertise educators bring to their jobs. He wants their professionalism respected and their perspectives sought. He believes educators should be among the people looked to when discussing the kind of society a town wants to become. He notes that seeing the value of teaching means giving it a central place in public conversations.

The superintendent closes by asking readers to think about an educator who made a difference in their own lives. He asks what that person gave them that they still carry today. He encourages readers to consider how they would want that person recognized. He says he is grateful for the educators who have influenced his life, his children's lives, and the lives of young people in the region. He hopes that as RSU 5 continues to shape its identity, the district will continue to honor the importance of teaching and learning. He says the people who dedicate themselves to that work are vital to the life of the community.