That's The Story Of How I Was An Honored Guest Of Hillary Clinton [View all]

[DonRedwood]

In 2014 Hillary Clinton was coming to my city to speak. I had just been named Teacher of the Year for my state and so I invited her to visit my room. It was wishful thinking on my part, but as the only special education teacher to ever win this award in my state, I saw this as a chance to have a possible future president spend a little time in a classroom with severely disabled young people.

Secretary Clinton's assistant wrote me back. Mrs Clinton would not be able to visit my room as her schedule was already in place, but I was asked to be Mrs. Clinton's guest at her reception and at her speech.

When I arrived at the venue I was given a different card than everyone else and brought into the reception early. Soon the room filled with the elite of the Democratic Party, city officials, University Presidents and those wealthy enough to donate large sums of money to attend the reception. I was a fish out of water but luckily our past Governor, Ted Kulongowski, a big fan of teachers, took me under his wing and introduced me around the room. Basement-room special ed teachers don't usually get such treatment and I was a bit overwhelmed by the event.

When Mrs Clinton arrived the guests were all told to get out their blue card and get in the picture line. It ends up I was the only person in the room without a blue card. I stood back and watched the line and watched Mrs. Clinton. She was very friendly, all smiles and seemed a genuinely warm person. There were probably 50 people in line so each person was whisked up, introduced to Secretary Clinton, then whisked away. Like a fly on the wall I saw each person get to meet Mrs Clinton. One of Mrs. Clinton's staff walked by me and I told her I wasn't sure what I was supposed to do. She looked at my ID and said, "You are Secretary Clinton's guest, you are doing something different."

That different meant that when the line was winding down I was brought over to meet Mrs. Clinton. She saw me coming and pointed towards me and said, "You! You are the teacher who invited me to his class!" I grinned at her and said hello. I expected to be whisked away but what followed was a conversation about special education. Mrs. Clinton had read all of the recent articles about my classroom and knew that I was teaching kids with pretty profound disabilities. Mrs. Clinton had done her homework. She had taken the time to learn about my students. I was impressed then and I am still impressed now.

Mrs Clinton spent her down-time before her speech hanging out with a teacher. That says something. That reception was full of Governors and Secretaries of State and people with the kind of money that most politicians would chase after. Mrs. Clinton chose the teacher. After a few quick pictures the staff began to remind Mrs Clinton that her speech was only a few minutes away. One grabbed my arm to lead me away but Mrs. Clinton had more to say. She grabbed my arm and stopped me in my place.

"Thank you for what you are doing," she said, and her smile was honest and the look in her eyes showed me that she understood and cared about my students, and she thanked me for being their teacher. Then she held my hand for a moment and I was led out to my seat.

And not just any seat, Mrs. Clinton had given me one of the best seats in the house.

Today I put my photo with Secretary Clinton in the hallway next to my classroom door.

Tomorrow night I will celebrate our first woman President. Tomorrow night I will rest well knowing that Madame President will do her homework even when she doesn't have to.

And that is my story of how I was an honored guest of Hillary Clinton and how she earned my vote.