Dear Governor Daugaard and South Dakota’s Legislators,
I need your help answering a question that has been plaguing me for the past few weeks. Did I make a mistake coming back to South Dakota?
As a teacher and a gay man, I am starting to think that the South Dakota legislator really doesn’t want me around. I left three years ago to move to Colorado to be closer to my family. I had not lived so close to anyone from my immediate family for almost 10 years. It was wonderful. Then, I got a call from a friend at Lincoln High School, where I had previously taught; they had an opening for the coming school year. Would I be at all interested in applying? Basically, I would get to resume my former position as a debate coach and speech teacher. After some discussion, my partner and I decided that a move back to S.D. would be the right choice for us. While I am happy to be back near his family and near our friends, I can’t help but feel that the State Legislator would have rather I stayed in Colorado regardless of what my education and abilities can bring to the state.
Now before you write this off as the overly dramatic vapors of a drama queen, I ain’t that type anyway, let me explain what I bring to the table. My experience with S.D. started in college where I earned both my bachelors and master’s degree from USD. Staying after college was a decision that my partner and I made together. At that time, I started supporting the young adults of my community as a swim coach for a club team and a swim instructor. Numerous swimmers went on to win state titles, and one team set a new state record for the 8 and Under Medley Relay. That time also found me teaching classes as an adjunct instructor for local colleges. I finally landed a great opportunity to coach debate and teach at Lincoln High School. From 2008 – 2012, I greatly enjoyed my time teaching high school and helping students be successful. In that time, we had teams win National titles, and I was named the Outstanding Young Speech Teacher for S.D. in 2010. It was hard to leave. Having the chance to return to S.D. and Lincoln allowed me to return to a community I have come to care about, and allows me to continue to support young people in their journey for success. I am currently finishing my Doctorate with the hopes of teaching at a university or college in S.D. to help train future teachers. I want to see South Dakota continue to thrive. I want to do my part to help others find success. I want South Dakota to be my home. But, what I am hearing from the state makes me think that perhaps I would be better off somewhere else. Am I right?
Think about the messages I have been hearing over the last month. First as a teacher, I am not worth the states time to be paid for my skills and education. Yes, the Governor has proposed an increase in sales tax to help raise teacher pay, but his own party is fighting the idea. The blame by some of the group is that schools are just mishandling what they already have. I remember before leaving, when we as teachers had to decide how we were going to take pay cuts because of a lack of funding support from the state. No matter how we decided, people were losing money. It was just a matter of who and how much. What has the S.D. legislator done to show me that it cares about teachers, and actually respects us? So already, I begin to wonder as a teacher, did I make the right choice coming back to a place that doesn’t even respect my profession and career?
Then there are the bills being debated that would allow a business to discriminate against me citing their personal beliefs and the bill that denies people who are transgender simple access to a bathroom that best matches who they are as individuals. While the former most directly impacts me, it is the latter that is more appalling to me. As an educator, I have seen firsthand how students struggle with harassment and bullying over things as simple as clothing or school supplies. As a gay man, I grew up being harassed because people merely suspected I was gay, let alone how they would have treated me if I had come out. As the advisor to the GSA at my school, I hear the stories from my students about being bullied and harassed simply for being themselves. Now the state legislator passes a bill that denies the struggles of these individuals to find acceptance. The state claims it is done in the name of safety, and then in the very same breath explains how they don’t know any transgender individuals. So wait. You are protecting us from a threat that doesn’t even exist? You are protecting us from something that you know nothing about? Wow. If we want to talk threats in the bathrooms, maybe we need a bill that forces politicians to use completely separate facilities from everyone else. I know I could cite some definite stories on how advances are made by politicians in bathrooms. But that is beside the point. The bigger problem is that people who are transgendered are being painted as deviant and predatory. It is only matter of time before I am next. Oh wait, they have that bill up for consideration this session, too. And actually, in some states I would be fired as an openly gay teacher because the same predatory images are applied to gay men as well. So as a gay man I have to wonder, did I make the right choice coming back to a state where I and others in the LGBT community are treated like second class citizens?
This past month with all the speeches and news stories about what our legislature is up to has only made me feel more unwelcomed and disrespected by the state. I believe I contribute a lot to the community and can continue to do so in the future. As a teacher and debate coach, I work tirelessly to help students be successful and set high expectations. As an openly gay man in a committed 10 year relationship, I help LGBT students feel comfortable with who they are and develop hope that their life really can get better. As a member of my community, I set an example of caring for others and supporting others. But I have to ask again, did I make a mistake coming back to South Dakota. For all of South Dakota’s talk about wanting to keep talented individuals in the state and trying to retain top teachers, they sure are making it clear that they only want you, if you will fit into their mold.
You are supposed to live life without regrets, and I have tried very hard to do that. But now, because of the actions of the legislature, I might be developing my first one.
Sincerely,
Tony Martinet
Debate Coach/English Teacher
LincoLn High School
Sioux Falls, SD
[email protected]
