Elayne Clift: Why teacher strikes matter

Editor’s note: This commentary is by Elayne Clift, who writes about women, culture and social issues from Saxtons River.
Recently, in a piece about mentors, I wrote about a teacher I had in middle school who helped me through a rough time just by being present and listening. I visited her every day after classes because she made me feel noticed when my classmates didn’t. Her calming presence helped me know that I mattered. That kind of validation can be deeply important when you are