Public Schools Week: What We Stand to Lose

By Mike Meldon

I teach high school social studies, and Public Schools Week always makes me pause. Not just to celebrate what we do, but to think about what we might be losing without noticing.

I didn’t start my career in education. I worked toward an MBA and spent time in the business world before deciding I wanted to do something more connected to people and community. Teaching offered that. I knew the pay would never match other careers, but the purpose mattered more.

And it still does. I love my students. I love the conversations that carryon past the bell. I love seeing a young person suddenly connect history to their own life.

Teaching is exhausting, yes—but it is meaningful work.

I also speak as a parent. I have three children in the Loveland City School District, and I’m grateful every day for the teachers, administrators, and board members who serve our community. Loveland has earned a five-star rating on the Ohio School Report Card and ranks among the top districts in the state. That didn’t happen by accident. It came from years of investment, professionalism, and trust.

But I know not every district is so fortunate. Across Ohio and the country, schools are struggling with teacher shortages, outdated facilities, shrinking budgets, and growing needs. When support fades, students feel it first. Programs disappear. Experienced teachers leave. Opportunities narrow.

One issue that gets little attention is how we support people entering the classroom. Federal loan rules use a narrow definition of “professional degree” that includes fields like medicine and law but not teaching. That definition isn’t new, but recent loan-policy debates during administrations including that of Donald Trump have highlighted how borrowing limits and funding priorities can affect future teachers. When training becomes harder to afford and support programs shrink, fewer college students choose teaching as a lifelong career.

Teaching is a profession in every meaningful sense—it requires certification, mentorship, and constant learning. When we stop treating it that way, young people notice. And classrooms feel the loss.

Public education has never been perfect, but it has always been one of our most democratic institutions. It brings together children from every background. It teaches not just math and reading, but citizenship, cooperation, and empathy. It helps hold communities together.

Here in Loveland, our schools are strong. But part of that strength depends on decisions made far beyond our district lines—funding formulas, certification standards, and support from institutions like the U.S. Department of Education. If we take public education for granted, we risk waking up one day to find something essential changed beyond recognition.

Public Schools Week is a chance to pay attention. Visit a classroom. Thank a teacher. Follow school board decisions. Support policies that strengthen—not weaken—our public schools.

Because public schools belong to all of us. And once they are gone, they will be very hard to rebuild.