Sara Ferguson, Pennsylvania Teacher, To Sit With Michelle Obama During State Of The Union

When the troubled Chester Upland School District in Pennsylvania was drained of funding, officials realized they couldn't afford to pay its staff after January 11.

But that didn't stop teachers and support staff, who said they would keep working without pay, "as long as we are individually able," The Philadelphia Inquirer reported.

When the educators gathered to make their resolution, Columbus Elementary School math and literacy teacher Sara Ferguson was featured in the Inquirer piece. She has taught in Chester Upland for 21 years.

"It's alarming. It's disturbing. But we are adults; we will make a way," she said at the time. "The students don't have any contingency plan. They need to be educated, so we intend to be on the job."

Tonight, Ferguson will take a seat in the First Lady's box, joining Michelle Obama during the State of the Union address. Ferguson will be blogging for HuffPost about her evening with the First Lady at the Capitol.

UPDATE Jan. 25: Read Ferguson's blog, exclusively for HuffPost, here.

The White House described Ferguson as someone who "sees education as a vehicle of change in our society, and feels privileged to have touched the lives of so many students."

In a statement Tuesday, Ferguson said she is "thrilled" by President Barack Obama's invitation to the address.

"This invitation means that education is important to our president and the success of students is important to our president," Ferguson told The Washington Post. "Equity of education across the country for all students regardless of their zip code is important to our country."

Chester Upland's statistics reflect a dismal 51 percent graduation rate last year, coupled with enrollment numbers that have declined by 20 percent and test scores that "regularly rank near or at the bottom of Pennsylvania's 500 school systems," according to The Inquirer. More than one-third of the city's population is considered impoverished.

Check back tonight on HuffPost Education after the President's speech for the exclusive first-person account on Ferguson's attendance at the State of the Union.

Comments

[jmbnmd]

12:45 AM on 02/13/2012

This should be really interesting YESTERDAY on Philly.com by Kristen Graham who broke story about PHILADELPHIA cheating scandal at Cayuga Elementary where Administrator was threatening teachers to keep quite about grade-changing! Wasn't "teacher-bashing" and protection for them mentioned in the State of the Union???

Another interesting caveat is the PHILA School District had been fore-warned about this administrator and her covert actions, but, chose to look the other way---sacrificing GOOD teachers --one in particular--who refused to stay quiet! She sought help from union and district officials --but was laid off recently to keep quiet!

More to come........

Someone has some "splaining to do Lucy"!!!

[FiredUpRTG]

01:44 PM on 01/25/2012

Low income, low taxes, small budgets, small schools.

[Jolyn GarciaBland]

01:09 PM on 01/25/2012

I meant "here" not "her."

[Jolyn GarciaBland]

01:08 PM on 01/25/2012

So, there is no FREEDOM of speech allowed her? I think I wrote a decent comment on here and it was "been removed due to violations." Really??? Thank YOU!

[Jolyn GarciaBland]

01:03 PM on 01/25/2012

SOOO much money in school districts are put in the WRONG pockets and places!! If you are NOT a teacher, married to a teacher, you will NEVER UNDERSTAND WHAT we have to PUT UP WITH, go through and DEAL with!!! I have TRIED to explain to friends, relatives...it's like talking to a BRICK WALL. Even the "top dogs" in school districts don't understand because they are NOT in the CLASSROOM, and they get the TOP DOLLAR!! Anyway, kind of got off track(I'm passionate when any issue about teachers!)...sorry. But, I hate to tell Ms. Ferguson, I'm not sure what she thinks the government will do?!? They are for the corporate America, I don't care WHAT ANY politician says...they are ALL FOR THE DOLLAR THEMSELVES!!! What will fix the problem with money issues in school districts would be to START FROM SCRATCH...BY TEACHERS!!! But, that would NEVER HAPPEN!!! THOSE WEALTHY, FAT-CATS wouldn't have their HANDS in THE "COOKIE" JAR. So unfortunately, the children's education and teachers' jobs are AT STAKE!! Thank you, FAT-CATS for STEALING money from my childrens' pockets and their education...THAT INCLUDES the OBAMAS!!!

[MrOnePercent2012]

12:51 PM on 01/25/2012

PR gimmick I see.

[FiredUpRTG]

01:44 PM on 01/25/2012

Sure, whenever a president brings people to sit up with the FLOTUS, it's a gimmick. Let's not acknowledge those who are heroes on smaller scales.

[MrOnePercent2012]

02:31 PM on 01/25/2012

The Obama's do nothing that isn't politically motivated.

[SoCalifTeacher]

07:43 AM on 01/25/2012

In the end, after all the fanfare, no one will say thank you.

[jenkait]

02:54 AM on 01/25/2012

Totally mixed feelings learning about this. First of all, I'm glad Ms.Ferguson is getting to tell her story, and of course I admire her integrity!

What's troublesome: recently I've heard a lot about teacher being "fatcats" and "if they REALLY cared about the kids they'd work for free" (who can work for free?!) It bothers me that this woman's decency may be used by some to perpetuate this idea. Also, if TPTB get the idea that people in the school district WILL work for free, well then...! I can absolutely see these acts of goodwill being taken advantage of say, next year as well...or maybe they'll work for less, etc.

I do hope they give these people back pay. It just seems so beyond the pale to not be able to pay for children's education, I can think of few things more important. If this is the unfortunate situation, it looks like AT LEAST they've got a good spokesperson in Ms.Ferguson.

[knorman1969]

08:32 PM on 01/24/2012

This teacher and her co-workers need to be commended and to hell with politics we need to help fund education or we are going to lose this fight.

[Stephen Stafford]

07:50 PM on 01/24/2012

You really need to let us know whether you are being serious or not. That comment just makes no sense.

In case that you are serious, tell me this. What is racist about a black teacher sitting with Michelle Obama? I am not aware of any prohibition of Black people consorting with the First Lady in public. After all, she is not solely First Lady of white America. She is everyone's First Lady.

You must be joking. Drats. I missed the joke again.

[jenkait]

03:03 AM on 01/25/2012

I'm at the point where I just flag **** like this, I figure they're trolls and their posts are just garbage.

Anyway, you post thoughtful stuff, I appreciate your comments.

[Enimal57]

08:02 AM on 01/25/2012

Are you really a teacher? You need help.

[silkphoenix]

06:36 PM on 01/24/2012

I just wish all politicians realize how important education is. It should be the last item on the "Budget Cut" list.

[clarkforever]

07:07 PM on 01/24/2012

As a special education teacher in a Title 1 school, the cuts are really bad. The children are the ones suffering. I have students who NEED teaching assistants with them (due to extremely low cognitive abilities and/or severe behavior concerns) but the schools don't have the funding for it.

[mtn gurl]

11:38 AM on 01/25/2012

And they have a racist for a teacher... I hope you don't have tenure. You are exactly the reason some teachers need to go home.

[Jolyn GarciaBland]

01:11 PM on 01/25/2012

AMEN!!! NO ONE WILL LISTEN, sadly.