Teacher brings back lessons from Morocco

Michelle Steele returned to her MUHS French classroom last month after having spent the previous four months on a Fulbright sabbatical in Morocco. While there, she interviewed 30 teachers in eight schools stretching from Casablanca to Guelmim, studying ways to make French curriculum more reflective of the diverse communities in which it is spoken.

That comes thanks to a recent, unanimous vote by the Addison Central School District Board to cut through language in the current teachers’ contract that had prompted ACSD officials to initially deny her request.

For those who might despair that speaking out doesn’t change anything and the best bet is to stay silent and let others fight their battles, the story of Michelle Steele is heartening.

I was disappointed to read about Superintendent Burrow’s denial of Michelle Steele’s sabbatical request.

Contradictory language in the Addison Central School District teachers’ contract and a national shortage of educators could keep Michelle Steele from taking advantage of the opportunity of a lifetime.

Michelle Steele knows languages can open doors. Her acquisition of French as a young student led to her appreciation of other countries and cultures, not to mention her current job as a language educator at Middlebury Union High School.