When one of her 6th grade students remarked “you can’t run for office in this country unless you’re a millionaire or you know a lot of millionaires,” Nevada public school teacher Tierney Cahill insisted that in a democracy anyone can run for office. Her students dared her to prove it–by running herself.
Looking at twenty-eight intent faces, I knew that I had just been handed a test. Would this grown-up be as contradictory and hypocritical as so many of the adults and personalities in their lives? If our country worked the way I had said it did, and if normal people could—and should—be involved in government, then as their teacher I shouldn’t have a problem stepping up to do what they’d asked. It was as if they were saying, “Either you are what you say you are and you believe that whole line you gave us, or you’re totally full of crap, and we’re going to find out right now.” In many ways, our roles of teacher and pupil had suddenly switched. What I say is really going to matter, and I’d better think fast, I realized.
Thoughts rocketed through my brain like simultaneous fireworks explosions.
Oh my god, what have I gotten myself into?
Do I believe what I told them? Or am I simply a mouthpiece for the establishment? Are these kids going to look back and resent me someday when they think about their teacher’s rosy, half-honest introduction to politics?
She ran, and ended up winning the Democratic primary in Reno, with her students acting as her campaign managers. Her new book, Ms. Cahill for Congress tells the story.
This has all the makings of the next big ”hero teacher” movie. No surprise then to learn that Hollywood is already all over it. Halle Berry will play Ms. Cahill.
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