But he does. And he has a good reason: His mother was a teacher in public schools for 35 years.
In a powerful essay published Tuesday in The Atlantic — with an audio version posted on the Foo Fighters’ Soundcloud (below) — Grohl spoke out in support of remote learning that will protect teachers and school employees who may be susceptible to COVID-19.
“As much as Donald Trump’s conductor-less orchestra would love to see the country prematurely open schools in the name of rosy optics (ask a science teacher what they think about White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany’s comment that ‘science should not stand in the way’), it would be foolish to do so at the expense of our children, teachers, and schools,” Grohl wrote.
Advertisement
Trump and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos also do not have any kind of plan in place as to how schools could reopen safely. DeVos has gone so far as passing the buck to school officials, telling CNN earlier this month that educators “can figure out what is going to be right for their specific situation.”
Grohl pointed out the absurdity of this request.
“Every teacher has a ‘plan.’ Don’t they deserve one, too?” the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee wrote.
“My mother had to come up with three separate lesson plans every single day (public speaking, AP English, and English 10), because that’s what teachers do: They provide you with the necessary tools to survive. Who is providing them with a set of their own? America’s teachers are caught in a trap, set by indecisive and conflicting sectors of failed leadership that have never been in their position and can’t possibly relate to the unique challenges they face.”
“I wouldn’t trust the U.S. secretary of percussion to tell me how to play ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ if they had never sat behind a drum set, so why should any teacher trust Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos to tell them how to teach, without her ever having sat at the head of a class? (Maybe she should switch to the drums.)”
He added:
“Until you have spent countless days in a classroom devoting your time and energy to becoming that lifelong mentor to generations of otherwise disengaged students, you must listen to those who have.”
Grohl also dedicated a large portion of his essay to his now-retired 82-year-old mother, whom he described as someone who “tirelessly devoted her life to the service of others, both at home and at work.”
“From rising before dawn to ensure that my sister and I were bathed, dressed, and fed in time to catch the bus to grading papers well into the night, long after her dinner had gone cold, she rarely had a moment to herself,” Grohl wrote. “All this while working multiple jobs to supplement her meager $35,000 annual salary.”
Advertisement
Despite this grueling lifestyle, Grohl’s mom was “invested in the well-being of each and every student who sat in her class,” he wrote.
He recalled moments from his life when his mother’s former students would bump “into her at the grocery store” and erupt “into a full recitation of Shakespeare’s ‘Julius Caesar,’ like a flash mob in the produce aisle.”
“It takes a certain kind of person to devote their life to this difficult and often-thankless job,” Grohl wrote of his mom, who “will forever be my favorite teacher.”
But he also explained why he thinks teachers do what they do.
“Teachers want to teach, not die, and we should support and protect them like the national treasures that they are. For without them, where would we be?”
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.