Do Right By Kids: The Year Isn’t Over, So Why Are We Stopping

Gwendolyn Lavert, PhD | Contributor on Children Education and Literacy Education

What if I told you that too many kids are being left behind—not because they can’t learn, but because we decided to stop teaching? Doing right by children means showing up every single day, not just when it’s easy, not just when it’s convenient, and definitely not just when tests are coming. It means fighting for their future even when the system says, “It’s time to wind down.”

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Children don’t stop needing us because the school year is almost over. They don’t stop learning because the state tests are done. And they don’t stop dreaming just because adults decide it’s time to check out.

Every child deserves teachers who believe in them until the final bell. What happens to the child who needs just a few more weeks of support? They move to the next grade even less prepared, falling further behind, year after year. They deserve a school that refuses to waste time, lower expectations, or settle for less when so much is still at stake.

This Isn’t Just About Effort—It’s About Equity

Students in underserved schools can’t afford for us to check out early. The gaps don’t close by themselves.

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The final stretch of the school year is just as critical as the first, and for many students, it’s their last chance to gain the skills they need to succeed.

What Does Doing Right by Children Look Like?

Teaching like every lesson matters—because it does. Encouraging growth until the last day—because students don’t stop learning. Believing in their potential—because confidence is built through action. Making sure they leave stronger than they came—because the future depends on it.

What if we treated every school day like the most important one? What if we refused to let a single child be left behind because it’s “almost summer”? Like the old song says, ‘Do Right!’—even when no one is watching, even when the year is almost over, even when it’s easier to check out.

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Summer will come, but these final days could change a student’s future. What will you do with them?

Drop a if you refuse to let a single child fall through the cracks—no matter how close we are to summer! Tag an educator who is still pushing for excellence!—no matter how close we are to summer! Tag an educator who is still pushing for excellence! Let’s commit to doing right by children—every single day!

Learn How to Leverage Your Story through our Story To Asset Framework