Issues of teacher pay aside, it’s probably safe to assume that at least some teachers, if not most, consider theirs a thankless job.

Regardless of how much they’re paid, teachers across the nation have to deal with bureaucratic paperwork, standardized tests, unruly students, uninvolved (or too involved) parents, long hours, extra duties that have nothing to do with teaching, administrators who have too long forgotten what it’s like to be in the classroom and a public that seems increasingly to see them either as leeches on the public dole or just glorified babysitters.

But teaching, it has been said, is the mother of all other professions. All of us owe thanks to the teachers who inspired and motivated us, from preschool through post-graduate work and even outside of the formal classroom.

Pastor Charles Leavell of Open Hands Christian Fellowship Church understands how vital teachers are and how little they are appreciated. So he has gone out of his way to say thanks.

He’s organized an event for this Saturday at King’s Fork High School. It will include remarks from Superintendent Deran Whitney, speeches from people who have been touched by Suffolk Public Schools, a teacher talking about the joys of teaching, musical selections, a tribute to teachers who have given their lives protecting their students, and more.

The program starts at 6 p.m. Everyone is invited to attend and show their appreciation for the teachers.

“We don’t give enough tribute to our teachers,” Leavell told me recently for a story. “They do more than just teach.”

Many an adult can look back and remember at least one or two teachers who affected their lives in a positive way, and many might never get the chance to pay their gratitude to those teachers in person. It would be a fitting tribute to those teachers to say thanks to the current teachers in their stead, and current students can say thanks before it’s too late.

For more information on the event, call Leavell at 692-9740.