Meridian loses Klein to retirement

by Robert Tackett, Reporter|February 20, 2020

Tony Klein's senior year getting MVP award in football, Klein went on to teach at the high school four years later.

photo by 1981 Maconois Yearbook

Tony Klein’s senior year getting MVP award in football, Klein went on to teach at the high school four years later.

Meridian High School teacher, Tony Klein, is set to retire at the end of the year after 35 years of teaching.

“I started teaching at Meridian in 1985, it was my first ever teaching job and as this year ends I don’t know what I’ll do… I mean it’s only been seven months into the school year,” Klein said.

Klein started in the Macon School District as a student in the fourth-grade. His senior year he was voted for Homecoming King. He graduated from Macon in 1981 and went to Millikin University for college. When he returned to the Macon School District after he graduated from college, he decided to become a coach and later a teacher. Klein has been with Macon Meridian his entire professional career.

The king and queen of homecoming Tony Klein and Amy Wooters

Elizabeth Snow, sophomore, said, “We talked a lot about our daily lives and made the class fun. TK is such a laid back teacher, but also makes sure we understand what we’re learning.”

One of the things freshman students are worried about is learning how to drive and passing the written driver’s test. Klein takes students through a step by step process on how to safely drive.

Avril Morrell, freshman, said, “I think his class helped me to realize that driving isn’t supposed to be difficult, especially if you use common sense.”

Learning with Klein can be stressful if you’re not doing your job as a student. Klein tries his best for the students and tries to prepare them for the road ahead in their career as students and graduates.

“What I enjoyed while teaching was the students, waking up and going to school just to see them and teach,” Klein said.

As Klein’s career went on at Meridian High School, he acquired the nickname “TK” which gets used by both staff and students throughout the years and will surely be a name that’s remembered.

“When he’s gone, I’ll mainly miss his presence, his good report about the kids, how he’s always positive about his job as well as him being positive around everyone,” Micah Sheppard said, the athletic physical education teacher and varsity football coach.

The staff and students will miss TK after he leaves. 

“After retiring I hope I could be able to sub, but we’ll never know, it depends on the money,” Klein said.