I don’t really don’t think that I have the emotional strength and energy to completely do this “update” of sorts justice, but I’ll try.
You are reading this because you are a person of love – for me, for the poor, and for children. Having this knowledge of who you are is important because I know that no matter what I write in this update, I will still be loved and supported – and this comforts me because I hardly have much energy to write.
All I ask of you is that you ponder and think about the title of this update – “Public Schools in America is Where Class Becomes Caste.” Think about what this means…think about the implications of what this means to my children – 99% new immigrants from down south (Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Panama, Ecuador, Mexico, and El Salvador). Most of my students have had the poorest and most interrupted educations in the world and now they are asked to completely turn things around to make a life for themselves. They are asked - with 3rd grade level skills, parents using welfare stamps, very little knowledge of English, and warped perceptions that education makes you less Latino – to compete with the wealthy, privileged students who have grown up with the best education, parents that always provided a meal and a place to sleep (a much, much more), in a house where education and going to college means everything from early on. How are they supposed to – or how could they want to, rather – compete in this type of society? Why should they even try?
They should try because they deserve the same opportunities, They should try because we know better – we know that God created all of us. We know that these are our young brothers and sisters. We know that they come from another country, but country and language are worthless in the Nation of God – the Nation of Humanity – the Nation that has no borders or prejudice. I ask that you fight this gap by doing your part to provide for my students some very needed resources that will allow me to catch these students up – or try at least; resources that will give them the incentive and engagement that they need to break stereotypes and become invested.
My students are incredible kids and have high ambitions and it is our job, our obligation, as the resourced to provide the equality in opportunities that the system will always fail to provide. Email me if you’re interested: andreweatworld32@gmail.com
for the wild,
andrew
