Thoughts on the Senate Letter

So, someone who subbed in my district wrote a scathing letter about our students to the SENATE. While the author did not sub at my school, the attention has been causing a lot of outrage, and controversy. It also fired up the immigration debate further as it was read on the senate floor.

You can read about it here at NPR or here.

This sparks...well, a bit of outrage, and yet, a sad sigh.

First, let me just say that the articles that have said that "we should be listening to teachers" makes me a bit infuriated. Subbing is an insanely hard job. Some subs have been teachers. But just because the person subs, doesn't mean they are a teacher, have any experience teaching, or know how to handle high-needs kids. We have had subs spread religious paraphernalia, tell our kids they were useless, scream at them, talk on their cell phones the entire hour, shop on the computer, and read magazines. Subs do not command a lot of respect unless they are seasoned veterans of the field, usually. Most are not. So, while I know there are most likely a great number out there who are legitimately good, the ones we tend to get.... have no idea what world they are walking into, do not know how to deescalate a situation, do not have content knowledge, and are still living in the 50s.

That being said....

There are a lot of good kids in our school (despite the year I'm having, I still believe that), and a lot of good kids that have gone through our school. There's a group of former students that are graduating a year early because they were fast-tracked on so many advanced classes. Many have been accepted to the community college for their senior year to build up additional credits before they're ready to go to a university, including some that aren't graduating early.

They call or text me to see if I'm doing okay, they invite me to their quinceneara's (I know I butchered the spelling of that)-- they invite me over for dinner. There are some great, great families.

But there are also some tragic stories. I learned that one of my FAVORITES from last year is in juvie. I don't know why, and while I knew he hung with a crowd that wasn't so great, I didn't think he'd actually get in trouble.

So, I guess that's the crux of it. It isn't that there are a lot of horrid kids that want to be gang bangers. There are a lot of good kids, and a couple of really, really bad seeds. And those seeds can poison a few and take them down with them. Just today, five of my girls got suspended for 5 days for having vodka at school and I can almost guarantee you it was due to the influence of a new pretty, popular girl who just started a couple weeks ago.

They want to be loved, they want acceptance, and they want to feel successful. But when their parents aren't around (whether they're good parents or not), when their teachers routinely quit on them (by giving up, leaving year after year) or when they have first year teachers EVERY YEAR..... they need to find that acceptance somewhere else. So, some find it in gangs. And some get into such terrible trouble because it is the only way to get that so-desired attention from their parents.

Furthermore, these kids feel totally de-validated every. single. day. This state has made it law that we can't speak Spanish to them. They know about SB1070 and are outraged because many of them ARE citizens and feel like they are being profiled and that their civil liberties are at risk. They know about the schools in Tucson that offered a Hispanic or African view on American history and were pummeled for it. White culture is promoted. Latin culture is denied.

So, how would you feel? How would you react?

I'm not defending the kids who have no respect, who treat me (and others) like total crap, and have no discipline. There should be tough consequences for those who bring drugs or alcohol to school, start riots, or are defiant. Yet, in teaching we learn that sometimes--SOMETIMES-- when shit is hitting the fan, we have to look at ourselves.

Maybe the kids all failed that test because we did a sucky job teaching.
Maybe the kids are all failing because we as a STATE are doing a sucky job supporting parents, creating programs for lower income families, and educating the youth.

We ask them to take responsibility all the time-- but do those with the power ever do the same? Or do they pass the buck? It is easier, far easier to blame the children rather than to say that YOU might be the fault.