She could be my future student....

I've always been overwhelmed as I am sure most are, when I hear about a child's life ending too soon.  I think about the love of my life, my Nephew, and I get choked up thinking about how I, or my brother, sister-in-law and the rest of the family would go on another day.  Yet every weekend, like clockwork, you can bring up the Tribune news page and see the headlines "_# of teens shot over the weekend in Chicago...".  And then, it seems, every couple months now, a shooting happens that shakes us to our core.  This weekend, it was a 6 year old girl, innocently riding her scooter, who got caught in some bullshit gang crossfire.  I cried as I read the article.  Her parents, siblings, aunts and uncles devastated and her young life changed as she knew it, in the blink of an eye. (she is in critical condition as of this blog posting)

As I traveled down to the loop this morning to study at school, the Trayvon Martin rally was beginning to organize.  I got chills as I walked by and shot a thumbs up at a couple people.  And again, was reminded of another life, this one lost too early, due to ignorance and hate.

I don't mean to get super philosophical here, but I have to question, what are we doing to stop these tragedies at the ground level, meaning, what are we doing to educate our youth so they grow to understand it is not okay to kill...ever. for any reason...especially hate.

Children today, from age 2 in some instances, spend more awake time with teachers and at school than with their families.  My nephew just started "School" (he is 2 but that's what they call it now!)  and he is there some days 8+ hours.  That's the most concentrated time (aside from the weekend) that he spends with anyone. He has been there less than a month and is already saying "no no no" which, he never said before.  He picked it up from some of the other children and like that, it's in his vocabulary. What are the adults thoughts and beliefs with whom he spends all this time?  Do they believe the "stand your ground" law is legitimate or fu$%ing ridiculous??  Are they able to detect children who have racist tendencies and nip them in the bud?

If you haven't seen the Kids response to the controversial Cheerios commercial, I recommend watching it.  Here's the link:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VifdBFp5pnw  Brilliant.  And yet, at some point, will some of their opinions change, and if so...why???

How are we educating our educators so they can lay the groundwork for peace?  Are we teaching them to have the hard, uncomfortable conversations about race?  Do we work these conversations into our classrooms and lessons?

In one of my classes this week, we read a letter from Booker T Washington and then an almost contra viewpoint from “The Souls of Black Folk,” by W. E. B. Du Bois.  There was a lot in the letters/speeches that made me think, but this paragraph stuck out as it could have been written today:


“It is a peculiar sensation, this double-consciousness, this sense of always looking at one’s self through the eyes of others, of measuring one’s soul by the tape of a world that looks on in amused contempt and pity. One ever feels his two-ness — an American, a Negro; two souls, two thoughts two unreconciled strivings; two warring ideals in one dark body, whose dogged strength alone keeps it from being torn asunder.”

It also made me sad.  Have we really not moved beyond since the 1900's?

In our interview sessions in OSI we had prospective teacher candidates read an article by Dr. Charles Payne, "Still Crazy After All These Years".  We then conduct an open dialogue and, for real, some candidates say, " well, I am color blind, I don't see black or white."  That's like saying I don't see the money tree in the yard, I am happy with my life as it is.  That's crap.  You can't understand it if you "claim" you don't see it and you certainly can't benefit from it or help others if you ignore it.  What are you going to say when a child asks you a question such as, "why don't white people live in our neighborhood", or, "my mom says the southside of the city is bad because its where all the gangbangers live..."( two true questions from children)  Do you use that as a teachable moment, or mumble some bullshit to skirt around it because you yourself, are not educated enough on the subject to discuss?

A colleague in another cohort posted a recommended reading the other day entitled, "Unlikely Allies in the Academy: Women of Color and White Women in Conversation"edited by Karen L. Dace.  Here's a quick description, though not complete:

"Unlikely Allies in the Academy brings the voices of women of Color and White women together for much-overdue conversations about race. These well-known contributors use narrative to expose their stories, which are at times messy and always candid. However, the contributors work through the discomfort, confusion, and frustration in order to have honest conversations about race and racism."


I bought the book and will let you know how it is.

My heart goes out to Trayvon's parents as they fight to effect change and in that effort, are reminded every single day of their precious baby boy's young life lost.  and...if you are a religious person, please keep the young girl who was shot in your prayers.  She could be my future student and I want to meet her.