The teachers of a Detroit elementary-middle school banned together to stage a stick out which led to the school being closed for two days. This was in an attempt to gain attention for the school's hazards: warped floors, old or no textbooks, and kids having to play in the hallways for recess because the gym is unsafe and the playground is covered in a layer of steam. All of which are deemed unsafe and unsatisfactory. Unfortunately, the district is in so much debt they refuse to put aside enough to do any good for the school. In agreement with the teachers, the school's counselor says "We are losing generations of children because we are failing them. We are failing them because we are not able to provide everything that they need: textbooks, programming and even the facilities, and that is criminal. And those are just the basics, that's the necessities."
I read this article and thought about how lucky we are to go to school where we do. Sure we have gross bathrooms that only work half the time and we complain about the "unfair" district on a daily bases but then you look at our two theaters, huge dance studios, soundproof band room, and high class art studios compared with their moldy gyms, we have every right to be grateful and give thanks. These schools remind me of the Gilded Age's Hull Houses, founded by Jane Adams. They offered classes to help the new immigrants merge into the American way of life (some my call it assimilation or Americanization), as well as day care service, libraries, classes, and an employment bureau. It specifically targeted the women to have their own ideas and make their mark in society. The Hull Houses were definitely not squeaky clean and had some of the same conditions as our present day Detroit school. The difference, though, is that back then they didn't have as high of public standards. Now we do. Back then it was a bummer. Now it is unacceptable.
http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/15/health/detroit-school-teacher-frustrations/index.html
This relates a lot to the poor working conditions of the Gilded Age that we have recently talked about. It is so sad to hear about these unsafe conditions and we should never forget how fortunate we are!
ReplyDeleteHaha, that school sounds just like my elementary school in Mexico, exept we didn't have a gym, or cafeteria, or free food, or free textbooks.
ReplyDeleteHey but at least we HAD classrooms, and beaten old textbooks we could buy, and teachers that cared for us and taught us. We never complained- we didn't even know what to complain about. We loved our school and we were being educated, that was more valuable than anything. I have nothing but good memories and miss it greatly even now.
It suprises me sometimes to hear how ungrateful students here are of their public schools. To us in Mexico, facilities like the ones here would be for private rich schools. Even the desks look new- I bet my school had never gotten new desks since it started!
Now, I'm not saying its ok. If there's a chance to bring awareness and improve conditions for students, do it! Those teachers in Detroit did good. But its important to realize all the time how privileged we are to be in a country where public schools can afford to replace old desks. Everyday when I go to school I've said it many times— I feel like the luckiest person in the world, and I thank everyone that got me to where I am. I hope with all my heart that everyone in Mexico and anywhere where students don't have desks or a classroom (because even then I knew our school in Mexico was privileged) can enjoy the same happiness I have.
Good job to the teachers of that Detroit school! Hopefully the students there can realize how lucky they really are.
It's really sad to see these schools closing. This limits the opportunities for the children who attend that school.
ReplyDeleteTea Perez 1st period
It's good that the teachers are taking a stand, almost like labor unions.
ReplyDelete