Dear Dre,

Dear Dre,

I hear you hate school. That’s okay by me (at least for now) because you get to hate what you want to hate and you get to love what you want to love.

It may surprise you to learn that I hate some things about school too.

1.    I hate the system that has historically overlooked and refused to teach and serve students of color. I hate that the results of our racism have left us with rules and routines that benefit some while alienating others. But when I hate something, I try to channel that negative energy and use it to push toward positive change. So, I’m working with peers, training teachers, leading committees and doing a lot of writing about the brokenness of our system and about the many steps we can, should, and are taking toward growth and equity.

2.    I hate when I work with and around people who are mean spirited and (if not racist) ignorant. I am training myself to turn from hate and turn toward wonder. I wonder what made them so mean spirited. I wonder where the hurt and anger comes from. What is their story? When they seem ignorant and say things that I perceive as racist, I ask them what makes them say that. The honor in being a teacher is that we get to educate and help people learn to think and behave in expanded, more well-informed ways. So, in spite of how exhausting it is to continually have to educate people, I keep at it. Not only because they need to know, but also because I see lots of people actually work to change. It is heartwarming to see ignorance become awareness and it is empowering to know I had a role in that.

3.    I hate that, as a school system, we measure people more on their reading and math skills than we do on their life skills. I hate that we obsess about what is “grade level”. So, my “work around” is that I ask my students to recognize and name their many strengths (especially the ones that don’t show up on reading and writing and math tests). These strengths constantly inspire me as there are so many different intelligences that our world needs. Where would we be as a society without art or music or sports? I find that people develop the skills they practice. Clearly you have shown a strong ability to gain skills practiced—(basketball)-- I wonder what other skills will be gained as you practice them. One of my coaches once told me that our team can only be as strong as the weakest player on the court. Our job is to make that player stronger. I bet you will help strengthen a lot of teammates in your lifetime.

There are two very important things I need you to know about me as a teacher:

1.    I do not care if my students are considered “behind” in academics. If someone admitted to me that they didn’t know 1 + 2 = 3. Then I would say, “Today is your day. Let’s learn it!” Then I’d be honored to be the teacher who helped them. I would also protect them from anyone saying (or thinking) they are dumb for not knowing that. I’d say something like, “Well, when you were learning 1 + 2 = 3, who knows what he was learning. Probably something even more important to society and to his life, which if we are lucky, he might teach us more about later. We can never judge someone’s true intelligence based on problems assigned in school. Life presents many challenges and tests that are far deeper and harder than anything we could assign in school. Let’s support one another and share our skills without laughter or judgement because someday soon, we will benefit from the skills he has to offer.”

2.    I already chose to love you. You can’t choose that for me and you can’t take my choice away. Love strives to lift up. And my goal is to lift you up. Love wants to see people rise. And I can’t wait to watch you soar. Sometimes love is tough love because it wants the best and sometimes the best is not the easiest. But tough love is still love. You don’t have to love me back. You can if you want, but my love does not depend on being loved in return. If you make me mad or sad or frustrated, I will still love you. The best thing about love is that it is hopeful. It hopes and believes in people. I feel like I was destined to be your teacher and you were destined for our class. We need you more than you might ever realize.

My plan is to keep coming and to keep believing. Even when I hate certain things about our system. Even when I am exhausted by people’s racial ignorance. Even when it’s really hard to teach reading and math and all the other subjects.

I hope your plan is to keep coming too, even when you hate it. That hate means you are wise enough to see the challenges and the injustice. Let’s use that wisdom and energy to hold our hopes for a better tomorrow. Like I said, I think we need you more than you might realize.