Words can hardly describe how this past week went. I have been inspired and motivated again and again by my students, who, despite facing obstacle after obstacle, have come through and have shown me what perseverance means.
This past week, I attended the Michigan Youth in Government conference in Lansing with 12 of my students. These students participated in mock trials, a model legislature, and debate. After over 5 months of practice, our mock trial team was finally ready, and out of a field of 22 competing schools, qualified for the semi-finals of the State Tournament and finished 3rd. Their opposing teams couldn’t believe that a team from the east side of Detroit could do so well, and yes, despite where they may be from, the team finished 5-1. Over the past few months, we struggled, argued and they had to get pushed harder and harder. Through frustration and sometimes, heated debates, they finally pulled through and made themselves, us, and their school proud of their achievements.
Coming into this conference after a difficult week with some of the 9th graders, it was easy to return to the paradigm that teaching was a vicious cycle, where bad days would always follow good days. It was difficult for me to see the reward sometimes, as there really was no tangible reward. You don’t get thanked, and sometimes you don’t see the academic progress that you want in your students. However, seeing the relentless effort and pursuit of success of these students this week, I am inspired. Granted, I was with 12 of my best students, but their thirst for knowledge and the betterment of themselves was evident. I spent 18 hours a day with my students – beginning at breakfast, through committee sessions and mock trials, sharing lunch and dinner, and getting to hang out together afterwards, I have gotten to know them as people, and as leaders.
Throughout this week, my students fought through problems back home, little fights at the conference, and even a breakup, and still managed to get a tremendous amount out of this experience. They stood up for what they believed in – debating bills that would help the city of Detroit and its schools. They valiantly and passionately fought for rights for minorities and the less-fortunate. They stood up and corrected those who were ignorant of the problems facing inner cities, sharing real-life experiences of what it actually is like to live in poverty. They had no fear, even knowing that some of these students had higher ACT scores, or higher reading levels, or came from better schools and wealthier families. Nothing fazed them, because they themselves knew that they had the ability and the talent.
At the end of the conference last night, we sat out in the courtyard in a circle and shared our reflections. The students talked about how Denby helped them through their problems, about how much they love their school, and their hope that the changes forthcoming won’t affect their education. These students – every one of them leaders in their own right – showed me why I’m doing my job. It is to ensure that the students get what they deserve, both academically and emotionally. The students shared honestly about how Denby had changed them, and one theme that really stood out was how the school showed them that someone outside of their family could care about them. One of the students mentioned that their teachers were some of the few people outside of ‘his race’ that cared about who he was. They shared about how they went through the loss of family members, bad life choices and complicated backgrounds, and grew out of them better people and citizens. They shared about how their teachers had pushed them and made them learn, even when they didn’t want to. They told us that their best teachers were the ones that were the hardest on them; those that punished them for being late and not turning in homework.
At the end of the night, we huddled up together and shared. We prayed for our school, our teachers, our administration, and most importantly, our students. We prayed for stability, for safety, for strength. We shared about our hopes; a hope that the changes forthcoming will benefit, not obstruct, our students’ education. Our prayers and reflections gave me hope; it showed me how much the students cared and took ownership of their own education. It showed me that the students had a fire in them to fight for their rights and their future. It showed me that school, to most of these students, was a refuge. It was a refuge from the harsh realities of life, from the unfortunate circumstances that far too often plague our community. On Friday, 300 students from Denby walked out of class and protested outside the building for their rights. They protested because they had feared for the future of the school they love. They didn’t do it because they hated school, but the exact opposite. They did it because they loved their school and treasured it so much that they would risk punishment and stand in solidarity to advocate for its future.
After all this, I was once again reminded that sometimes, students don’t act out because they don’t care. The only hope, for some, is to be at school. To some, it is a refuge; to others, it is a home they never had. It is here that they have found family and love. It is here that they have found a meaning in life. And to take that away from any of them would be unfair. To give up disciplining them because I’m tired isn’t an excuse. To yell because they frustrate me isn’t an excuse. To want to quit because they are disrespectful, that’s not an excuse either. Why? Because these students care. Because we are fighting for their futures. We are teaching them to learn respect, to be productive members of society. It’s not time to back down and let them rot in the paradigm of failure and complacency, but it’s time to work and to love them like no other, because that’s why they keep on coming to school everyday. It’s time to write lessons that engage our students, to ask questions that challenge them, to discipline them in ways that are fair and consistent, and to love them like we have never loved before.
On a lighter note, here is what our country would look like if it were ran by high schoolers (based on the bills that were passed by the teen legislature and signed into law by our youth governor):
- -- All marriages are considered civil unions; the government has no role whatsoever in marriages
- -- Michigan would have a constitutional amendment allowing gay marriages
- -- Marijuana would be legalized for recreational purposes
- -- The sales tax would be increased to 7%
- -- Emergency financial managers would be outlawed
- -- Teens with learners permits would be able to drive at night
- -- All passengers in cars would have to wear seat belts
- -- The 10-cent bottle deposit would apply to all bottles
- -- All students would receive 2 total hours of ‘rest periods’ per semester
- -- Ultrasounds would be required before all abortions
- -- Gym would no longer be a requirement for graduation
- -- Hunting season would open on a weekend to allow for opening day celebrations
- -- Lowering the hunting age to 14 without adult supervision
- -- GPA-based bridge cards for work study-eligible college students
- -- Students would receive a college scholarship if they have at least a 3.0 GPA and a 21 on the ACT (this was especially interesting because ALL of the delegates from Southeast Michigan found this essential, but all of the delegates from elsewhere thought this was a form of socialism)
- -- Prostitution would be legalized in Michigan
