When a school has to pick up the pieces
Last week, a family friend took her life. She left behind three children, two of them that are adults and one that is in elementary school. She had struggled with her mental health the last few years and I will never forgive myself for not being there more for her after she moved away from Texas.
This post isn’t about the sadness or grief my family has for her loss, which is tremendous. Instead it is meant to be an accurate account of what schools are asked to do each and every day. Normally, I write for my colleagues, but this week, I am writing for both my colleagues and those that are not in education.
The school that her youngest child will attend will now be challenged with providing comfort, support, and love for this young man. You can forget working on his math skills or his reading comprehension. I can’t imagine how he will concentrate. I can’t imagine how he will trust. You see, his father is no longer in the picture either. He will have moments of anger, sadness, and tears. This might occur all on the same day.
More and more students are coming to school with these invisible backpacks filled with grief, sadness, and despair. We are experiencing more and more students that have housing insecurities and many that their main source of nourishment is breakfast and lunch at school. Schools are being asked to be both mom and dad more than ever before. We are counselors, advisors, mentors, and a shoulder to cry on. Have you noticed that we haven’t spoken about teaching and learning yet?
His teachers will not be able to start teaching him how to write a 5 paragraph essay or how to do long division before all his emotional needs are taken care of. This could be weeks, months, or years.
Soon the state of Texas will assign a letter grade to all schools based on state testing. For the school that my friend’s son attends, he will take a state test next Spring. I hope and pray that he is in a good mental state by that point. But what if he isn’t and does poorly on the exam? His score will effect the letter grade that the public views.
You see, at elementary school, state accountability is based on one test, on one day in Texas. I am not sure that everyone fully comprehends that. At the high school level, there are a few more factors of the matrix, but the end of the year testing still accounts for much of the letter grade.
So back to my friend’s son, what if his score is the difference between an A or a B? Or a C to a D? In education, every kid’s score matters and the difference between a letter grade could be the mental state of a 10 year who will never see his mother again.
When the scores are released, all Joe the Plummer will see is another child that was unsuccessful on an exam and that the school must be failing. This is the exact narrative that the legislatures want. Our public schools are failing. We need vouchers for this reason. Parents need choice, they say! We have heard this narrative in Texas from our Governor all summer.
I would venture to say that most of the public doesn’t understand the accountability system. I would also step out on a limb and say that most non-educators will not understand how letter grades are calculated. All they will see is a grade of either an A, B, C, D, or F.
So I pose this question to my colleagues in education . . . What are we doing to educate the public prior to the release of our letter scores on September 28th? Remember, I have always said that if we don’t craft the narrative that one will be provided for us. (Actually stole that from Dr. Alex Flores)
I also must challenge my colleagues to continue to highlight and tell stories about what our educators do each and every day.
Does the public honestly know that we accept any student that lives in our zip code?
Does the public know that we offer school/parent choice and that we have seats available still?
Does the public know that we have trained counselors and delicious meals that are offered in our cafeteria every day?
I have committed this year to providing insight and stories to my community to be able to ensure that everyone understands all that is involved in A -F, and what isn’t. It will be these stories of what isn’t measured with accountability that I believe will help us combat the negative narrative on our schools!
I am convinced now more than ever that the teachers that are starting the 23-24 school year are just what we need to help every student that walks trough our doors. I am proud to call myself an educator and proud of each person that has answered the call! With that said . . .now more than ever, we need the community to become our biggest cheerleaders again, The job is difficult and we are already fighting against people that should be supporting us.
You can support educators! It’s easy, Just be positive. Don’t use social media to question what we do! Don’t use the local neighborhood Mother’s of this neighborhood or that neighborhood . . . and blast education.
The moment you feel that you need to throw shade at a teacher, remember all that they are doing with kids that are coming to school with their invisible backpacks. Remember how they are giving so much of themselves for their students and that could be the reason behind whatever you are about to post.
We have a shortage. Just be nice.
Three random thoughts
Is Eric B and Rakim the greatest rap duo of all time?
It has been so hot in San Antonio, Texas lately, We are on pace to break all kinds of records for heat. I now also feel officially old because I am talking with friends, coworkers, and neighbors about past summer records compared to this year,
My youngest children move into their college dorm on Monday. My wife and I, the parents of five children, will now be empty nesters. I am not sure how I will feel about this but it is about to happen.