As we commemorate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., I am featuring the voices of my students. These students are the children Dr. King wrote about in his writings on education that our children were born for this.
On his 90th birthday celebration, the challenges Dr. King spoke about are still relevant.
Immigration and poverty impact how children learn at school.
It’s like a war on our children in many rural, inner city and lower-income communities.
We can no longer think that not educating our children about what’s happening is protecting them from it.
My student Julio wrote his “Dream” in response to an educational article we read regarding racial tension in America.
The article discussed why athletics are supporting the Take A Knee protest. Many students of color agree that the racial hatred in America needs to be addressed.
“Go Back Wetback” . . . “Hands Up Don’t Shoot!” are real life threats that Black and brown boys in schools across America are facing everyday.
Julio wrote about why immigrants deserve a chance to have a happy life too because this is a real dream of his. As a teacher, taking these real life situations and connecting them to Dr. King’s writings on education
We have to empower our children to do the uncomfortable and speak about injustice.
“Injustice massively impacts education in this country!”
Stated by the founder of the EJI, Bryan Stevenson, today at the MLK Commemorative Celebration.
His words call our attention to Dr. King’s advocacy to how America accountable for how children are educated.
Dr. King’s advocacy brought to mainstream America the thousands of Black and brown children failed daily by an unjust educational system.
I believe that changing the injustice in our educational system begins with empowering our children to speak out on their experiences.
Teaching them about the importance of civic engagement allows for us to have an improved, democracy.
As we celebrate Dr. King on his 90th birthday, it’s time for all children to have a just and free education this country has promised for so long.
Jason has worked in education for over 15 years as a teacher, blogger and community advocate. He speaks and writes primarily about the need to improve education for Black boys, particularly increasing the number of Black male educators in schools. In addition to blogging here at EdLanta, Jason is also a featured writer at Education Post.