Meshelle's son missed a lot of school last year. Why? Because they moved. They moved a lot. They moved so much the system refused to keep changing the bus route for him despite the fact that his mom had no car. He nearly missed registration for school. Meshelle's not real swift or organized or capable and she has a speech impediment. I think people get impatient with her a lot. After a huge run-around and lots of misinformation, the grace of the CEO for us to arrive in time, he got registered. They gave her a list of the supplies he needs. She had bought some supplies already. The middle class mind asks why she would buy stuff before she knows what he needs. Now she has no money to buy what the list actually says. The reason is that when there is not enough money to go around, you have to buy things when the money is there and not wait, or else it'll be all gone to other needs.
Meshelle's son has half his supplies, which is more than Jenny and Sebastian down the street. I asked if they were excited to start back to school. They said yes, except they don't have school supplies. Jenny defended herself saying she had supplies. Sebastian argued with her saying she didn't and she retorted that she'll just use what she had left over from last year.
I remember trying to help princess' cousin once with some homework that was sent home because he'd been sick for a week. It was infuriating. The work was fairly advanced (he was in middle school), but I quickly figured out he could barely read. He was supposed to find the river and color it blue. It took us 25 minutes to find something that he could write with and it wasn't blue. I was trying to have him do the work, but ended up making notes all over his work as to why he didn't have a blue marker here, or a green or red and explaining to the teacher that he did indeed show me the river.
School is just geared for middle class... from the supplies, to the methods (sitting and listening), to the tactics (tests writing, essays, three points...). Ruby Payne's book A Framework for Understanding Poverty exposes how the poverty class' culture does not prepare them for school at all.
I don't know what the solutions are, but it dawned on me that my school growing up didn't have any kids from poverty. We were all middle and upper class. There was no cafeteria, or a lunch program. Kids struggled with huge issues, but "what was for supper" was not one of them. I feel for these kids who have to go Monday without all the stuff others will have and at the same time wonder why is it like that at all? How did school starting up become a fashion show of new clothes, new binders and bookbags and supplies?
10 comments:
This post just saddens my heart. I pray that somehow these children are strengthened in character, despite the fashion show. My friend that works in the NGO in Bangkok warned my against giving to the beggar children, she said that it just feeds the cycle of the pimp that takes their money. So I gave them food or drinks. Maybe you could organize a neighborhood garage sale the children and parents could work in to buy school supplies, sell lemonade, whatever. I don't know what the solution is. I pray the you receive wisdom that guides you in what, if any, actions you should take.
Amen, Sister.
It is shameful of our society to limit the education children can receive in a so called public school and only have the barest minimum of what is required supply-wise for each subject. I hurts my heart when I have neighborhood kids who don't get the supplies they need or even the simplest items that we in middle class so often take for granted.
My prayers are with you on guidance and with these children in all public schools that they shall be more than overcomers.
so the question that keeps popping into my head is this...
how does justice enter this system?
the problem is so complex that it's very difficult to think of addressing the cause(s)... its easier to just address the symptoms. and that's what you're talking about, symptoms.
i don't know, i think the only way to address the cause(s) is through Jesus. but it seems like most of his people (in the fair mother city anyway) are part of the problem. if for no other reason than that they aren't a part of the solution...
Jesus seems to say that we are one or the other, that there is no in between.
granted, the symptoms can ultimately be the cause of death and there may be a need to address them right now...
but the cause(s) must be discovered and addressed.
great post
Causes are never a bad thing to hunt out and fix.
But Symptoms need remedy right now. So lets go for it if we see a need.
I wouldn't know where to begin with the "cause" right now as I don't have a kid in school yet. Thus, I don't fully know all the details, etc. Give me another 3 years...
For one...I don't understand why a school wouldn't supply some of the trivial supplies, like things only used once, etc.
When I worked for a local music store, I remember hearing from a guy who once taught in a rich suburb of Dallas that parents of beginner clarinet players bought their kids Buffet Clarinets. That's a pro level instrument that only parents of advanced, skilled HS players would buy their kid if they knew the kid was going to study clarinet in college.
So it goes...
apologies, i wasn't implying that it isn't important to deal with symptoms...
its just that the symptoms don't go away if we never address the causes.
the trouble, as you suggest, is that the problems are incredibly complex. i want to say that even the school stuff is symptomatic.
at any rate...
causes: our materialism, our greed, our lack of sharing, our capitalism, our individualism... just to name a few (and I'm not saying I'm any better)
I think this is why many countries have uniforms. I'd hate to have that, but it solves a lot of problems, no competition, everyone is equal in one area at least and everyone has something decent to wear (that is if they can afford it!)
man, this is starting to feel adversarial and i never meant it to be. i believe in you and really appreciated this post.
yes, the things you list are all causes...
but i don't think we need resort to uniforms. i think God gave us a way to address the problems. i believe it is the body of Christ that could be the answer if it were functioning rightly... but it doesn't seem to be
probably due to the very causes you list
peace
miller- sorry if my comment came off blunt sounding. I was just thinking through your question on causes and that's the list I came up with. Then it made me think that that is why some countries have uniforms, which I actually don't think is a bad idea, but realize that it would never fly with americans.
I am intrigued by your idea of churches rising up to solve the issues. How do you see this happening? Maybe through individuals or through something more organized?
I know people do school supply drives for other countries... are some done here?
AW,
no problem, its just so hard to read tone of voice... i am so used to making people angry that i probably assume it more than i should.
i wasn't really talking about "churches" when i said the body of Christ. i think what i meant is people, individuals and families, banding together to address the causes as one addresses the ball in a tennis match. they need to be knocked back to hell.
you listed "causes: our materialism, our greed, our lack of sharing, our capitalism, our individualism..." i think you are correct and the people of God should jettison these! all of them!
i think they are all from satan and we should join Jesus in calling for Godliness rather than materialism, charity rather than greed, generosity rather than hording, one-ness rather than capitalism, and community rather than individualism...
but that starts to affect my own life.
it means sacrifice
can i do it,
will i???
the sad truth is that most won't. it is hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven...
peace
There's too much to say, A. Just know that I've been "talking" to you about this and while it's not great to be there, I'm glad you know things that others have no clue about.
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