Walk A Mile In My Shoes

The first sentence of this article found on wbaltv.com on February 17, 2009, reads: “Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon put school violence at the top of her agenda Tuesday after paying a visit to one of two high schools that were the scenes of recent stabbings.” Really? So school violence is at the top of her agenda for one day. Hmm…not so sure one day is enough to make a difference. Stabbings and other forms of violence have been going on in Baltimore before these recent incidents, yet that Tuesday it was at the top of the list. I have always said that people have no clue what another profession is like until they experience it. This is a prime example. You read headlines all the time about school violence, and then on some random ‘Tuesday’ the mayor or some other elected official decides they want to show face and ‘hear’ what is happening in the schools. The problem with this is that when schools have notice that an elected official or some other big wig is coming to the school, the administration pulls out all the stops to make it appear as if everything is ok. Instead of being exposed to the problem, it’s actually covered up, and no one really knows what’s going on. What officials need to do is pop up at schools and truly spend a day or maybe even a half day to really see what its like. Students are assaulted everyday; many times nothing happens. Teachers are also often taken advantage of and left with no recourse. People need to truly see what goes on from day to day, and maybe then they will feel a sense of urgency to make some much needed changes.

On both ends, people need to see that there are hard working teachers who come in everyday, ready to execute great lessons, but are often thwarted by disrespectful students or interrupted time and time again by announcements and meaningless ‘meetings.’ On the other hand there are also those teachers who come in, pass out worksheets, and collect a check. Those students, in this case are being short changed. Something needs to happen; soon. Again, no one really knows what it’s like to be a teacher in Baltimore City until they experience it.