We are obligated to tell the truth to our nation’s students.
I’ve taught for 23 years in three different states. In addition, I was a school principal for six years. I found leading schools rewarding. However, nothing is as fulfilling as standing in front of a classroom of children. Feeding eager minds the fruits of knowledge is far better than sitting behind a desk pushing a pencil or walking a building.
As most of my readers know, I currently work at a juvenile detention center. Furthermore, the majority of my students are black and male. They are detained for crimes that range from car theft to murder. Their lives, as Langston…
He couldn’t understand why his comments about the Jacob Blake shooting drove me to anger.
I am about to recount to you a tale. The tale of a black man trying to explain to a white man how the police have killed countless African Americans who were unarmed and, in some cases, walking away.
I was standing in my classroom speaking about my truth to a man I thought would at least give me space to explain my issues with the police. However, his white privilege blocked him from hearing how traumatizing it is each time African Americans hear of a black person dying at the hands of a cop. We’ve watched countless cell phone…
A poem about Juneteenth.
The acknowledgment and celebration of Juneteenth as an American and possibly international holiday is something that I would put in the life goals column for me.
Kenya Barris
My students were oblivious to Juneteenth.
Over 20 days during summer vacation I teach. It’s an opportunity outside the school year where my kids can read a play or book they may not read on the outside. It’s all about exposure, and it’s this idea which brings me to what I want to discuss with you.
Across the country, there are Juneteenth celebrations in many major cities. Furthermore, I must commend Oklahoma for legislating the teaching of Juneteenth…
How to be consistent in the quest for equity
I’ve read stories of reformed racists. White people who’ve chosen to reject racism. They are no longer card-carrying members of the racist ideology that permeates American society. The fog of bigotry and hate has lifted, and finally, they acknowledge white privilege, supremacy, and how this country is built on the bricks of racism. Some new books on the bookshelf deal with critical race theory, anti-racism, mass incarceration, and the police. George Floyd, Ahmed Aubrey, and Brionna Taylor rousted them from their denial of the racial problems in America. They are “woke” now but do they really understand what comes with…
What if it had been you?
I ask you, Chauvin, what if you were George Floyd. What if you drove your vehicle on a warm Memorial Day to the local corner store to pick up some holiday drinks? Millions of American’s did something similar that same day. They went to the store to grab a six-pack of beer or an extra pack of hotdogs for the backyard barbeque. However, unlike George Floyd, they returned home healthy and alive.
Is your life worth more than a counterfeit 20 dollar bill? I bet Derek Chavin you would say yes. It seems that a black man’s life was worth…
I am a proud graduate of Xavier University of Louisiana. For years Howard and Xavier were two top schools for sending African American's to med school. If you wanted to be a black Dr and wanted the HBCU experience then these two institutions were and still are the place to be..
I believe more of our black academic talent needs to removed themselves from the white elite institutions where they are underappreciated . Until a few short decades ago black folks couldn't walk the halls of some of these schools.
Our black students in HBCU's should be learning from the…
It didn't work in the '80s and definitely won't work now.
A poem for DMX
He was born with blues in his soul
Abandoned and alone
A story was written
Bleeding out his pain
Through a pen
Realism stoked the black and white
Reality of being black
Punching you in the face
Yet his growls were laced with grace
He gave us a taste of the street on his terms
His verses cried out truth
Facts that hit like ghetto jackhammers
Making you wave your hands
While holding back tears
As you saw the Dark Man’s blues
Prayers spoken from a flawed man’s lips
Whose wings seemed broken
But only hidden until God made the call
We all…
It’s an honor and privilege to teach
I’ve walked into many classrooms in my 23 years of teaching. All types of children of various races I’ve taught in three different states. Whenever I enter a classroom, the student doesn’t know me. I am a stranger, and they are a stranger to me.
I gaze across the apprehensive faces and wonder what discoveries we can make together. I introduce myself and give a few personal facts. I try and break the ice, but it’s difficult. Kids today go through so much, and where I work, they have more trouble than most. I work in a juvenile detention center…
And future readers
Last month I made 8 dollars. The month before that, it was a little over five dollars. Yes, that’s growth, but it’s similar to watching grass grow in the summer. I’ve written on Medium for over two years, and I have about 4k followers. When I first began, I believed growing a following was everything. Once I reached several thousand followers, the money would roll onto my financial shores like a tsunami. However, instead, it’s gentle lapping at the shore that pays for my Medium subscription.
I don’t know why my work never receives large amounts of fans or claps…
Estacious(Charles White)
I am a southern writer and teacher living in the midwest. I focus on education, poetry, and fiction. I am an award-winning playwright. estaciousw1914@yahoo.com
