I have been thinking a lot lately about the choices we make when we have the opportunity to elevate student voices. Do we stand with students or do we dismiss their causes? And if we dismiss their causes what does that say about the relationships we have with kids? I think it says – we are with you when it’s comfortable and you are engaged in our school work but outside the classroom…

YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN.

When we remain silent, shying away from topics that we deem perhaps too political (gun control, race & equity, testing, etc) that DIRECTLY affect our students, what does that say to them, our colleagues, the community?

Talking about preparing our kids for the ‘real world’ but neglecting to acknowledge the challenges our kids face daily in the ‘real world’ perpetuates the narrative that what we teach in school isn’t relevant to our students. And if we aren’t interested in what matters most to kids then how can we say we are interested in building relationships with kids?

As any educator knows (just check Twitter) relationships matter –  to kids and adults.

So when our students are working tirelessly, outside of school hours, on safe schools why do they have to beg for our support?

And when our goal is to graduate kids “ready for productive citizenship” and they are demonstrating that BEFORE they graduate why aren’t we celebrating and supporting that?

Honestly, it baffles me.