I’ve been battling with it for the past two months….yep…whether or not I wanted to go back in a school system and become a turnaround principal- you know- the person who goes into schools, puts them on the right track, then leaves and begins the process over again.  I’ve been in that space because I always feel like I know the structures to put in place in schools, but I don’t have all of the autonomy to immediately rollout what it looks like and how it needs to happen.  I’ve been in that space because as bad as it sounds- not everybody believes that kids, especially kids who look like me, can be excellent.  And I have a problem with that because I look like me…and in the words of Langston Hughes, “Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair” either.  But people believed in me, and shined me up, and stayed on my ass about what I needed to do and didn’t let up.  That’s what kids need!  That’s what kids want!  That’s what parents want; even the parents who you think don’t care actually do, and it’s educational malpractice when we allow ourselves to show up to work and not bring our whole selves to create a safe, educational space for kids.

I’ve been in education 16 years, and the one thing that upsets me the most is when educators say, “These kids can’t (insert whatever kids can’t do here).”  The thing is, sometimes, it may be true, but if we aren’t going to discuss how we can fix the issue, then there’s really no point in discussing it at all.  One of the best books I’ve ever read in my entire educational career was Linda Cliatt-Wayman’s book, Lead Fearlessly, Love Hard.  Dr. Cowan gave it do me during a planning session with my APs, and it was just what I needed as a first year principal because it changed my mindset.  Cliatt-Wayman’s thing was, “So what…now what?” and that was the approach I took when I was able to get a school of my own.  It’s also my thought process now as I have a chance to go into other places and work with other educators.  If we can detect a problem, as practitioners, we also have to think about a solution to fix it.  If we took a car to the mechanic and he couldn’t make it work, we probably wouldn’t take our car to him again.  Of course, the car wouldn’t talk back or be affected by other things that were happening in life, but hopefully, you get my point.

As I’ve traveled throughout the U.S., I’ve seen how important collective efficacy is and how it can change a child’s life.  It happened for me at Matilda Hartley when Mr. Simon, Ms. Colbert, and Ms. Maggie Davis showed and expressed their love for me.  It happened at Ballard Hudson when Dr. Kilcrease, Ms. Starvetsky, and Ms. Harris, who looped from 7th to 8th grade with us did the same.  It didn’t matter that there were so many students who showed up with bruised bodies after being initiated in gangs.  The streets were showing them more love than the adults evidently. It happened at Southeast High when Ms. Fulford and Ms. Martin pushed us to be awesome.  They believed in us, so we believed in us.  I’m glad they did because all we had were the schools in the neighborhood.  We didn’t have the option of going somewhere else; we couldn’t afford it.  We barely had money to eat and clothe ourselves, so the only schooling we were afforded was public schooling.  And it was filled with craziness, and some fights, and some cursing ass kids sometimes.  But it was also filled with a handful of grown people who took the time to make sure we had what we needed and who made sure we were “getting our lesson,” as my grandma would say.  All kids need that.  All kids need someone who believes in them, and all kids deserve for their lives to be saved through great educational experiences.

I talked to my oldest son on Monday, and he was all smiles.  He told me about track practice and how he and his friends had run an extra lap and then ran the bleachers twice.  He said it was hard, but he made it through and told me I would’ve been proud of him because he didn’t give up.  Evidently, they are trying to get some extra practice in to build up for the relay.  But then, he said, “Oh dad, guess what I made on my math test today.”  I said, “I hope you passed it because you have been talking about this test for about two weeks.”  He started laughing and said, “I made a 100!”  Surprisingly, I responded, “How in the world did you do that?”  From there, he told me how he studied and some other things about how they were about to start a new Science unit.  He works hard because his teacher believes in him.  She’s came to his football game last season, and she came to his basketball  game and cheered louder than me!  Whether she knows it or not, she’s won him over!  He LOVES his teacher, and he will work to do anything he can to make her proud of him.  And it’s my prayer that when he enters middle school, high school, and college that he will find that person who will continue to be a reflection of His light so my boys can shine theirs.

I’ve been reading a lot of educational literature lately that all aligns to the concept that education is changing in a major way.  In fact, Educational Leadership magazine this month focuses completely on “Leading Through Change.” I can also confirm this because I’ve seen multiple teachers up and quit in the middle of the year, leaving schools to fend for ways to have some sense of continuity for kids.  I’ve worked to help build best laid plans in the worst situations, and some may even say that I caused a similar shake up in the school where I was when I exited before the end of the year.  Now, I can go to bat about how elevating yourself is a lot different from leaving the game completely, but this isn’t the post for that.  My goal here is to bring some awareness that we need teachers, good teachers, to continue moving the needle for kids.  We need good administrators who will put policies and practices in place to make sure teachers have the cultural competency to educate kids who don’t look like them.  We need great district administrators who will put whatever resources in place to support schools so kids can experience success.  We need…to get rid of all of the excuses.  Period.

I am the evidence that public education can help a kid get out of poverty.  I am the evidence that great teachers can save a kid’s life.  I am the evidence that little black boys can become positive, productive, strong, black men that can continue to pay it forward and change the lives of others in the pipeline.  I am the evidence that good teachers make a difference and can’t be replaced.  I am the evidence that God’s grace and mercy are far more important than anything else you’ve been worrying about.  I am the evidence that believing in yourself and surrounding yourself with good people can change the entire trajectory of your life.

So if we work with kids, we have to continue to be the evidence.  If we work to support teachers, we have to be the evidence for them and let them know that we too had a tough first year and saw it through.   If we work to support principals, we have to be the evidence that we too have cried on the bathroom floor in our office when some of our favorite kids made terrible, life-changing decisions.  If we work with districts, we have to be the evidence that there is always a way to make an impact.  Let’s be the evidence together, because that’s what it takes.  Let’s not keep complaining about public education.  Let’s find a solution to all the problems and change our mindset.  We won’t always be running this world.  One day, these kids people keep complaining about will be in charge of making decisions for the rest of us.  If they fail, it’s because we have failed them, and failure just isn’t an option!

Be accountable.  Be committed.

Dr. G.