I have been inactive online for most of this school year.   It was a diffifcult year.  The challenges were the same, laxisdascial youth who are not willing to do their best and still dropping out in droves;  parents who are not willing to not nurture provide wholesome  examples and strong direction,; teachers burnout and others not willing to learn effective strategies that will empower our youth; and a system not willing to provide the necessary funds and resources for the success of young people.   

              In a horrid surprise, I walked into a classroom a few months ago to hear one teacher showing a bootleg copy of Madea Goes to Jail in her classroom.  I sat in another class to observe the teaching that was supposed to be going on only to observe a young African American male teacher sit behind his desk, doing something on his computer, while students copied from the black board or answered questiions from a book with no interaction and critical thinking.  I listened outside the door of another classroom as a teacher of another race cursed a student and called him out of his name in retaliation to being called a b---. 

      On the contrary, I obsered a young  Caucasion female teacher doing more than her best to provide African American youth with the literacy skills they lacked in an energetic, interesting, and effective manner.  I observed an older African American male teacher in his late sixties providing not only effective academic strategies for success but willing to be a father figure for young men giving them direction for a  successful future.   

         We lost three young people, 2 African American males and 1 African American female to gun violence on the south and west side of Chicago.  One principal was removed due to ineffectiveness, several teachers just quite suddenly with no regard to the students they served nor their colleagues, and funds were approved and then withdrew with no warning. 

        I have been doing my best to do my part in touching as many young people as possible this school year in the educational assignment for which I was placed.   Last week it came to a culmination.   The Banner Schools network of 6 alternative  educational programs in the inner city of Chicago  graduated over 100 young people last week.  It was my responsibility to ensure that our teachers did their best to provide these young adults with skills necessary to empower them for productivity before releasing them into society.  

        I commend our teachers who were able to combat feelings of helplessness and stress and actually teach our children.  I commend our teachers who functioned as sorrogate parents, counselors, nurses, security guards, social workers, miniters, as well as teachers.  I commend our teachers for coming to work early, staying late, and for giving up their lunch breaks to make sure our students were given what they needed.   I commend our teachers for being a good example and for modeling professional behavior for our students.   I commend our teachers for touching the lives of young people at risk of generational failure while they had the opportunity. 

       The good thing is, I lost 20 pounds, reconnected with an old flame who is kind and gentle with my heart , survived the high gas prices,  celebrated the election of our first Black president, got cable  in the house for the first time since 1996,  published my second poetry book called She Speak Psalms, helped my oldest daughter open her own business at www.remaininghumble.com, witnessed my own 18 year old son graduate high school and enroll in college, and am pleased to say I have three sons and two daughters who have never bowed their knee to the baal of the negativity of the streets.    

It has been a good year and I am glad to be in content with my online friends again.