Thinking of a Master Plan…With Nothing But….but…
Writing by Jes on Thursday, 29 of January , 2009 at 10:33 am
Looking for a Master Plan
“Its not realistic…the movie Juice didn’t seem true at all.”
It was then my mouth dropped and my chair swerved around to see who would dare utter such words against the movie that introduced Tupac and Omar Epps to the acting society. A pivotal movie in urban society, Juice portrayed young New York brothers in the midst of a 1990s life struggling for power and respect. So of course, I was ready for a debate from this young know-nothing student of mine who would dare challenge a movie so impactful. What fool could not understand the underlying themes and obstacles dealing with black society and self-image? I faced him, ready to throw an educational tongue lashing out…and any good debater knows exactly how to set up their victim for a devastating fall…you ask questions, looking for holes.
“Why did it seem that Juice was an unrealistic movie?”
“Well, mostly…they were skipping school. Was it high school? I mean who gets all the way to high school, just not to go? And the boy threw away his copybook! I mean what stupid person does that? Was there no structure? What about the school fees? Nope, it wasn’t real at all.”
And this is when I was shamed. Mouth closed, head lowered, I had to explain to this young man that what he witnessed in the movie was in fact realistic. That we in American society receive a free education and our children do not wish to take advantage of it. In fact, they run from it, fight it, ditch it, curse it, hate it, fail it, and sleep during it. And I am a testifying witness to these actions. All this refusal and dishonor is for a guaranteed right of education, a freedom of knowledge, and a free opportunity for success.
Yes, free. A word that is never used out here in Africa. In an earlier blog, I mentioned how education is a significant cost and how the system is designed, but now based upon my student’s curiosity, I pose a new question, a thought that has me twisted and confused because I don’t really know the correct answer, despite my uncalculated years of being academically sound. Let me set this up…
See, in America every child has the RIGHT to an education. They do not have to pay in fact they are required to go, a mandatory sentence if you may. In Africa, children beg for the chance to be schooled. There are school age children in the street daily, just as many as adults yet education has a price and it is one they can’t afford. So you have one country where the kids are begging to get OUT of school and another country where the kids are begging to get IN to school.
So at what point is there a workable ground? At what point do you get children excited about learning and not having to require them to pay for it? Do the two actually exist harmoniously in this world? If we could put all the children in Liberia in a public school system, would in 25 years will have to deal with the same issues Chicago Public Schools must face? Children wanting OUT when before they weren’t allowed IN?
I had a professor once throw me out of a class. It was his fault; he asked the question, “Should schooling be a choice?” I clapped my hands and started the Holy Ghost dance because immediately knew that my classroom would change and I would only deal with students who want to learn. If it were a choice, I wouldn’t be required to teach the fools who make it difficult to learn. I could just tell them to go home, if they even show up in the first place. It’s hard to muster up the energy to make a child want something that is a piece of paper for bragging rights, especially with platinum rims and rubber band banks out there telling them about a different life. Now, I want to find that same professor and show him the streets of Liberia, where schools and choice are not an option and wonder his take on the question.
In what realm will students freely and eagerly engage in an education system?
Is there an answer? A pot of gold at the end of the rainbow? When will students choose to be educated, willingly? And is there a price that must be paid?
To be continued…..hopefully.
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