Reply to Started working at an elementary school last week. Shocked and sad. AMA

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[quote=Anonymous][quote]I’m shocked at how we enroll and keep some kids who have academic and social needs we can’t possibly meet.[/quote]

OP, I grew up in an affluent suburb and attended a top public school. When I got my first job teaching, I was really shocked, and I blamed the parents and the culture instead of societal ills like poverty and racism. But I was wrong, and the problem was my lack of real world experience.

Why would it be shocking that public schools enroll everyone? Why is a lower-maintenance kid more valuable than one with extra needs? Be careful not to adultify children . . . they may be saying bad words, but they are 7 years old. They're just playing at being cool; they're not actually little gangsters. I remember seeing movies like Dirty Dancing and Pretty Woman when I was a kid; I totally didn't pick up on things like abortion and condoms.

Your post brings up some important questions. Who are we as a society? What does a public good really mean, and who is it for? What does it look like to meet people, especially children, where they are? What supports do our teachers need?

I send my kids to public schools, and not even "good" ones. I don't want them to be like me, shocked and uncomfortable when encountering the real world. [/quote]

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