Hey, it's not much, but it's where you live. Where you go to sleep, what you work hard for. You're raising your children in this little place and while the news reports might feature your neighbourhood on occasion, it's your home.
How would you like your child's teacher to roll past your place on a bus tour so that she could cluck about the deplorable conditions? And be "inspired" by local police officers yammering on about what happened on this or that street corner nearby? Or hear a narrative about what some guy on your street is likely up to today? What if your son were on the street corner minding his own business, but the cops just went ahead and made up a story about him dealing drugs to entertain the teachers?
I'd be furious if I saw a bus like that pass by! True, the schools have my address and teachers can figure out where I live easily enough with mapquest. But a guided bus tour complete with microphoned police officer guides? Despicable. And yet, that is the sort of "cluck-cluck those poor people" attitude families in Kansas City School District are facing.
Here's the article, complete with a picture of teachers gawking out the windows at the slums and commentary from cops and administrators about the yuckiness of the neighbourhood and the parents of the children they are serving. I just can't believe this.
Do you know what this article reminded me of? Those trolley tours you get at the zoo.
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Okay, double edged sword. On one hand, it's nice to give the teachers the reality of where these kids live so they might have a little more compassion, concern and love for them during the school year, on the other hand, how dare they! It's not their business, nor is it appropriate to 'tour' the homes and areas as if on a National Geographic expedition minus the topless heathens. (We hope)
ReplyDeleteI'm in NY and a local school district came to my brother's house when he enrolled his children in school. The teacher and an 'aide' came, asked to see the yard and the children's bedrooms...ummm...are we CPS now???
There's a bad spot. Say no, and you have something to hide. Say yes, and next year they will ask to look in the fridge, too.
DeleteEverytime I read something like this I'm very, very glad I don't live there. We don't get that sort of thing in Australia.
ReplyDelete"Social work" is a totally different thing there because they actually FUND the help that families need. There is a much bigger safety net there so people are less likely to be suspicious of the government etc. there. Australians don't somehow (crazily) feel they have to save the whole flippin' world and go into debt to do it, so they have time to clean up their own back yards.
DeleteWow! That's just crazy. I feel like it would go ahead and set lower expectations of the kids in the teachers' mind based on where they live. Some might try harder,to reach the poor children, but most would be dismissive.
ReplyDeleteNow when I was in catholic school, the principal(a nun) and secretary visited my home a couple of times... when I was in trouble. I don't think it changed their view of me... I as a smart kid... too smart sometimes. ... and they had to get past the prostitutes that lived downstairs (they weren't tooo obvious and it was still a nice building) to get to my apartment.
I was thinking that they'd have lower expectations, too, but was afraid that would drag race into the whole thing... which maybe it already is since it's the city.
DeleteI dunno.
On the one hand, what difference does 3 x 7 make whether neighbourhood have gates to keep you in or out? But on the other if my mom were a druggie and I had to get my sister ready for school before going myself, I'd like a little grace on the tardies.
I think I would want help for these kids rather than excuses. If their parents don't feed them and neglect them, the answer is not more meals at school and extra childcare, you know? Maybe move those teaching jobs to the community. MAKE the teachers live in the district limits. They MAKE the firefighters live in city limits here you know. :/
Hi Happy Elf mum
ReplyDeleteAustralia where both River and I live does have its problems. No country is utopia.We have many social problems due to poverty especially in the indigenous communities or poor suburbs. Our disability services are not much to write home about and many special needs kids do not a fair go in the educations system.