"The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education." - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
In 2008, I reflected on Dr. King's dreams and the hope he had for not only his people but for this nation. This year my thought are....well.....let me just preface this thought (rant) with the statement. I completely understand how important it is for everyone to recognize and respect the man, the ideals, and importance behind this holiday. I acknowledge how important it is for our children to know why we celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday. That being said, let's talk about all this ranting and raving about our schools having to be open on this day because of all the crazy snow weather we had last week.
Nothing upset me more than to hear parents complain about their children having to go to school. Regardless of a holiday or not. I understand that this is a day that is meant to be used to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. But let's get real. Most of these bandwagon-jumping, faux-protesting, parents are just complaining because it was supposed to be a day off and now it's not.
Many of these same parents out here hemming and hawing about how unacceptable it is that their children are made to use this holiday as a snow make up day are the same ones that don't teach their kids what this day is really about. It would be different if these parents were taking their kids to appropriate museums, talks, presentations or doing volunteer work. And unless you are doing so, you really aren't doing your kids any favors by keeping them out of school. But you know as well as I do most are just sitting at home watching TV and playing video games. Truth be told many of your ignorant ass kids need this day to be educated so they know who Dr. King was. (You for damn sure aren't teaching them). If it wasn't this day, they'd be taking days from your spring break and then you'd be marching, protesting and keeping your kids out then too (mad cause the school is ruining your vacation plans). And then you want to blame the schools and the teachers cause your kid is 18 and doesn't know how to spell 'apple' or that 'to', 'two' and 'too' have three totally different meanings.
The ONLY people I feel bad for are the teachers. Because now not only do they have to lose a day they use to be ready, regenerate and rest for the long hard battles they spend out there on the front lines trying to educate these disrespectful sons-of-bitches. They have to now deal with the trifling parents who want to get all up in arms and disrupt the school day.
This is a man who marched, fought, got arrested and died to help give YOUR children an opportunity to be educated. I'm sure Dr. King didn't expect his holiday to be used as a way for some shiftless Negros to be paid to be lazy.
2 comments:
Speak sister! It amazes me that parents are spending time boycotting when these are some of the same parents who do not attend teacher conferences and their children are performing poorly in school. They need to get their heads out their butts and honor King's true ideology and why he protested and marched.
www.professorlocs.com
Great post!
And can we talk about how now the NAACP wants to boycott Charlotte because of this? There are so many other cities, counties and states trying to keep black children out of schools that are excelling, & shutting down and limiting resources to schools who need it, that they could be focusing on. Get the priorities straight.
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