I sent this email to Senator Stargel today. I hope she understands that our students are much more than a number. It is in response to her statement.
Dear Senator Stargel,
Thank you for serving our community. Your hard work shows your dedication to your job. As a 4th generation citizen of Lakeland I thank you for your service.
On Thursday February 8, there was a quote published in The Ledger “I would hate to be a student who is stuck in (any of those schools),” Stargel said. “We have got to make sure these kids have an opportunity for a good education.” As a recent former teacher at Kathleen Middle School, KMS (2010 – 2015), this quote causes me great concern and disappointment of my Senator. I worked hard every day to provide all of my students with a high quality math education. Not only did I provide math knowledge but also I built lasting relationships with them.
I read the quote as saying “I would hate to be stuck in Mr. Sylvester’s class.” Since I was an educator at KMS, I must be part of the problem. This is an insult to my 4 years of hard work and dedication to the Kathleen Middle School community. Each year of teaching there, my students test scores increased.
I was able to do so well because I realized I was teaching much more than just math. I realized I was teaching a child of God. Therefore, I had to develop meaningful relationships with all students. I wasn’t just teaching the same 22 students each period. No, they were all different and unique. They represented different experiences, different languages, different races, different levels of income, different personalities, and different abilities. These very differences are what makes KMS great. I would argue that many of my colleagues would agree with me.
Although it is true KMS is rated a D. I argue two things it does not mean, the teachers are bad and the students cannot learn. I also argue two things it could mean, the State of Florida doesn’t value the knowledge of the KMS community and the State of Florida does not care to appropriately fund the school and the community.
After reading my experience as a KMS educator I hope that you will not only rescind your statements but also apologize for them. It shows very little support to me as a professional educator and very little value of the whole student. We do not need our schools to look like New Orleans or Detroit. Let’s work together to create a great public education system for all students.
Conclusion
To me, her comments are no joking matter. They clearly draw the line in the sand when it comes to education in general. Therefore this is a direct attack on public education. This includes the students, teachers, staff, and the community. Worst off, it will continue to damage the relationships between the whites, blacks, and hispanic students. We shouldn't be making education policy that furthers that divide.
