Combat Pay

Last week in Hempstead, Long Island, a middle school math teacher, - whose been teaching more than twenty years - was choked until unconscious by a student's mother. Once out cold, the teacher was kicked repeatedly by students. Earlier in the day, she had broken up a violent fight. The mother claimed the teacher had "laid hands" on her daughter in the process. It should be noted that Hempstead teachers have been complaining for months how they feel "unsafe" in their schools. Students have also expressed this, but obviously, nothing was done.

In the same week, at my old school in Newark, New Jersey, a teacher also broke up a fight. As the students were calming down one of them turned and slapped the teacher across the face. When asked why he did it, the student said "Because I can and there's nothing anyone can do about it." A parent, who witnessed the whole thing, claimed the student did it "by accident".

Both of the communities mentioned above have many things in common: They are poor, urban communities; are infested with gang related violence; and both are within a short drive (or walk) of upper middle class suburban communities. Hempstead is so bad, it sounds and looks like something out HBO's The Wire. Newark is no better. We are barely four months into 2015, and it has already seen 22 people killed by gunfire.

What's scary is how the violence from the street is now making its way into the schools. The alternative high school where I teach is made up of students coming from inner-city at risk backgrounds. Gang signs are flashed daily, and students openly discuss gang related topics in the hallways. A fight a few weeks ago left a teacher injured after he was struck with a pool cue. Kids who were good students in September have morphed into individuals who could care less about their studies. I recently confronted a student on his academic slide and he said "I'm more concerned about the target on my back than my school work." A few days later, I sat a group of boys down to speak with them about what was going on. I asked how they were doing and reminded them that, we, the teachers cared. I talked to them about Starbucks' announcement regarding how they will pay employees college tuition. I also told them about programs at the local community college and technical school that would give them loans and/or grants. When I finished talking, one boy looked me square in the eye and said "College? I ain't gonna make it to seventeen mister. Why you talkin' to me about college?"

Our inner-cities are a mess. We have people living what can and should be classified as a third world existence, and they're doing this not too far from you. Currently, the United States ranks sixth in the world in children living in poverty. Number five is Mexico. Think about the images that come into your head when you hear the word "Mexico". Now consider the fact that our kids are living a similar existence. That's awful.

Often times I find myself sad and depressed when thinking about my students. I leave classes on the verge of tears - and not because I am threatened or scared. Rather, I am upset when I think about their future. The boy who told me he has a "target on his back" is a bright, sensitive kid who needs to realize his potential. I remind him every day and I hope it's getting through.

A child's education is supposed to be a journey of self discovery. It's about finding out who you are, what you're good at, and what interests you. Youth is not supposed to be about survival and schools certainly are not supposed to be places of violence. Students should not go to school anxious or scared and teachers shouldn't qualify for combat pay. These things need to be addressed sooner than later. Remember, the kids growing up - and being educated - in our inner-city schools are not minority kids, urban kids, or ghetto kids. They're American kids and need to be educated as such.