This weeks blog is going to be very serious because it touches on a topic very near and dear to me. This idea of the "school-to-prison pipeline" is not new too me though the term is. This immense racial injustice that is present in the public schools today have been sickening and hard to watch. Throughout my educational career, I have been a spawn of the CPS school system. Because of this, I am very aware of the problems that go on with the system. After reading the article "Locating the School-To-Prison Pipeline", I was not shocked or appalled. This is because all these ideas and implementation I have witnessed prior to our last session. It just reminded me of how many children suffer and the challenged of being a minority or a student of color or even just a student in an low income area. This is also very similar to the "Black Makes, Black Dreams" documentary that we viewed during our session. From what I saw in the video, I was disappointed. There is so much potential in each human but because of social standards and inequalities, we have preset ideas that do no give people a chance based on their identity.
So it's time for a story.
Once upon a time, a boy; for confidentiality sake, lets call him...X, was accepted into Lane Tech. X was a 5'5 Hispanic who lived in the southside of Chicago. At this time, I was working for the school as a Freshman Mentor, whose duties were to assist students with their transition into high school from grade school. So X ended up being in my group of freshman and we all had our laughs and giggles. However, whenever in class, X would argue back with the teachers and cause a scene. After a week of this reckless behavior, the teacher pulled me aside saying this: "If X does something else, take him to the office and send him home." But of course, X that day is feeling extra snappy and talks back to the teacher. So I call him out and tell him to follow me. As we walk, I ask him "Hey bro, is everything alright?" He replies, "Yeah." I follow up asking "so... then what's up with that classroom business?" He looks away, and tells me about his school and his parents and his community. He told me about how his teachers told him that he would not amount to anything and that his parents were never there and that his friends all were either selling drugs or in a gang. Then came the part I will never forget. He says "I know I won't be successful so why should I care?" I turned around and he says "Where are you going?" I tell him "taking you back to class." He says, "Why? I thought I got kicked out." I tell him something I hope that he won't forget. "You're worth a lot more than you think. You can give up and I wouldn't blame you. You've been through a lot. But people don't make you into what you are, you do." Now, X is a junior with a 3.7 GPA and in various clubs, with a bright future ahead of him.

As a STARS Leader, there is much I can do to help. First off, there are various schools and facilities that require aid in tutoring and education the minority or the unprivileged. Another way in which I can attempt to address this issue is through petition to the mayor and city council. There has been word that there will be pay cuts and loss of sick days. There is also word of a disbandment of the teacher's union, which would allow for teachers with tenure and teachers with seniority to be overlooked. With all this chaos in the education system, how are students expected to learn? Only though social change and demands of the population will we be able to induce a change among the schools. "Kids are our future" but if we continue to discriminate, our future appears to be bleak at best. Servant leaders are what is necessary in order for change. If I am to attempt to make a difference, i will have to lead by serving. By listening to others problems and placing their concerns on top of mine, I can help to make change through servant leadership.

The empowerment pipeline will offer me the ability to develop my servant leadership abilities, but one in particukar: empathy. In hearing about struggles, I can place myself in their position, in their pain, and help them in a way that I would not be able to otherwise.

As a spawn of CPS, I am anxious to get to know these students. I want to know about their struggles and problems and their expectations of school and college life. I feel nervous because I want to appear as a role model and as a scholar. I want to be as helpful to them as they need. I am very happy that we will be interacting with actual students and that we can share our experiences as a college student and as ex-high school students with them.

This blog was really heavy, so we are going to end on a lighter note! A quote that I love!