As I find myself thrown into a battle with my local school system’s integrity of facts and its failed justification of actions, I am forced to revisit knowledge from a haunting past which calls into question how much value we put into the youth in this city? See, if the local police can allow officers to pepper spray and walk on the backs of juveniles that were caught merely trespassing and escape legal accountability, my scholar and I have a tough road ahead of us. Now that I have been awakened from my retired mindset, I stand to advocate for “due process” for my scholar and the host of others like him cycled through the school to street, prison, or burial pipe line. I struggle to answer why it feels as though I stand alone while leadership is behind the wall. However, we all ought to be fighting to bring the change needed because the results will most surely damage the quality of life for every citizen as it plays out in the streets of Baltimore City. The Baltimore City School system has demonstrated its failing to provide the basic rights to the youngest members of our society over and over while the state just watches. As “ward of the state”, the Baltimore City Public School Systems fails its most vulnerable and the state that holds the responsibility to safeguard stands and waits to see the chips land. However, while the focus has been heavily placed on the back of my 16 year old scholar, there is no partnership as the leadership hides behind the false/misleading reporting of facts and now the challenge is broader than me and my scholar. Now, until my last breath, I will fight for fairness because this city makes us who we are and corruption is the breeding ground of why we are in this state of destruction. Regardless where the burden of proof lies, its integrity and expectations will not be altered.
