It's been a tough week at school...both of them. At the high school I teach at there was a gang related violent incident which left three students injured with stab wounds and a fourth who was hit on the head with a hammer, in a coma. The entire year has started out more stressful than last year. It's the new batch of kids. Our population has changed from 85% girls to 75% girls. The boys they have placed at our school are largely connected to gangs. We are an overcrowded school and yet the board of education keeps sending kids our way. We can't refuse any students and have no say in entrance qualifications. Needless to say, with this latest incident the teachers are very concerned about school safety. I've been doing a lot of the amateur social-psychologist thing and talking with the kids in small groups about he school environment. Kids can be very open when you talk to them straight and listen to what they have to say with respect. Some kids were talking about how they felt teachers contributed to the problem for having their own aggressive attitudes, but then they quickly pointed out they didn't mean me. As one girl said,"everyone knows that Ms. Martinez is mad cool" This is a compliment of the highest order. To be "mad" this or that is to be it in the extreme.

 

At Brooklyn College, things are improving. At least we're talking. The UFT is backing us, so this gives us leverage. They know that with a union comes lawyers. The work load remains even though.

 

Today I took my art students to the Brooklyn Museum. They had fun and were very well behaved. While we were there we met, Walton Ford whose exhibit opens tomorrow at the museum. He was very friendly.

 

Physically I feel a wreck. Mentally I'm exhausted. I'm home sick for Amsterdam and wondering why I moved back to this country filled with insane people in government. But then I took a walk with my kids in the crisp autumn weather, past colorful trees down Flatbush Ave. Then I remembered, I was here to make a difference, even if it's just a small one, like making a day like today for my students that doesn't totally suck.