Children's Corner; Poetry

Earth Day

I am the Earth
And the Earth is me.
Each blade of grass,
Each honey tree,
Each bit of mud,
And stick and stone
Is blood and muscle,
Skin and bone.

And just as I
Need every bit
Of me to make
My body fit,
So Earth needs
Grass and stone and tree
And things that grow here
Naturally.

That’s why we
Celebrate this day.
That’s why across
The world we say:
As long as life,
As dear, as free,
I am the Earth
And the Earth is me.



BY JANE YOLEN

How well do you know child's teachers?!

While taking my son on our usual route around a block in our neighborhood which houses a primary school and a head start (among what used to be) we both happened upon two things that astonished us both. The first was a tamarind tree that I used to frequent in my youth! While passing by what seemed to be a patch of trees I could help but pick up one off the ground to give my baby a taste, but he bit off more than he could chew literally! After seeing his excitement for a fruit he’d only tasted once, I decided to try the remainder for myself and boy was I happy. It had been so long since I’d tasted the fruit from ‘these’ trees that I had forgotten how truly sweet they were. While picking up more tamarinds to carry back home with us, or eat on the way, I happened upon my second surprise of the morning which was seemed as unpleasant as it felt uneasy for me to hear.

It was the sound of a woman yelling; yelling to what seemed as if it were the top of her lungs. Because of our initial distance we decided to move closer, contemplating on whether there were any reasons for the school to be conducting a program (of which such noise is customary due to microphones and speakers) although it was too soon to be an Easter program, but way too early to be anything else.  Upon our arrival at the back of the building I heard what I am ashamed to say was by ‘man’s definition’ a woman, a teacher, yelling at a student to the top of her lungs. While I was unaware of the actual/ initial reason for such I did ‘over hear’ hear telling ‘Jaquan’ to “look at me while I’m speaking to you”, “answer me”, and “I am the adult here”.

I swayed my head in dismay as I stood to listen and try to figure out which grade and teacher was this situation taking place? I knew that the school houses primary grades k-3 and most kindergarten classes where held in the same building, but so where a first grade and a computer lab of which all teachers and students have access to and utilize periodically according to schedules. No matter which way I played the scenario it just didn’t seem fit for a teacher to be yelling at primary students of this nature, especially within a classroom. As I stood listening to the ‘teacher’ in question I realized that I had been spotted by another teacher, of whom I’d like to believe was probably having the same thoughts with regards to the boisterous teacher alienating her student. As I walked away I could see the look of other staff members outside listening almost intently but not budging to intervene, I wondered how well do we really know our children’s teachers?

Poetry For Women (By Women, About Women, For Women)

Our Children

Fleeting moments in time
The days speed by so fast,
The babes we cradled once
Seem so far in the past.

Our children so vibrant
With toys and games galore,
Endless days of playing
But now there's something more.

The need to help others,
To be responsible,
Expanding their boundaries,
Growing knowledgeable.

Incredible insights
To solve the world's woes,
So simple the answers
That these young persons know.

Our children's growing minds,
They look through caring eyes,
I have hope for the world,
In them the future lies.

— Karen Lynne Nivens

Preschool Suspensions???

     There have been many reports of the Department of Educations  report on discipline in preschools (public schools) highlighting what many of us already knew before the report came out; black students are treated unfairly among their peers. The real question is why? Why are kids in preschool being suspended? What actions did they display to determine such a punishment for suspension? It is highly unlikely that they posed some form of threat to others or themselves, or even that their characters are so overbearing at such a young age. What criteria is used to determine the suspension of students four and five years of age? 

     After scouring the internet for such a criteria to no avail, I decided to try different news reports and sources since they are undoubtedly more resourceful in matters that span across the country or globe. After a thorough research  we've noted little to no mention of such guidelines being used, but educational facilities or their administrators to determine whether or not the actions of a pupil (in preschool) should/ could sanction such disciplinary actions. In fact, the data nor anyone else has explained just why students where being suspended. They did however highlight the same quotes from Department of Educations Secretary, Arne Duncan, as well as a principal from an elementary in Memphis and other advocates statements'. 

     I'd dare to say that we are being a little Hippocratic, the reason for that being whats the sense in advertising across the country that things aren't working and need to change without first pinpointing the problem. The problem isn't that teachers/administrators serve children unfairly or unjust but that the system is too. With all the information presented the Department of Education's report, someone could decipher exactly where the problem lies. Maybe it is some piece of legislation or policy that isn't written clear or maybe it just needs to be amended to suit pupils who are age appropriate. The fact still remains just advertising it alone will not help, for it was always well known.

Poetry For Women (For Women, By Women, About Women)

A Womans Worth

She gave life. She is a wife.
She is a mother and she is a friend.
She is a sister a survivor to the end.

Appreciate her, we don’t dare.
Ask her worries, we don’t care.
Wipe away her tears, they are invisible as air.

She works cooks and clean.
She laughs, helps comfort, and hides her pain.
When you struggle she pulls you through

All this is she and what do we do?
Complain and create a mess.
Provide stress and leave her feeling depressed..
Push her away and ignore her advice.
Tell her she is nothing without thinking twice.

She was raped tortured and abused.
Told she was nothing and would always be used just for pleasure forget her pain.

She swallows her pride, put her feelings aside.
Does as you need in order for you to be free.
Ignores your ignorance and tolerates your flaws.
You call her Bitch, Slut, Hoe and Tramp
She answers with pride dignity and a complete loss of self.
You call her nothing.
I call her Strong, Smart, Sensual, Caring, Giving, Surviving, Tolerant and powerful
I call her WOMAN!

© Ashanti Holliday                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Source: http://www.familyfriendpoems.com/poem/a-womans-worth#ixzz2xflIsfuN
Family Friend Poems

Poetry for Women (By Women, For Women, About Women)

Bye Bye Baby

With head bent low he watches her go,
bravely facing a world she does not know
He smiles goodbye and covers up his tears
for he must be brave if she looks back in fear.
Every fiber of his being wants to run and gather her
close to his heart but he makes his feet firm on the ground
all smiles as she turns round.
The first of many firsts for her and
he knows the pain of each step will remain.
Her first day of school is her first step away from
the safe harbour of a father's love 

Noreen Carden

Latest Student Included in “School to Prison Pipeline”

Latest Student Included in “School to Prison Pipeline”

Earlier this year I heard what I thought was great news, the president mandated that all schools receiving federal funding (most schools) will be ‘encourage decriminalizing school infractions’. What I meant by that was that now schools have a guideline to follow so students won’t suffer by being overly disciplined or disciplined unfairly amongst their peers. There are plenty of reports and statistics that have proven and driven for such policy changes, especially as it pertains to racial discrimination, but overall all students suffer. Those who are directly subjected and otherwise are all affected in such acts for it creates a feeling of inferiority among classes in the student body which in turn cases segregation that can lead to such politics regarding race. Many critics have come under fire of the Obama administration for the ‘guidelines’ they've set saying that it is racist because the guide post for leading the legislation is that there are more blacks in jail than whites, and that for his entire presidency he’s been overly zealous in his attempt to change the country; he doesn't help to elevate the poor and underachieved but to take from those of the high end of the economic scale.

Despite the opinions and feelings of others another incident involving a high school senior, a Caucasian male, proves that these infractions are truly costly to the futures of the students incurring them and that something needs to be done.

Jordan Wiser, a student at Ashtabula County Technical School in Jefferson, Ohio was expelled from school after a search of his car turned up a folding pocket knife in a jacket/vest, both used for EMT training. Because of his schools ‘Zero Tolerance’ policy Wiser was referred to the police department and expelled from school. Fox News reported that the school district is obligated to motion for expulsion once a student is found with banned items on campus. School officials reported that it was the decision of the police and prosecutors to charge Wiser with illegal conveyance of a weapon for having the knife which leads to him spending thirteen days in jail.

School officials maintain that he search was prompted after viewing Wiser’s YouTube page, but the videos posted are not of violently graphic, or horrific scenes; Jordan is there teaching the world how to wield the knife, yet he was expelled from school for it. As detailed on his YouTube page it is Jordan’s aspiration to join the Army and serve his country. Now his aspirations are to finish high school over an online program, rather than in the comfort of a classroom filled with his peers. For Jordan Wiser and all other students like him, the school to prison pipeline is very real and swift.

Regardless, the school to prison pipeline is a very real, very dangerous policy which educational administrators have practically built with their use of ‘zero tolerance’ policies and all students, regardless of their racial disparity are victims, once entering the system.  The ACLU defines the ‘school to prison pipeline’ as follows;

“A disturbing national trend wherein children are funneled out of public schools and into the juvenile and criminal justice systems. Many of these children have learning disabilities or histories of poverty, abuse or neglect, and would benefit from additional educational and counseling services. Instead, they are isolated, punished and pushed out.”

“The “school-to-prison pipeline” refers to the policies and practices that push our nation’s schoolchildren, especially our most at-risk children, out of classrooms and into the juvenile and criminal justice systems.  This pipeline reflects the prioritization of incarceration over education.”

Because of such incidents growing in numbers over the past years all over the nation the Obama administration has urged schools and administrators to amend zero tolerance policies, and school discipline procedures so that school infractions remain a school problem. The call for such action has been ridiculed as being slightly racist, but statistics have proven that minorities (black, Spanish, ELL’s, Special Needs, etc.) are those mostly affected by the strict disciplinary actions, and they are also among those who are falling behind. Within the ‘guidance package’ created by the administration to detour such infractions includes federal initiatives that coincide with school discipline as well as resources along with the guidelines.

 I urge parents as well as teachers and administrators to ‘push’ for integration and adaption of these guidelines. We, as a nation, only seem to take note of injustice ‘after’ the fact; its high time we step up to the plate and start making the hard decisions that will lead to better lives. By voicing our opinions, norms, and values we can help to steer school disciplinary infractions as we have fought for equality in education and even the abolishment of segregation.

The school to prison pipeline isn’t biased; it also has a zero tolerance policy.