Letter: Students taking a stand

Posted 11/23/21

To the editor:

In my last letter to the editor, I questioned the School Committee’s decision to deny a PD opportunity about project-based learning for teachers at the High School. School …

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Letter: Students taking a stand

Posted

To the editor:


In my last letter to the editor, I questioned the School Committee’s decision to deny a PD opportunity about project-based learning for teachers at the High School. School Committee Treasurer Sheila Ellsworth made a claim about wanting PD that helps teachers to help all students, not just some, and in my letter I challenged that, claiming that teaching students how to care for others benefits ALL of our students.

I felt disheartened reading all the responses in recent weeks’ letters to the editors, as Google Warriors came out of the woodwork and challenged Simona Simpson-Thomas’ claim that their denial of the PD was in fact racist. One writer even went so far as to tell readers to do some “...minimal google research” to find out what Critical Race Theory is. In this age of everyone suddenly being an expert, it is harder and harder to read the news.

Then, like a ray of light on a cloudy day, I read the piece about the Mt. Hope Student Union taking a stand against the school committee’s decision. As a teacher myself, it makes me feel hope that we have students who care enough about their community to stand up and challenge racist claims and bad policy. These students are courageously fighting for their beliefs, and becoming involved in the process of American Government. The teachers at the High School should be proud of what their students are doing.

Another letter last week discussed bad math and english grades for the students of the High School. Life is not just addition and essay writing. Sometimes what is more important to teach kids is to have courage, stand up for what you believe in, and become involved in the community, which is what these kids are doing.

I’m glad the students at Mt. Hope care about their learning, and about their peers, and want to take the fight to the school committee. If the School Committee cares about education, they will encourage these kids to keep speaking out, and to actually listen to what they say. Show them that they actually do have a voice and are being heard. Good for you Mt. Hope Student Union, keep fighting the good fight.

Joe Solomon
Metacom Avenue

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A lifelong Portsmouth resident, Jim graduated from Portsmouth High School in 1982 and earned a journalism degree from the University of Rhode Island in 1986. He's worked two different stints at East Bay Newspapers, for a total of 18 years with the company so far. When not running all over town bringing you the news from Portsmouth, Jim listens to lots and lots and lots of music, watches obscure silent films from the '20s and usually has three books going at once. He also loves to cook crazy New Orleans dishes for his wife of 25 years, Michelle, and their two sons, Jake and Max.