Imagine that your junior high student is not feeling challenged by the work at the school she or he attends. The teachers at the school are respectful and reputable teachers, but the school curriculum does not account for students and parents who desire that teachers challenge the students. This school is private.
Imagine that you learn about a school that goes from grades one through twelve, and with a mission to challenge all their students to reach high, no matter their gender, economic status, ethnicity, religion or the level of education attained by their parents.
Imagine that this school is ranked #1 in the state where you live and 71st in the nation. Imagine that this school has built a reputation of sending all its graduates to four-year colleges and top universities in the nation, many of which are Ivy League.
Imagine that some of the teachers at this school, after instructing their students for eight hours (8:30 am–3:15 pm) in all the subjects–Math, Grammar, Literature, History, Science–then add thirty to forty-five minutes to their time of instruction–a time for students for to ask questions and receive tutoring.
Imagine that some of these same teachers who remain late working with students also avail themselves for added instruction at 8:00 am, thirty minutes before school begins.
Imagine that while challenging these students to their limits with three to four hours of homework each night tell their students, “If you, the students, score poorly on a test I feel I have failed.”
Imagine that these teachers hold Saturday school sessions from 9am to 1pm to help students better understand the lessons.
Imagine that the students, despite working hard each day in school and later at home completing assignments rush to school each day excited and determined to learn more.
Imagine that you enroll your child in this school, and that after attending it but five days she is smiling more than you have ever witnessed.
While admitting that she is working harder than she has ever done she adds that she really likes her teacher.
Imagine that your child, their classmates along with all the other nearly 1300 students at the school are receiving what the media has deemed stellar education at no monetary costs to you or any other parents.
Imagine that after four days of your child attending this school your learn that the local unified school district of the city in which you live and where this stellar school is located has solid plans to close this school.
The school about which I write is The American Indian Charter Public School. It does exist, but I fear not for long.
The Oakland Unified School District of Oakland, California, works as I write to close The American Indian Charter Public School.
The child that I ask you to imagine is our daughter, the teacher of whom I wrote diligently instructs my daughter and her fellow schoolmates who each day attend The American Indian Charter Public School which they have come to love.
I am this child’s mother.
If you want parents to have choices in where we educate our children join me and other parents of the 1275 students at The American Indian Charter Public School in our fight to keep the school open and working to educate our future.
SaveOurSchool_AIPCS 