2017 Winter Performance Expo
I wanted to publish positive images today… reminders about the beauty of my children’s world.
On Wednesday January 18, 2017, Melrose Leadership Academy in Oakland held their Winter Performance Expo. Here is my photo gallery slideshow of 121 images.
On Wednesday night, Oakland Unified held another board meeting to discuss budget shortfalls. Today, our new President said in his Inaugural Address that America had “an education system flush with cash, but which leaves our young and beautiful students deprived of knowledge.”
It has not been my experience, first as a teacher in OUSD, and now as a parent in OUSD, that we are either “flush with cash” nor depriving students. We have not deprived students the 8 years that I have had a child at MLA.
We have often struggled in our neighborhood and in our school… we have often struggled at the neighborhood school, but there has always been something to celebrate.
This is the 8th year I have photographed students at MLA. They also have photographed me. It probably doesn’t seem like much to most people. It probably seems like a waste of time.
One of these students took the photo of me posted above.
The all participated in creating their image at a time when students are defined by outsiders.
And they will continue to need more encouragement, even in the best of times.
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THANKS!