Queen Tepin

Higher Learning

There was once a point in my life where I loved school; where I would cry when summer vacation would come. Learning was like a food to me. I couldn�t survive without it. I had a passion for learning, and back then, I had teachers who didn�t just treat me as a way to make money�..they seemed to care. Now I find myself, 18 years old, in my senior year at one of the top public schools in NYC, not caring about learning�..I just want out. No longer do I seek out good relationships with the faculty of my school. Instead, I see them as enemies for they treat me and my fellow schoolmates as if we were less than them. School no longer supplies me with the education I desire, nor am I passionate about school. Not to say that I no longer strive to learn, because I do�.. But what distresses me is the fact that I am not alone.

I went to public schools in the South Bronx. From Elementary School to Junior High School, I always felt I had to go further than what was expected of me. There wasn�t much that my parents could do for me, because my father had dropped out of school in the 10th grade without much of the fundamentals as his community lacked the resources he needed. He was an African-American from a poor rural area in Florida (during the 1940s-50s). My mother could not help much, as she came from Mexico to the United States during her 20s not knowing any English. She had ended her formal education at the 9th grade. At any rate, though they could not relate to my schooling experience, they provided me with Love and support which was more than enough for me.

In Junior High School, things got harder for me. However, I had teachers who were willing to help me out even if it didn�t add to their paychecks. By the 8th grade, I was involved in various after school programs that would prepare me for the entrance exam to the school I am currently attending. I knew that the work would be challenging and that I would not know anyone at this new school, but I thought that the effort would pay off in the end.

The majority of my peers were once as I was; they loved school, they had records of outstanding grades, they had a history of being on the honor roll and a long list of other achievements. This didn�t come easy to all of us, and settling for just a passing grade was never an option for us��unfortunately now, we are all to accepting of it. School has now become something we must put up with; where we memorize the material instead of learning it.

Many teachers don�t make education something that we want. Instead, they are all too busy trying to complete the syllabus on schedule. We have teachers who when asked if they can stay after class for just 10 minutes to explain something will flat out tell you, �Well, its my break� or �I don�t get paid for that!� It�s just a job to them. They are not like the teachers who didn�t care about the money but just wanted to see us try and succeed.

High School is where we are most susceptible to give up, but yet it still seems no one bothers to try and change it, or even find out why. The answer is plain and simple; the situations we come from and the fact that many of us are lazy are not the end. Getting an education should not be a task, it has to be something we desire�.something that we are made passionate about. We can�t do this on our own. We need the support of those around us, and most importantly of the faculty that teaches us.

From September to November of my junior year, my school suffered 3 separate fires, in the middle of school days. All three fires were caused by students who were later arrested for arson and plead guilty. During the course of the investigations, the students were constantly asked why they did it. Though the answer was no acceptable to many, it was the truth; they just wanted to get out of school for a while. Now while I don�t applaud or encourage their actions, I do acknowledge the question that is raised by them�. �Has school become so dreadful that such a drastic measure had to be taken for a moment of freedom? If so, why have we allowed the tone to disintegrate to that level?�

This lack of interest and struggle with school seems to be common, with the students of Latino or African-American backgrounds. But it doesn�t seem abnormal since we have teachers who blatantly state that certain things are not expected from us because we don�t have the skills of our Asian or Caucasian counterparts.

Parents, I am begging you to help change the current academic situation that your children are facing. Be more involved. Don�t just take the word of your child or the word of his/her teacher for what is really going on; go and check yourself. Don�t be passive about grades, let your children know that you believe in them and when you feel they can do better��encourage them, don�t put them down. The shortcomings of my generation aren�t all to blame on others, for we must take responsibility for our own actions, but the situation might be improved if others around us took a more active role.

To my brothers and sisters who are still in school�..if anyone offers you a �helping-hand�, I highly suggest you take it because there aren�t many people who are willing to go out of there way when they don�t have to.

Amor De Reina!!

Peace in Black and Gold!!

Queen Tepin
ALKQN
tepin@alkqn.org