Liberty and Justice for Some

I’ve worked in many schools in different cities, with various ages and diverse populations, of disparate amounts of luck and chances. They all shared one thing. Every morning, every school recites the Pledge of Allegiance, in unity.

The longer I work in education, the more students I meet, all the stories I hear, the variances in pasts, presents, and futures that I witness, the more bitterness flows through my veins every morning as I recite this patriotic declaration.

Every morning I stand up in front of my students, with their brave, hopeful faces. Together we salute the flag, hands on hearts. When I say “with liberty and justice for all,” I feel my heart start pumping harder. A more honest, American motto would be “with liberty and justice for some.”

Over the next week, I will share some of my experiences working in impoverished schools in Los Angeles.