Smacked Thoughts from a Tired Educator & Mom:

Che said, “A nation that does not read is easy to deceive.” And whew… I feel that in my bones.

As a teacher in NYC, I see the school system failing our kids every single day. We’re pushing students through grades because of their age, not their skills. The “No Child Left Behind” mindset left too many behind on purpose. It feels like they want our kids to be illiterate, passive, and distracted. That’s how they keep us from asking questions. From resisting. From changing things.

As a parent, I struggle too. My son doesn’t want to read at home…even for 30 minutes. And I get it. It’s hard to want to read books when the world outside feels like a dystopian movie. The Met Gala plays on our screens while people sleep on trains. The rich dress like kings while folks can’t afford groceries. Palestine is under attack and we’re being censored here at home.

Sometimes I feel like an ostrich with my head in the sand, just trying to focus on mine and my son’s survival. But then I feel guilty because what if I’m not preparing us for what’s really coming?

This country was built on revolution, but we’re being told to sit down, shut up, and scroll. It’s giving Hunger Games energy.

So here I am. Processing. Thinking. Teaching. Growing. Disrupting. Trying to find balance between survival and responsibility. Because if the system is the trap…then I’m raising my son to be the one who disrupts it.