A Prayer For Newark’s School Opening

Before I talk about how happy I am that our kids will be going back to school, I want to start with a quote from the great James Baldwin.

In 1963, James Baldwin wrote an essay on the importance of education.  I believe it was first a speech but was later published for all to read.

There is a line in that essay that I remembered and looked up when COVID-19 first hit, where he stated, "The purpose of education...is to create in a person the ability to look at the world for himself, to make his own decisions."  

One of the big reasons I have lost sleep during this pandemic is knowing that our kids in Newark have been losing out on so much – most of all, the ability to continue developing so they can one day make sound decisions.  And to do this well, every child needs impactful life experiences.

It's kind of hard to look at the world when you are trapped in a house or an apartment.

All the learning loss and all the time away from the classroom have prevented our own kids from finding needed independence. 

I am so proud that in the middle of this mess, our community has protested productively and peacefully.  We have fought to make Black Lives Matter a slogan not only seen in our own communities but embraced around the world.  We even changed the history of our country and voted Trump out of office!  

It pains me to think about all the kids who should have been out in the streets with us.  

Think about all the kids who could have joined in our efforts in states like Georgia.  

Think about all the kids who should have been in a classroom with their peers to talk about what we were seeing in 2020.

For over a year, our kids have lost out on bettering their minds, creating social interactions, asking questions, questioning the world, and discovering the world for themselves.  

Last week, I shared some thoughts that our community should not have to "ask permission" to create positive action.  But beyond anyone's attempts to bring about change, a person must first have the opportunity, as Mr. Baldwin states, to make their "own decisions." And I agree with him - that the process begins in the classroom.

This is why I am so happy we are opening back our schools, finally.  

And that is why getting back to class is such an essential first step.  

Education is the first needed step for our kids to create opportunity and independence for themselves.

I hope this transition back to the classroom goes well and the District has a plan to ensure our kids remain safe.  

But most of all, I pray.  

I pray that our kids will get back on track.  

I pray that our State and City will do all they can to make sure our kids make up for the lost learning.  

I pray that our classrooms will provide each of our kids with the means to receive a powerful education.  

And most of all, I pray that getting out of the house will allow our kids to begin finding themselves again.  So our kids can become their own person and start looking at the world through their own lens.

Opening our public classroom is a good start, but as I will talk about next week, there is a lot of work to do now that our kids are back to school.  There is a great deal of responsibility that we must demand from our Governor, Mayor, and Superintendent.  

But today, it begins with a pretty basic idea – that our kids remain safe and that they are provided the opportunity to begin again in bettering and empowering themselves.

Newarkers Should Not and Do Not Need Permission

 

One of my mentors and political godfather was the great Carl Sharif. 

 

We lost the great Carl over five years ago.  There are two Carl Sharif's I remember. 

 

I remember the strong South Ward political kingmaker whose fingerprints were involved in almost every political and community-related issue in our City. 

 

The other Carl was a far different version of himself.  In his last remaining years, he was a man who was ill and lived the best he could while he was dying. Constantly reminding all of us about our ultimate fate and what will we do with our time on this earth?  Carl was frail but remained strong. I would often hug him close to feel the pain and suffering he endured through several surgeries. And while the large gatherings at his office home were no more, those of us who remained loyal and who visited him in those final years received some of the best counsel he had ever provided. 

 

While I might have envied and respected the Kingmaker, I learned so much about Carl the man and myself in those final years of his life – and I am grateful to God for allowing us to have that time.  

 

Two things Carl would say to me during these talks was this – "YOU DON'T NEED PERMISSION TO DO ANYTHING." "SYDNEY, YOU HAVE WAY MORE POTENTIAL THAN YOU DO POWER"

 

These words mattered to me from the moment he first said them – and they counted more as he would repeat them many times in our sessions together. 

 

I did not know this at the time, but Carl even started a blog based on those words – www.carlsharif.com.

 

I get what he was saying to me.  We continue to live in a city of haves and have nots.  There are the powerful.  The ones making the decisions.  The one influencing the actions of all the rest. 

 

Carl was there to remind me that I did not need others permissions to do what I wanted to help my people or anyone for that matter.  That I was not put on this earth to play the game and do what I was told.  No.  Carl instead challenged me to go with my gut.  To not be afraid to speak my mind.  Most of all, never accept the status quo – not for acceptance, not for power, and not for money.

 

Now, I am the one with the blog.

 

And I am now going to remind you that You Don't Need Permission – and WE DON'T NEED PERMISSION.

 

Some of my stances on issues, my decision to call out injustice, speak my mind – have bothered people in this City.  These are the people who call the shots, who don't like to be challenged, who demand all of us march in line.

 

That was not what Carl was about – and that is not what I am about.

 

As some of you know, I recently took Carl's words and started a podcast.

 

I am really happy with it so far and would ask you all to please check it out – https://youtu.be/xrgoNHAoTZQ .

 

Through this blog and the podcast, I am making a case for action.  I am making a case for higher expectations.  And I am making a case for justice.  We do not need to accept things as they are.  We do not need permission to disagree with our Mayor or our Superintendent. 

 

If we are drinking poisoned water, we have every right to demand better. 

 

If our kids are not getting a strong public education, we have every right to demand better.

 

If our communities cannot access capital, we have every right to demand better.

 

And WE DO NOT NEED PERMISSION.

 

Our country was founded on the backs of slaves.  You know I am right. 

 

For this reason, it does not shock me that we are still reminding people that WE DO NOT NEED PERMISSION.

 

Carl Sharif reminded us of this fact years ago….and we must remember these words.