From: African-Americans in Higher Education [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Ahmed, Amer Sent: Thursday, June 12, 2008 8:51 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [AFAMHED] FW: Def Poet & Educator Mark Gonzales quits Jordan H.S.(Watts) in protest
My friend Mark Gonzales has been teaching at Jordan H.S. for the past two years. Below is an email he sent to friends announcing his resignation and his perspective on the circumstances surrounding Karen Salazar's firing as well as recommendations for action going to address the situation. Amer Ahmed Associate Director Multi-Ethnic Student Affairs (MESA) University of Michigan - Ann Arbor <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> [EMAIL PROTECTED] ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Mark Gonzales <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: Wed, Jun 11, 2008 at 1:05 AM Subject: Def Poet & Educator Mark Gonzales quits Jordan H.S.(Watts) in protest To: Mark Gonzales <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Dear family: It with great pain that I write this. The struggle for the education our youth deserve is a daily battle; one that speaks to the beauty of present, past and future, and all aspects of our individual and collective identity. At Jordan High in Watts, the struggle is not only mental, it is physical and emotional. A struggle to challenge and transform individuals and institutions that do not speak to nor help heal from the daily violence faced by all- whether caused by streets or police, deportation or incarceration. Yet when we who willingly choose this profession out of our love for people are attacked and harassed in ways that stifle and prevent our effectiveness, we must a make public stand. The stand has already begun by the students, demanding the reinstatement of a fellow colleague and phenomenal organizer http://youtube.com/watch?v=-jMqxo2uMj8 & http://youtube.com/watch?v=vE8cOJ4bKGQ Many of you I've met through my work as a poet who utilizes the Arts as an alternative intervention to the violent self medication methods we employ to deal with this sickening system we live in. The work to enhance global perspectives while transforming our localized reality is steadily becoming interlinked. Our purpose: to struggle against all methods that dehumanize, steal, and abuse our loved ones. It is estimated that of up to 40% of youth within District 7 of LAUSD are living within the foster care system; of those, several have lived through the trauma of parental deportation, intersecting the need to articulate the right to an education with the right to be free from violence, insititutional and individual. For threat of violence looms before, during, and after school when the residue of institutional trauma lingers fresh in the mind as the blue bruises on the skin.In my two years at Jordan, I have had three students shot, four become homeless, over a dozen experience court, and several who, when kicked out of their foster care placement, lived house to house. In this city called Los Angeles, we rank #1 in Teen Birth Rates and among the highest in incarceration rates. As murders by the military increase globally, so do they locally, with a 30% increase in homocides in L.A. county in the last year. Yet rather than creating models and establishing partnerships between the abundant amount of people working to transform our communities, I have to spend my time writing rebuttals to multiple "informal classroom observations" that say nothing of my teaching ability or pedagogy, just question the justification for a "poster hanging on a wall". Another documentation was made when I used a cell phone to request graffiti removal due to the absence of a working phone in the classroom. When seeing the principal, I called him over to show him the graffiti. The next morning I found an observation form in my box with no words but: "teacher on cell phone". The previous year, after receiving a positive review on my annual evaluation, I was informed I would be transferred to another academy within the school without my consent; stripped from my students who I worked hard to build a relationship and trust with. Recently, a colleague of mine, Karen Salazar was fired for using L.A.U.S.D.'s approved text "The AutoBiography of Malcolm X", when administrators stated her teachings were too "Afro-centric." She was then told that the school would not renew her teaching contract for the upcoming school year. Salazar's class is a favorite among students on campus, where they regularly read and analyze books and selected readings from people of color to whom the students can relate. Students, who typically skip some of their classes, show up religiously to English Class. However, much of her success has also led to constant harassment by Jordan H.S. administration. Salazar has been "observed" by the administration over 15 times in the past year. As a Jordan student put eloquently: "The school knows that Ms. Salazar is a very passionate and good teacher, and yet they want to fire her. It is not fair because there are many other teachers who don't teach anything, and they never get fired. " In addition, the current administration under the leadership of Stephen Strachan, has overseen and or authorized: *strong-armed tactics that have intimidated, humiliated, and controlled teachers, students and parents. *the improper purchasing and placement of metal detectors at high school entrances with money he was not authorized to spend. *The forced scheduling of students into classes segregated by gender WITHOUT obtaining prior parental consent, as is required. * * A school-wide uniform policy without community input, much less full community approval *Jordan High's #1 spot for LAUSD schools in SUSPENSION DAYS - over 900 suspension days were handed to students in ONE School year alone - nearly FIVE YEARS OF INSTRUCTION). * *A mass exodus of teachers, averaging dozens of resignations at the end of each school year in which he has been at Jordan.. *The harassment, detaining, and suspension of students organizing for a better school and community. When students recently organized to demand the contract renewal of one of their favorite teachers (Karen Salazar), many were called into the office and threatened with suspension for passing out flyers to protest her removal. As a result of community pressure, students were allowed back to their classes. Since then, the school has stopped answering phone calls, allowing them to screen calls and only allow non-Salazar and suspension related calls to be returned. The principal has now claimed to be receiving "threats" to justify the increased presence of police in front of the school. SIX POLICE CARS were brought to the front of the school the day of the protest and remained parked there to intimidate the beautiful youth of Jordan High. Increased police presence at the school has continued since last week. Concerned community members are now DEMANDING the following: **** The contract renewal of teacher Karen Salazar (who teaches youth about identity, critical literacy, and explicit/ implicit/ theoretical analysis using culturally relevant texts). If not, the call for the removal of Principal Stephen Strachan. *** Action #1******* JOIN the students and community in protest of Salazar's firing tomorrow, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11th at 3pm at Jordan High (2265 E. 103rd St, LA, CA 90002). The Association of Raza Educators will hand-deliver a letter to the principal calling for the written renewal of Salazar's contract to avoid further actions. If you are unable to attend, there are following actions. Action #2) Fellow teachers from Jordan will be holding an action in support of Salazar. Actrion #3) Email LETTERS OF SUPPORT FOR WATTS YOUTH to [EMAIL PROTECTED] or visit myspace.com/wattsstudentunion Action #4) Forward to ALL- we must not let the erasure of our education to be allowed silently. Action #5: Call Jordan High School & LAUSD & tell them you want Salazar to stay, otherwise we'll ask for Strachan out. When calling make sure to identify yourself as a concerned parent, community member, student, or educator. Jordan High: (323) 568-4100 LAUSD Local District 7: (323) 242.1300 Email Board Member Richard Vladovic: [EMAIL PROTECTED] The YOUTH DON"T WANT SYMPATHY- THEY WANT SUPPORT! Thank you immensely for your support while working at Jordan. My work will continue because my heart will not change; To paraphrase Salazar: "Why do I teach? I have no alternative but to struggle daily for the rights and beauty of the people I love." I will be building with youth in L.A. for years to come, just not at Jordan. The demands of the Watts Student Union, ranging from "PTSD Days" to "full administrative budget disclosure" continue. Till all walls dissolve and we are able to return home to our loved ones. Mark Gonzales, M.Ed Educator, Poet Founder Human Writes Project [EMAIL PROTECTED],com humanwritesproject.org <http://humanwritesproject.org/> -- Amer Ahmed Associate Director of Multi-Ethnic Student Affairs University of Michigan - Ann Arbor Intercultural Diversity Consultant - One Ummah Consulting www.oneummahconsulting.com <http://www.oneummahconsulting.com/> Board of Directors Member - Hip Hop Congress www.hiphopcongress.com <http://www.hiphopcongress.com/> "Dawah" - Spoken Word Artist www.myspace.com/dawahpoetmusic "i'm makin' bacon, still i'm sayin' Salaam Alaikum" -Digable Planets "Access without support IS NOT opportunity!" -- Amer Ahmed Associate Director of Multi-Ethnic Student Affairs University of Michigan - Ann Arbor Intercultural Diversity Consultant - One Ummah Consulting www.oneummahconsulting.com Board of Directors Member - Hip Hop Congress www.hiphopcongress.com "Dawah" - Spoken Word Artist www.myspace.com/dawahpoetmusic "i'm makin' bacon, still i'm sayin' Salaam Alaikum" -Digable Planets "Access without support IS NOT opportunity!" 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