What if we only loved?
What if we stepped up and
stood for the love that we
love to receive?
But often choose not to give?
And how do i love
those that don't love me?
That dismiss and seek
to destroy
me, my lot, my people?
Can I love
Love
without pretending
without malice
without descending
into a place
where
love is really
just hate dressed up
to look good
and sound nice
If we only loved
we might need to
set aside
the people and places
that
we can't waste energy on
for everyone and everything
is not mine
is not for
me, my lot, my people.
Can i love
Love
without deceiving
without contempt
without believing
it doesn't matter that
love is really
fake and forced
because we think we must
"be good"
I can love
what and who is in front
of me
and stand in the gap
when they don't have
their voice or
a place
to belong
when they don't know
their way or
a journey
to be on
I must love
so i don't
fall prey
to hate and bitterness
to the ugly
that exists all around
and seeps into
my heart and my mind
when i take my eyes
off of Love.
Love.
Thursday, May 31, 2018
Tuesday, May 29, 2018
#letthemwalk
Today another blow came with regards to the graduation debacle with Waukesha School District. I found out that a student was sent an email by their teacher advising them that since some of their school fees were waived instead of 'paid', they were no longer eligible to purchase their iPAD from the school.
What.
The.
Hell?
How is that even a thing and why is it even a thing? Also, when was this communicated to anyone?
I don't get a society that is okay with this. I mean, I believe it. And I know that there are so many who think, here she goes again....blah blah blah....but I don't care.
I don't get it.
Please hear me. I know that the fees and debt exists. Getting Wisconsin to change how fees are assessed and why the fees are so high in some districts is another battle for another day. I understand that currently fees are high and they are the responsibility of the parents or guardians of graduating seniors.
Fine.
But how and why was that chosen to be used to deny students the privilege and honor of participating in their graduation ceremonies? Of celebrating that day, despite their financial situation, with their peers and having the pride that comes from taking that tassle and crossing it over their cap?
Who.
The.
Hell?
Which school board members thought this was a good idea? Who thought, 'I know how we can get those people to pay!!! Let's keep their kids not just from their diploma but also from their ceremony!' Did someone actually think that suddenly a family struggling to pay their fees or catch up from fees that were behind===would say, 'Oh here's $500, I just didn't feel like paying it!'
No. If you don't have it, you don't have it. You can't get blood out of a turnip. You not only have the stress of financial obligations you can't meet....now you have to explain to your child that they have to miss this celebration of their accomplishment!! Who of them sleeps at night? They should all be ashamed.
Why.
The.
Hell?
So back to that email. Why? Why is that happening? Those iPAD's are not the highest quality and some of the students actually have older models that aren't worth shit anyway. The student was given permission to purchase it for $25 at the end of the school year. Then, today, recieves an email that she no longer can because she had fees waived. Why does a teacher know that anyway? What happened to privacy? Does staff need to know who has fees waived and who doesn't?
I'm disappointed.
I'm disappointed in the district, in the school board.
I'm disappointed at how many people left comments on different social media posts talking about families who might owe fees.....
Calling them leeches.
Calling them welfare queens.
Calling them low lifes.
Calling them illegals.
Calling them thugs.
Calling them lazy.
and some of those people claim to be Christians.
No.
The message of Jesus is love. And doing for the least of these. And helping the powerless. Giving voice to the voiceless. Standing up for those that are unseen. Reminding the pharisees the error of their ways.
The seniors in Waukesha being denied this privilege needs to matter to you. I'm not saying that you need to donate (but it'd be great if you want to) but you do need to understand. And make others aware. And think about how this impacts a young life for the years to come.
Owing fees does not mean you are poor and indignant.
and it is not a reflection of some character flaw.
Just as having wealth is not a reflection of character.
I'm going to a graduation on June 9th, thanks to numerous people who helped make it possible. And I'm not going to shut up about how we can get many many more the same opportunity if we just keep spreading the word and donating!!!
https://www.gofundme.com/let-them-walk
#letthemwalk
What.
The.
Hell?
How is that even a thing and why is it even a thing? Also, when was this communicated to anyone?
I don't get a society that is okay with this. I mean, I believe it. And I know that there are so many who think, here she goes again....blah blah blah....but I don't care.
I don't get it.
Please hear me. I know that the fees and debt exists. Getting Wisconsin to change how fees are assessed and why the fees are so high in some districts is another battle for another day. I understand that currently fees are high and they are the responsibility of the parents or guardians of graduating seniors.
Fine.
But how and why was that chosen to be used to deny students the privilege and honor of participating in their graduation ceremonies? Of celebrating that day, despite their financial situation, with their peers and having the pride that comes from taking that tassle and crossing it over their cap?
Who.
The.
Hell?
Which school board members thought this was a good idea? Who thought, 'I know how we can get those people to pay!!! Let's keep their kids not just from their diploma but also from their ceremony!' Did someone actually think that suddenly a family struggling to pay their fees or catch up from fees that were behind===would say, 'Oh here's $500, I just didn't feel like paying it!'
No. If you don't have it, you don't have it. You can't get blood out of a turnip. You not only have the stress of financial obligations you can't meet....now you have to explain to your child that they have to miss this celebration of their accomplishment!! Who of them sleeps at night? They should all be ashamed.
Why.
The.
Hell?
So back to that email. Why? Why is that happening? Those iPAD's are not the highest quality and some of the students actually have older models that aren't worth shit anyway. The student was given permission to purchase it for $25 at the end of the school year. Then, today, recieves an email that she no longer can because she had fees waived. Why does a teacher know that anyway? What happened to privacy? Does staff need to know who has fees waived and who doesn't?
I'm disappointed.
I'm disappointed in the district, in the school board.
I'm disappointed at how many people left comments on different social media posts talking about families who might owe fees.....
Calling them leeches.
Calling them welfare queens.
Calling them low lifes.
Calling them illegals.
Calling them thugs.
Calling them lazy.
and some of those people claim to be Christians.
No.
The message of Jesus is love. And doing for the least of these. And helping the powerless. Giving voice to the voiceless. Standing up for those that are unseen. Reminding the pharisees the error of their ways.
The seniors in Waukesha being denied this privilege needs to matter to you. I'm not saying that you need to donate (but it'd be great if you want to) but you do need to understand. And make others aware. And think about how this impacts a young life for the years to come.
Owing fees does not mean you are poor and indignant.
and it is not a reflection of some character flaw.
Just as having wealth is not a reflection of character.
I'm going to a graduation on June 9th, thanks to numerous people who helped make it possible. And I'm not going to shut up about how we can get many many more the same opportunity if we just keep spreading the word and donating!!!
https://www.gofundme.com/let-them-walk
#letthemwalk
Sunday, May 20, 2018
Filling my Head.
I've been doing a lot of thinking lately. And quite honestly stressing. Very likely what led to my brief stay in the ER the other day. I am trying to stay calm and peaceful, I am. My brain flows between my family and their well being, a personal financial burden, financial burdens of Waukesha seniors, school shootings, racism, people's ignorance of their neighbors and lack of ability to see beyond themselves, loss. Someone asked me recently how I became this way---someone who speaks up, pursues justice and is okay standing alone. I let them know that I have no clue. I've been that way for a long time.
It's much sometimes.
What's been monopolizing a lot of my mind and heart lately is the new stance Waukesha South School District is planning to enforce this year. If a senior student owes any fees to the district, they will not be allowed to participate in their graduation ceremony. I guess one of the three high schools has already been doing this, but now all three will be doing so. Since a news interview a mom and I did for TV and a local grass roots newspaper ran an article, the district is doing a little dance through their PR person by saying 'oh, no, no...nobody has ever not crossed the stage'....but the bottom line is that I am aware of ACTUAL families, living and breathing humans who have not been told this isn't so. They've been told, and in written form in March 2018, that if they owe fees their senior will not cross the stage.
I don't understand it.
I'm not surprised by it. But I don't understand it.
And I understand even less, how so many folks do not think that this is an issue.
In fact, there's some folks that say this is a good lesson for the student to have to face the real world.
What the actual fuck.
I don't have the positivity to say that at some point we lost our way. I'm not convinced we ever had it.
This country and even this local community pretends to be for the people. Pretends like a 6 year old playing make believe. It's so real to them that at some point others might even begin to buy in.
I don't want to ramble anymore than I already have while try to spell out a cohesive argument with eloquent words...so I'm just going to assemble my thoughts in a list. Maybe you already agree with the idea that high school seniors should be allowed to participate in their graduation ceremonies regardless if their families are unable to pay all of their fees prior to the ceremony. Maybe you can't understand why so many of us would pool our resources together so that we can make a way for these same students to cross the stage. Either way, I hope this list might make you stop and think.
1. The first FREE tax payer public school began in 1639. By 1870, all northern states had tax funded public elementary schools. Read up on what happened to public schools during the depression. No Child Left (NCLB) was signed into law in 2002 but by 2012 more than half of the states were granted waivers because they were unable to successfully meet the requirements of NCLB as it was. Since then, from what I've read and experienced and seen...things have been a mess. This does not fall fully on the schools of course. Budget cuts and states refusal to value education tie the hands of the districts. Tax payers want lower taxes. And so that is often at the expense of the school. Ask any out of work teacher or current teacher who is using their own money to supply their classroom. How great is the divide in this country that there are some states that public education is free and other's where the fees are incredibly high.
2. We've made human issues into partisan issues. I understand that on a 'ideology level' there are partisan differences in how we might tackle education and the great divide that currently exists in our country. But. If we all stop for a moment and just think. With both our heart and head....how could anyone say that they didn't want a child to receive a quality education? How could anyone say that they didn't want their neighbor to achieve and grow and have? How could anyone say that a child should be financially responsible for their own primary and secondary education? (that's roughly K5-8th grade for those that aren't aware) I've read comments that the seniors at Waukesha high schools will learn a good lesson if they have to pay for their school. I can agree with that for college. I don't care how many ways you try to spin it---it is unacceptable in this country with the resources and money we have---to suggest that a 18 year old whose family might have financial struggles, should then become responsible for debt that occurred when they were a child.
3. This is not a race issue. This is an economic issue. Because there are struggling folks of all colors. When the news station or a news paper questions might this be an issue of discrimination the answer is yes. But not racial discrimination. I saw a comment on a social media site telling people to stop making it a race issue. Um. Nobody was. There is a lot of ways to discriminate. So that tells me that person didn't read the article and is assuming what it's about or that tells me that person might think the only folks that financially struggle are non white. So if we are saying it's discrimination we must be saying it's racially discriminatory. No.
4. There are all kinds of reasons that families might struggle to pay school fees. This does not make them freeloaders or 'bad' people. Having financial fluidity and freedom is not the only marker of character. If you have never struggled--then you might not be able to understand how it might happen that a student's fees might accumulate. But I can tell you first hand that they can. And sometimes you are in the position to make the payments so that you catch up. And sometimes you can't. It's easy to toss out judgement and interrogation. It's harder to give what you might have to give when you want to keep it for yourself. It's harder to see need and want to do something about it. It's harder to decide that even if it's not your responsibility--you are going to step in and step up and not just help, but handle. It is truly carrying someone else's burden. So all ya'll Jesus lovers should REALLY be all over that.
Somehow I feel better spelling it all out, clearing it out of my heart and head. Hopefully this will help me sleep a little better.
Tomorrow is a new day.
It's much sometimes.
What's been monopolizing a lot of my mind and heart lately is the new stance Waukesha South School District is planning to enforce this year. If a senior student owes any fees to the district, they will not be allowed to participate in their graduation ceremony. I guess one of the three high schools has already been doing this, but now all three will be doing so. Since a news interview a mom and I did for TV and a local grass roots newspaper ran an article, the district is doing a little dance through their PR person by saying 'oh, no, no...nobody has ever not crossed the stage'....but the bottom line is that I am aware of ACTUAL families, living and breathing humans who have not been told this isn't so. They've been told, and in written form in March 2018, that if they owe fees their senior will not cross the stage.
I don't understand it.
I'm not surprised by it. But I don't understand it.
And I understand even less, how so many folks do not think that this is an issue.
In fact, there's some folks that say this is a good lesson for the student to have to face the real world.
What the actual fuck.
I don't have the positivity to say that at some point we lost our way. I'm not convinced we ever had it.
This country and even this local community pretends to be for the people. Pretends like a 6 year old playing make believe. It's so real to them that at some point others might even begin to buy in.
I don't want to ramble anymore than I already have while try to spell out a cohesive argument with eloquent words...so I'm just going to assemble my thoughts in a list. Maybe you already agree with the idea that high school seniors should be allowed to participate in their graduation ceremonies regardless if their families are unable to pay all of their fees prior to the ceremony. Maybe you can't understand why so many of us would pool our resources together so that we can make a way for these same students to cross the stage. Either way, I hope this list might make you stop and think.
1. The first FREE tax payer public school began in 1639. By 1870, all northern states had tax funded public elementary schools. Read up on what happened to public schools during the depression. No Child Left (NCLB) was signed into law in 2002 but by 2012 more than half of the states were granted waivers because they were unable to successfully meet the requirements of NCLB as it was. Since then, from what I've read and experienced and seen...things have been a mess. This does not fall fully on the schools of course. Budget cuts and states refusal to value education tie the hands of the districts. Tax payers want lower taxes. And so that is often at the expense of the school. Ask any out of work teacher or current teacher who is using their own money to supply their classroom. How great is the divide in this country that there are some states that public education is free and other's where the fees are incredibly high.
2. We've made human issues into partisan issues. I understand that on a 'ideology level' there are partisan differences in how we might tackle education and the great divide that currently exists in our country. But. If we all stop for a moment and just think. With both our heart and head....how could anyone say that they didn't want a child to receive a quality education? How could anyone say that they didn't want their neighbor to achieve and grow and have? How could anyone say that a child should be financially responsible for their own primary and secondary education? (that's roughly K5-8th grade for those that aren't aware) I've read comments that the seniors at Waukesha high schools will learn a good lesson if they have to pay for their school. I can agree with that for college. I don't care how many ways you try to spin it---it is unacceptable in this country with the resources and money we have---to suggest that a 18 year old whose family might have financial struggles, should then become responsible for debt that occurred when they were a child.
3. This is not a race issue. This is an economic issue. Because there are struggling folks of all colors. When the news station or a news paper questions might this be an issue of discrimination the answer is yes. But not racial discrimination. I saw a comment on a social media site telling people to stop making it a race issue. Um. Nobody was. There is a lot of ways to discriminate. So that tells me that person didn't read the article and is assuming what it's about or that tells me that person might think the only folks that financially struggle are non white. So if we are saying it's discrimination we must be saying it's racially discriminatory. No.
4. There are all kinds of reasons that families might struggle to pay school fees. This does not make them freeloaders or 'bad' people. Having financial fluidity and freedom is not the only marker of character. If you have never struggled--then you might not be able to understand how it might happen that a student's fees might accumulate. But I can tell you first hand that they can. And sometimes you are in the position to make the payments so that you catch up. And sometimes you can't. It's easy to toss out judgement and interrogation. It's harder to give what you might have to give when you want to keep it for yourself. It's harder to see need and want to do something about it. It's harder to decide that even if it's not your responsibility--you are going to step in and step up and not just help, but handle. It is truly carrying someone else's burden. So all ya'll Jesus lovers should REALLY be all over that.
Somehow I feel better spelling it all out, clearing it out of my heart and head. Hopefully this will help me sleep a little better.
Tomorrow is a new day.
Sunday, May 13, 2018
My Momma
I know this day is hard for so many
My own momma included
Because I know she misses her own momma so.
But I wanted to make sure that
I took some time today
to let her know
What she means to me
Why we all love her so
She was always there
When we needed her
I can't remember a time
That she wasn't.
Even in disappointment
In frustration
She stood by and loved
She showed up and stayed.
From her I learned how to
Be prepared and think of the details
How to make others comfortable
And stick to a plan
How to make your husband's lunch
How to make your children laugh
How to smile when you need to
And remember there's good after bad
I learned to work hard
Not to take things for granted
To appreciate and step up
And not to wait to be asked
To make each day count
To take a deep breath
That sometimes we roll with the punches
And have to learn how to embrace.
As a grandma she's amazing
and hilarious
Man she loves our kids
She reminds me of her mom
Telling stories more than once
Learning all the new lingo
but also teaching us all her own.
Thank you Linda for being a mom
I am blessed to celebrate today
You are special and loved.
One of kind
And I'll always be grateful
That you are mine.
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