As this column deadline loomed near, I was perplexed by the
topic I should address.
As this column deadline loomed near, I was perplexed by the topic I should address. As we approach graduations and the end of another school year, my intension was to address the students of Morgan Hill – their strengths, abilities, achievements and what is needed to be a successful student in our school system. As much as I contemplated this topic, the media kept reminding me that Live Oak High School and the Morgan Hill Unified School District had made the national news. The events of the last 10 days continued to be a focus of media rhetoric, public comment, and high emotions. I felt that I could not write a “Teacher’s Perspective” column without imparting some of the “Lessons Learned” from the events on and after Cinco de Mayo.
Since I was not on campus on the 5th of May to see the climate at Live Oak High School, I cannot comment on the administration’s actions on that day. I can, however, comment on some of the lessons that have come from these events.
Lesson No. 1 – Americans, all Americans, take their freedom and liberty very seriously. In the 1969 ruling of Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District stated that “Students … do not shed their constitutional rights at the schoolhouse gate.” Showing and respecting our American flag should always be one of our most sacred rights and that right should never be taken away. The Morgan Hill community has always showed great patriotism and honor to our flag. Flags abound throughout our town and deepest respect and honor has always been shown to our country, our veterans, and our people. In the center of town, a memorial can be found listing those men who have given their lives in the service of our country and on the Fourth of July one of the largest patriotic parades rolls through downtown.
Lesson No. 2 – People of the Hispanic race have the right to also value and celebrate their heritage and culture. They are a proud people who were inhabitants of California long before it became a part of the United States. Celebrating Cinco de Mayo is a celebration of those traditions and culture. The showing of the Mexican flag is a symbol of all that the Hispanic culture stands for: pride, love of family, hard work, honor, and the desire for a better life. These values also need to be celebrated and are held in common with those values of Americans.
Lesson No. 3 – The amazing students of Morgan Hill need to be honored for their accomplishments this year and that is what should have been national news. Our students, all the way down to kindergarten, gave to make this world a better place through their donations of time and money in helping others in need through supplying food for the hungry or earthquake relief for Haiti. We should be celebrating those seniors who are almost finished with their public education. We should celebrate the many colleges that have accepted those students or those who will be continuing their education in other ways. We should celebrate those students who have volunteered to serve our country or their community. And we should celebrate those former students who are contributing, caring and conscientious members of our society.
Lesson No. 4 – The honest conversation that Dr. Wes Smith, superintendent of the Morgan Hill Unified School District, began in February with the Hispanic community needs to be continued in a respectful and beneficial manner. Our students and their families deserve no less. As a community of great diversity, we should all celebrate our differences and use those differences to enhance our lives. Name calling, racial slurs, and obscene gestures have no place in a civilized society – they have no place in our town.
The Morgan Hill community needs to take these lessons and move forward. We need to understand and value each other for the gifts we bring. We need to have those respectful and purposeful conversations about our perspectives, backgrounds and values. We need to continue to educate our youth as knowledge is the most important gateway to success. The lessons learned from this Cinco de Mayo should make our community stronger and more cohesive as we more fully understand each others’ perspectives, heritage and cultural identity.
