Teaching values

Choosing the right school for your child is one that every single parent agonizes over.  In many areas you have zero choice but in the inner cities particularly from the early years there are a slew of choices.

When we moved back to the city with our kids then 8, 6 and 3 we went to see several schools.  We live downtown and although we know many who have chosen to send their kids to uptown schools that wasn’t something that interested us.  What was the most important was the schools whole gestalt.  It was the values of the school that were so important to us as we knew that we could always supplement other areas with a tutor to understand calculus better.

Our niece, who happens to be a teacher at LREI where our kids went to school posted this picture on Instagram this week.  These are the signs that the middle schoolers made to walk around Washington Square Park the day of the election.  Particularly in the times we live in now this hit us both right between the eyes.  The kids at LREI are growing up with a community that cares about the issues that many (unfortunately) are not embracive of.  The school is a mixture of every walk of life from black to white to muslim to jew to gay to transgender to mixed race.  They believe we are all equal regardless of our race, income or religion.  Those values is what we loved about the school.

There were times when all of our kids had frustration with the school but looking back on the philosophy that they teach has bled into our kids in a way that makes them better adults.  I saw that photo on Instagram and just smiled.  It is too bad that all children aren’t taught to speak their minds, think about big picture ideals that make an impact in our world and be open to everyone regardless of where they come from or what they believe in.  If they did then perhaps we wouldn’t be living in the times that we are living in now of anger, hate, disdain and prejudice.

Comments (Archived):

  1. Jennifer Alfano

    Having two teenage daughters, I think the future is in good hands. The color of your skin, where you came from, your religious background and sexual preferences are of zero interest to my girls and the majority of their friends. “You do you” is a phrase they often use—meaning whatever makes you happy. I wish it would happen sooner, but have confidence that the next generation will erase the bigotry, hatred and anger we see now.

    1. Gotham Gal

      I love that. “you do you”.

  2. Guest

    These signs mean nothing. It’s easy to put up a meaningless sign when you’re 10 yo and mommy and daddy can write a check for $45K/annum/child. Rich kids are the most liberal/pseudo-progressive and least down to earth b/c they’re going to be wealthier then 90%+ of other people even if they never work and just live off their parents’ dime.

    1. Gotham Gal

      Such a healthy attitude about the future. Happens to be that 25% of the schools operating incomes goes to financial aid.Don’t shoot from the hip

      1. Guest

        These rich kids are supporting a progressive/big government regime which, if implemented, would have prevented their families from becoming so rich in the first place. It’s nice of the school to throw the peasants’ children a bone but there’s still an elitist attitude that isn’t seen in most place. Besides that, the main point is it’s a lot easier (and less courageous) to throw out these meaningless slogans when you’re already wealthy than it is when you’re facing problems of making ends meet on a day-to-day basis and a routine expense like car repair can be a significant problem.

  3. Manjari Kumar

    Have a teenage daughter as well and second your observations, Jennifer Alfano. Have two kids in NYC public schools and very grateful for a DOE chancellor who says, “We take pride in our diversity. Immigrant parents, students, principals, teachers and other staff are a part of what makes our schools, and New York City, the amazing, strong, vibrant places they are. Whether you or your family arrived 100 years or 100 days ago —you are New Yorkers— and we stand with you.”