"Stay close to nature and its eternal laws will protect you."
- Max Gerson
I recently had the opportunity to visit a private school here in Albuquerque. The campus was dazzling, snuggled right up to the bosque, merging not only two cultures, but many philosophies. Freedom from public school dogma is expensive. Freedom to teach what you want is a luxury. This school is living both. The school is a contribution of the Ford family, not sure if it is the Fords affiliated with Ford motors but regardless a family with enough money to build a private school, and it system a gift of creative minds. Who is it serving?
Yeah there is a part of me that says this is unfair. How dare some outsider come to my bosque and buy and build a place of elite learning, that will likely serve the richest few while 3 miles down river, those kids, get the standard. That pit bull in me, a persona I carry, which is not told to stay quiet, but is validated, appreciated, and soothed. The strong gentle black woman in me, suggest I consider the little minds being cultivated. Then the wise wrinkled viejito, slowy and mindfully claps for both, his old calloused hands make a muffled deep clap, contributing to my thoughts, mijo the bosque is not yours, it is lent to you by eternity. Then lastly the fragile abuela spirit, softly adds, mi amor, be joyful someone is benefiting, be happy for those who are there, be thankful for those who are creating it, Que Dios los bendiga.
And now my response is confused and sad. Where have our...New Mexican... teachers, creators, and advocates gone? Where is our Garcia Fund? Where has the passion for learning disappeared to and why do our communities smoulder? Be the change.....be the change...let the anger fuel the creative engine, let the jealousy feed the stomach of motivation. and let the exhaust be a mist of love.