We must not Re-Open unless we’ve Re-Thought and Re-Imagined
What if we chose different metrics? What if we wanted to graduate people who knew how to listen to the news, and listen to politicians, and could come to reasoned understandings? What if we wanted to graduate people who were empathetic enough to wear masks right now in order to protect their communities? What if we wanted to graduate people who could understand the statistics of today and who really understand what ‘flattening a curve’ means?
What if we wanted to graduate people who would not assign stereotyped roles to women, or men, or Black Americans, or Asian Americans, or immigrants? What if we wanted to graduate people who actually knew the difference between bacteria and viruses? What if we wanted to graduate people who knew without question that the murder of Ahmaud Arbery was wrong and criminal? What if we wanted to graduate people who knew how to communicate their experiences and feelings right now, whether in words — spoken or written — in song, in dance, in art, via video, and could do that in ways that increased human knowledge and empathy?
What if we wanted to graduate people who understood what consent to sexual activity really means? What if we wanted to graduate people who didn’t have white supremacy in their hearts? What if we wanted to graduate people who would never abuse their children? What if we wanted to graduate people curious enough to be hunting for the next medical breakthrough? What if we wanted to graduate people who could lead in a CONTINUE READING: We must not Re-Open unless we’ve Re-Thought and Re-Imagined