Students Should Be In School Today. . .

by Valorie Delp | More from this Blogger

15 Jan 2007 07:24 AM

Today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day. All over the city, there are memorials, exhibitions, services, and speeches to honor Dr. King. Since kids have off from school, most are probably at home, playing video games, or hanging out. Maybe some more conscientious parents have taken some time to take their kids out to learn, but even as I write, I see kids hanging out on the streets. For them, it's another day off of school and business as usual.

Teachers Should Teach. . .

The entirety of the famous "I Have a Dream" speech. I am sad to say that I think our generation and the ones following us are pathetically unaware of Dr. King's message. In a recent survey of college students, over 25% thought that Dr. King was addressing issues of slavery and had no idea regarding the contents of the speech beyond the famous first line:

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."

Yet are you aware that his speech implores the use of peaceful methods and due process? Not because it's fair and not because the Afro-American community had any other reason to do so at that time but simply because people should "struggle. . .on the high plane of dignity and discipline?" I can assure you that in my neighborhood, the idea of obtaining what you want by conducting yourself with dignity and using plain old fashioned hard work is as foreign as someone speaking Chinese.

The same survey found that most kids admitted only having a lesson here or there on Dr. Martin Luther King. Very few were actually aware of all he stood for and some even still couldn't remember ever talking about Dr. Martin Luther King in school. (I am wondering what happened to basic civics classes?)

So Parents I Implore You

Take a few minutes today to listen and talk about Dr. Martin Luther King. You can find the entire text of the "I Have a Dream" speech here.

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Learn more about Valorie Delp

Hello everybody! My name is Valorie and I am one busy lady! When I'm not writing or editing for families, I am busy trying to get my brood of 5 in line.

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LEC23 (216) 16 Jan 2007 12:54 AM

I'm absolutely delighted that you remind us all of a very important historical person that we all need to remember. I personally, as well as my homeschooled son, remember the invaluable historical contribution that Dr King contributed to human rights and to recognising and how to achieve equality in society through a peaceful protest and vocal assertiveness. When I was in University, I made many friends, one of whom I was absolutely fascinated by, he was a Caribbean American, Jewish, who lived in the UK, retained his New York accent and who contributed quite freely, to my son's rich teachings into Caribbean-American and black history, including the history of different movements and people like Dr King, the Black Panther movement and Rosa Parkes; as I believed that when homeschooling him that he should not be restricted by the UK history curriculum, that only gives a glimpse into Black Culture and issues. As a result, my son, has embraced a broad prospective of history and of the aims, objectives and philsophies of Dr King and he is remembered with dignity and respect for his teachings and his stance on peaceful, but assertive protest to achieve individual and collective objectives.

I personally have and will always believe in TOTAL EQUALITY FOR ALL and because of this, I have often be called a 'rebel' and a trouble-causer because of my thinking and practicing outside of society norms but that is why myself and my son give Dr King and his teachings such respect, for his stance on individual empowerment, choice and total equality for all.