MLK

I am going to exercise my imagination, a bit. I imagine MLK would tell us to throw the race thing out the window immediately. He would say that JHS is not a black school, never was, and that if ever was perceived as such, it should not have been. He would also say that JHS would not be a Mexican /Latino school even if it were 100% so—or for that matter white or Chinese. MLK would say this because his understanding of what it means to be human.

For MLK, to be human is to be able to transcend all categories. Most important of these is about how we view ourselves. The Dream he spoke of is possible because humans, as individuals, are extremely difficult to categorize. People are neither this nor that—neither Black, Mexican, White or whatever—yet they might very well be, superficially. I believe this is the Freedom MLK talked about: There is no concrete self or ego apart from other. This is why the greatest gift we can give our students is to, first, help them find confidence in who they are, only to help them rid of who they think they are and go beyond. Our students are not Mexican, Black or what have you, they are beings waiting for someone or some thing to awaken their true nature. For me, each is a Buddha but does not know it yet. I truly believe this. All you have to do is look directly at your students, you will find it there. It motivates me daily.

I believe MLK was a bodhisattva. A being that chooses to incarnate in order to liberate others from suffering and ignorance. They are ordinary beings by most measures but their activity transforms the world. I believe people like MLK want for us to do likewise. We too can be bodhisattvas in our own way.

MLK would encourage us, as teachers, to help our students grasp that what limits them is not their circumstances, but the choices they make and attitude surrounding their circumstances. Martin, like all great men and women, understood that humans are equipped with all the tools needed to elevate above circumstances.

He would require of us personal accountability. Having this, he would demand it necessary that our kids knew the importance of self discipline and its connection to right-speech, right-action, and their connection to right-living. He would be big on discipline indeed, compassionate, but without the idiot part. He would be a good teacher, tough but kind.
I choose to celebrate Martin Luther King this time of year for personal reasons. For me it speaks of things having to do with going beyond small mind; limitations and obstacles can be overcome; internal demons can be tamed; enemies can be won over; it speaks of transcendence while remaining grounded; helping yourself but finding oneself in others; avoiding idiot compassion yet not giving up on people; conducting oneself with confidence yet doubting our own certainty; predispositions and biases are human, yet can be liberated; truth frees us from ignorance and that justice and compassion and two sides of the same coin.

Martin Luther’s Dream belongs to the world. We still have a ways to go, but we are heading up that staircase he mentioned.
And yes, he was a strong union supporter.