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Letter to Freire

In:

Submitted By scottie
Words 751
Pages 4
Former Teacher
Future Community Organizer
Rural Old South, GA 30000
August 23, 2011

Dear Paulo Freire,

As a former teacher of students at a public therapeutic school, I feel that we have a connection, if only as fellow educators. Most teachers only want the best for their students. I am against the thought of “banking education” (pouring information into a student, and then the students spit the information back out) as I know you are. In my former school for “troubled children,” the teachers and other staff had power over the students. This was for safety concerns, such as suicide. I know that you are known for actively sharing power, and believe in power “with the people.”In your work with marginalized people you never blamed the victim, as is often done. I know that you are famous, but you also identify with common people and educators like me.

Our school has had many issues primarily with our funding. But the main problem is (I realize that you like to name the problem first) that I and other former teachers are getting ready to lose our retirement benefits! We worked extra hours weekly at our local community elementary school to ensure that our benefits would be available when we retired! Now when many of us need more income, it is going to be reduced, or discontinued. This problem can easily be explained. The funds were redirected to a fleet of expensive cars that are being driven around by public school board members. Now that the problem has been defined, action in the form of a lawsuit must be taken. Serious dialogue, reflection, and an attempt to find common ground will be tried first. Another way may be running for the local school board, as it has an opening.

I know that you had a middle-class upbringing with a piano and so did I. You then lost your family money, due to an economic depression and so did I. GA has an economic

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