A Cleveland Student Writes:

Wow, I looked at the newspaper today, and saw all kinds of articles about area schools. Lay-offs in Cleveland and Beachwood, school closings in Akron, violence in Lorain schools. Add these to the spate of other news stories this month about school vandalism, fights, and shootings and it makes you wonder. Who in the world would want to go into education these days?

Luckily, the headlines haven't scared off all the potential recruits.
I'd like to share with you an e-mail I received the other day.

Hello,

I just wanted to send an email complimenting you on your blog. Being a student here myself (I'm a junior at John Marshall), it's nice to see feedback from teachers that are not condemning every aspect of Cleveland's public school system. Too many of us are being conformed to the idea all students are like those at South High or Glenville, but they forget the thousands more who can get to class in 4 minutes, sit down, and actually be productive. It is also great to get a teacher's point of view...I'd like to start a degree in Secondary Education next fall in '06, and even though I am a part of the system as a student for now, the future tells different.

I'm also glad you happen to be an art teacher, mostly because if you were a math one I probably wouldn't have said anything to you (lol). My parents are both professional artists, and I became one just last fall. Who ever said art wasn't something good to get into should've bet on it. Anyway, you've inspired me to have a topic for my own blog. Just being a kid going through high school, soon to college. Cleveland is only as interesting as people like you make it....thanks for making this interesting again.

This is why I write...This is why I (we) teach...This is why we don't give up.

I will be looking forward to the new blog. A Cleveland student's perspective will certainly cast one more new light on the city schools.