In Search of Common Ground

My heart is heavy. We are so paralyzed by polarization across this country and this polarization is a breeding ground for hate and "otherness." As humans, we find ourselves trying to find the balance between finding our own identities, and belonging and being accepted by our various collectives. It is an intricate dance between finding our own voice, and living out the values and beliefs of our people. Our people could be our our families, our churches and religious affiliations, our schools, our communities, and people who look and think like us. While we have engaged in this intricate dance, we have forgotten that it takes place on the stage of our common humanity. And this is precisely how we find ourselves divorced from one another. 

We can't seem to find common ground. What would happen if we truly approached one another with the idea of seeking first to understand before foisting our stories and opinions upon one another? What would happen if we took a moment to consider the other? What would happen if we ditched our insatiable desire to be right? What if we actually talked to one another with respect and dignity? What if we at least tried?

I definitely have my own opinions on so many issues that face us as a nation. I can live in those opinions to the extent that they don't rob others of their unalienable rights which include life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. And I understand this. It is one of the beautiful things about being an American. But let us consider how many of our people have the opportunity to truly experience this? WHO gets the opportunity to pursue these things? And before stating our opinions on how EVERYONE can, what would happen if we just LISTENED? What I am observing across our nation is the refusal to listen. The absolute knowing that "my" way is right. The need to be powerful. To be all-knowing. To exclude others and point fingers. To find absolutely nothing the other says to be important or significant. Even amongst those who claim to be open...even these shut others out and mock people for their perspectives. This mocking, this meanness - is what breaks my heart. I believe we are deeply connected to one another and what I do to others, I am doing to myself. Therefore, the lies and untruths that are perpetuated from each side cause the divide to be even greater. 

What happened to finding common ground? I KNOW there are things we can agree on. And from this place, the healing begins. WHY do you see things that way? WHY do you feel that way. Have a conversation with me. Do you really hate me because of my opinions? Can we come from a place of love and compassion? Help me to understand. 

I will conclude these thoughts with the words of New York Senator Robert Kennedy addressing a crowd after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr:

My favorite poet was Aeschylus. He wrote: “In our sleep, pain which cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart until, in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom through the awful grace of God.” 

What we need in the United States is not division; what we need in the United States is not hatred; what we need in the United States is not violence or lawlessness; but love and wisdom, and compassion toward one another, and a feeling of justice toward those who still suffer within our country, whether they be white or they be black. So I shall ask you tonight to return home, to say a prayer for the family of Martin Luther King, that’s true, but more importantly to say a prayer for our own country, which all of us love—a prayer for understanding and that compassion of which I spoke. We can do well in this country. We will have difficult times; we’ve had difficult times in the past; we will have difficult times in the future. It is not the end of violence; it is not the end of lawlessness; it is not the end of disorder. But the vast majority of white people and the vast majority of black people in this country want to live together, want to improve the quality of our life, and want justice for all human beings who abide in our land. Let us dedicate ourselves to what the Greeks wrote so many years ago: to tame the savageness of man and make gentle the life of this world. Let us dedicate ourselves to that, and say a prayer for our country and for our people.

This statement is from 1968 and leaves much room for a deeper understanding of the plight of my black bothers and sisters. However, it is my hope that in the spirit of these words, we might search for love and wisdom and compassion for one another. What is your experience? Let's build on common ground. 

To My White Friends and Friends of Color

Dear White Friends - 

I have been deeply contemplative and reflective regarding the brutality towards George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. I know everyone has a host of opinions, judgements, concerns and ideas and are sharing them rampantly. I, however, have had such a sense of despair and overwhelming sadness that I have been unable to find adequate words to express this until now. I realize that even this is a luxury of my white privilege. I am conscious of my white fragility as well as the concept of white tears, as I began the journey of truly examining and confronting my white privilege around 2002. Being aware of white tears, nonetheless, does not stop tears from flowing down my white face and from my heart. I do not wish to be consoled at all, as my tears and pain cannot compare to the suffering of my black brothers and sisters. My heart is breaking for all people of color. 

For those of you who would like to judge our black brothers and sisters for their anger - please stop. Please stop pointing your fingers. Please stop the judgement. Stop for a moment and consider where that anger stems from. Instead of trying to make yourself right, just listen. What are the messages behind the anger? Has quiet protest gotten anyone's attention? Has anything really changed since the civil rights movement? If so, why then, do we keep coming back to the same issues? Please don't take these statements as a broad sweeping sentiment that all police are bad. We know that is not the case. That is ridiculous. So just stop. When you do that, you are diverting attention away from the real issue, and white people get to take center stage again. We have had center stage for far too long. 

Attacking individual people and arguing with one another is not going to get us anywhere. Sure, we need to hold individuals accountable for their actions, however, it is more powerful to examine policies and practices of our institutions. The individuals making horrible choices are a product of our social constructs and institutional racism. We will continue to have individuals making horrible, racist choices as long as we allow current policies and practices to continue. We also have to stop acting like everyone is equal and has an equal chance to be successful. That is a convenient lie we like to tell ourselves to make ourselves feel better. If we want to dismantle racism, our black brothers and sisters need to do the talking, and us white folks need to do the listening. 

If you are interested in having an open, honest conversation with me about what I have said here, I invite you in. I will not judge you. I will not attack you. You can say things that may feel forbidden or taboo. If you are truly committed to making our United States a better, safer place for all, where every, single citizen has a chance at the pursuit of happiness, and you are grappling with what I have said here - I invite you in. It is uncomfortable. So be prepared. But we never grow when we are comfortable. We only learn and grow when we lean into our discomfort. 

To my Dear Friends of Color - 

Try as I might, I will never be able to fully understand your experience. My daughter is black. We work through the pain of her reality and grapple with the fact that I have no point of reference from which to guide her. We are honest with one another. She speaks, and I listen. In my white ignorance, I thought I would be able to rescue her from a rough experience. Instead, she rescued me. Our love is deep and I am learning from her every day. 

To my friends of color - thank you for your patience with me as I learn. I will, and have, stumbled along the way. Please know that I am fiercely committed to this work. I am boldly committed to dismantling racism in all of its ugly forms. 

Malcom X was so right.

“I believe that there will ultimately be a clash between the oppressed and those that do the oppressing. I believe that there will be a clash between those who want freedom, justice and equality for everyone and those who want to continue the systems of exploitation.” – Malcolm X

Would you allow me to join hands with you in order to dismantle these systems of exploitation?

In Memory of My Mother - Lola Maertens Dragoo

In memory of Lola Maertens Dragoo - June 14th, 1953 - January 16th, 2020  

I wrote and shared this message at her memorial on January 19th, 2020.

Our mom's story is one of reconciliation, forgiveness, and love. You see, her life was one full of strife, abuse, and survival for much of it. And it was also full of joy.

Due to a series of unfortunate circumstances, Carrie and me, and Tayler and our mother, were often apart, more than together. We did our best to stay in touch through visits, phone calls, letters, emails and texts over the years.

Our mom is one tough, stubborn lady. She found out in 2002 that she had breast cancer. She beat the breast cancer and participated in many Relays For Life, and became an advocate for others who were fighting cancer. She was often a source of inspiration and hope for others facing the same battle. I learned this during our unexpected stay here in Monte. She also served as a source of hope and inspiration for her friends who might be going through difficult relationships. She was always ready to give a listening ear without judgement.

When mom got laid off from MTI, she was devastated. But in true Lola fashion, she turned it into an opportunity. She spent the next few years making visits back to Missouri. During this time, Carrie and discovered many loves that we shared with our mom. Visiting wineries, wearing Lula Roe leggings, sipping on lots of hot teas, and shopping for shoes amongst long talks!

In 2016, our mother was diagnosed with lung cancer. This was unrelated to the breast cancer she survived. She faced the lung cancer relentlessly, driven by the fact that she had beat lung cancer before and she would beat cancer again. I was able to take off work and come to be with her during her recovery. It was my first true glimpse of her life in Monte. Friends checked in on her, I went daily to Java to pick up her extra hot, chai tea latte with soy, and experienced some quality one on one time with my mother.

Fast forward to April 2019. We received the devastating news that our mom had pancreatic cancer. Our mom faced this diagnosis with the same optimism and ferocity that she faced her other diagnoses with. Little did we know that we would receive some of the greatest gifts from our mother during the next nine months.

We were given the gift of seeing our mother through her friends' eyes. A woman who was always there for her friends. She was the one to lift others up and she was often called a gem. Everywhere we went, people talked about how much they loved our mother and what she meant to them.

The gift that none of us saw coming, was the gift our deep friendship and love for one another. You see, while Carrie and I have spent most of our lives together, we did not get that time with Tayler. Mom, in her ferocious battle with cancer, gave Tayler, Carrie and me, the gift of time. We love one another deeply and have committed to keep our relationship at the forefront. In fact, Carrie and I have bossed our "little brother" into coming for Thanksgiving each year and we have committed to come here...NOT in the winter. :)

Another unexpected gift we have received is our new group of friends in Monte. Words are inadequate to express our gratitude to all of you. You have kept us fed, hugged, and loved during a very difficult time in our lives. I am not sure how we could have gotten through this without your outpouring of love and support. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Reconciliation, forgiveness and love. Being human is messy business. How beautiful would the world be if we could practice reconciliation, forgiveness and love?

Mountain View - A Poem about White Privilege

I just finished two powerful days of equity and inclusion training with 56 of my colleagues in the North Kansas City School District. I have participated in several equity/diversity trainings and I have led numerous trainings on the topic. My dissertation is on this topic. It is my area of research. It is close to my heart. And yet I was transformed further after these honest conversations with people I hold dear. Let me just place this poem I wrote, right here. More to come on this.

Mountain View

Sitting so pristine in my whiteness at the top of the mountain
A mountain I didn't even have to climb
I get the luxury of feeling comfortably numb and I have permission not to cry
I'm looking at white faces reflecting back to me more whiteness
While my friends of color listen in, watch, calculate and consider our suitcases and how we unpack them

As we deconstruct our White privilege and all our dirty laundry
I wonder
My heart breaks open and I have been here before
Grappling with my white skin that I didn't even get to pick
And I am yearning for your trust, begging for your trust
Please trust me

You don't know it, but my heart aches, and loves and yearns
Hoping you know
I SEE YOU
Oh, I see YOU
You in all your beauty, anger, and hope

Please take my hand, and we will hike up that mountain together
And after the mountain, we will move mountains
And I will be your accomplice, friend, sister

~ Amy Casey 2018

Note - An ally will mostly engage in activism by standing with an individual or group in a marginalized community. An accomplice will focus more on dismantling the structures that oppress that individual or group—and such work will be directed by the stakeholders in the marginalized group.

https://www.tolerance.org/magazine/ally-or-accomplice-the-language-of-activism

Dr. Amy Casey - Principal - Lover of Her People

I must write a biography as a MAESP Distinguished Principal Honoree. Of course I have writer's block and the biography is due on January 8th. I thought if I blogged about it, it might come easier. So bear with me and thanks for your help! :)

Who is Amy Casey as a leader? What do I want the world to know about me? The following are things I find myself saying to others on a regular basis. Maybe if I explore these sayings with you, I can introduce you to Dr. Amy Casey.  

"Be present. Love your people. Seek first to understand and then to be understood. Be the change you wish to see. Celebrate diversity. Embrace a growth mindset and the power of 'yet.' Have an attitude of gratitude. If we can't live it, it is difficult to teach it. Give 110%."

Be present ~

If you walk into my school, you might find that I am the "gingerbread woman." Catch me if you can. I do my best to be in the trenches. My absolute favorite thing to do as a principal is to be in classrooms observing how what we have been working on in professional development time comes to life with our students. I love conferring with students and asking them, "what did your teacher teach you today?" There is nothing better than hearing the student responses that are a tell-tale sign of the incredible teaching and learning taking place daily. 

I want to be there during difficult times to support my staff. I want them to know that they are not alone and that we are in this together. When my teachers lose faith and feel they can't do something, I want them to know that they can, and I believe in them. I want to support my teachers and grow them as leaders. 

I want my students to know me. From "good morning" greetings, to classroom visits and lunches with students, or crazy dances in the hallways, to lots and lots of hugs, Dr. Casey is here. She is here when you need that hug, she is here when you celebrate your academic growth, she is here when you are so overwhelmed with life and unable to control your emotions. She is here. She is present. 

Love your people ~ 

I love my school and my people. And yes, I tell them that. I tell teachers that I love them. I tell students that I love them. Because I do. And this love is not a fluffy, surface level, "puppies and rainbows" kind of love. This love is the kind that holds people accountable, while lifting them up…not tearing them down. This love is the kind of love that says, "you may not have gotten it today, but I believe you will get it tomorrow." This love is the kind of love that says, "I am not looking for perfection, but I am looking for the best you can do." This is the kind of love that nudges people to fulfill their potential rather than pushing them over the edge. 

Indeed, love is patient and kind. It is not rude or arrogant. It does not insist on its own way. While I have not reached mastery in this endeavor, it is how I strive to lead. I am a human being and on occasion that humanness just comes right on out. However, when I have done my best to lead from this place of love and have a human slip up, I find that my staff and students are much more inclined to forgive me. In love. Because what goes around…comes around.

This love that I have for my learning community is all about connection. I feel connected to my staff, students and family. They are my "village," my "tribe," my "family." 

My top two "rules" as a principal are - 1) Be nice to kids. 2) Be nice to each other. This is how we begin to show our love for our people. 

Seek first to understand and then be understood ~ 

People have different ways of seeing things and that is ok. But if we are constantly trying to make our way known, we aren't really listening. We are exercising a fixed mindset, rather than a growth mindset. If we are constantly trying to defend our point of view as the "correct" way, we have closed ourselves off from others and have closed opportunities to grow together. We put a wedge between us. Some of my best ideas weren't my ideas at all! They came to me from listening and trying to understand others' points of view. 

I have also found that as I am willing to listen to others first, and truly embrace what they are saying, they are more likely to reciprocate. This is the stuff that true Professional Learning Communities are made of. 

Be the change you wish to see ~ 

This is huge. If I don't like the way things are going, as a leader, I must take a look at myself. I am a mirror of those I lead. Are my teachers completely stressed out and overloaded? What have I done to cause that? Am I giving off stressful energy? Am I expecting them to be all zen when I am a mess? Then it is up to me to make that change in myself, first. 

If I want others to be inspired, then I must be that inspiration. If I want others to be innovative, then I must be innovative. If I want others to be committed to our work, they must see my commitment. If I want our students to see adults who look like them at school, then I must be committed to diverse hiring practices. If I want staff to remain calm when students are dealing with trauma in their lives and are acting out, then I must remain calm and understanding. 

This is my greatest responsibility as a leader. I must be the change. 

Celebrate diversity ~

Not embrace. Not tolerate. Celebrate. I see myself as a champion for diversity, social justice and equity. Diversity encompasses race, gender, abilities, religion, sexual orientation, age and thought. How boring would it be if you went to color a picture and every crayon was the same color? It would be very difficult to create a picture of a sunset. How boring would it be if everyone thought exactly like you? There would be nothing to discuss. However, because some people are a certain color, a certain gender, a certain religion, etc., they experience advantages and privileges that others do not. This gets in the way of an equitable education for ALL students. It has been my life's mission to ensure equitable education for ALL of my students. But that begins with the attitudes and beliefs of the adults who work with our diverse students. Want to know more? Here is a link to my dissertation. 

https://mospace.umsystem.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/10355/35258/CaseyEffCulRes.pdf;sequence=1

Embrace a growth mindset and the power of 'yet' ~

If you believe you can, you will. If you believe you can't, you won't. This is how powerful our mindset is! Before all the buzz of growth mindset came along, I was pretty sure I learned the most from my biggest mistakes, and there were no wasted life experiences. Now we have research to back this up! We actually learn more from our mistakes than we do from getting a "right" answer. It is not that I am not good at division...I am just not good at division, YET! Perseverance and embracing the "power of yet" are vital skills for us to teach our students if we want them to be successful. And not just for them to be successful academically, but successful in all areas of their lives.  

Have an attitude of gratitude ~

Have you ever been around a person that complains about everything? It just sucks the life out of me. It is very difficult to move forward in a productive manner when people are grumpy and negative about everything. To the best of my ability, I try to find the positive in every circumstance. It doesn't mean that horrible and sad things do not happen, and that you shouldn't feel the emotions of being sad or angry at injustices. But how long do you stay in that place? Can you shift your attitude to think about the things you are grateful for? (This takes me back to being the change you wish to see...) See how much better that feels than being in a perpetual state of complaining?!

If we can't live it, it is difficult to teach it ~

This feels a little bit like "Be the change you wish to see." But it is more than that. When I decided that I was going to pursue becoming a principal, I had been a music teacher for 12 years. The reason I wanted to become a principal was because there were things happening in education that I wanted to change. I was not able to to make those changes as a teacher. I needed to be in a position where I could make those changes possible. 

I had experienced a successful career as a music teacher, but I realized I didn't truly understand what general education classroom teachers faced on a regular basis. How could I lead as a principal if I didn't truly understand the challenges of my staff? I was actually advised that it didn't matter. I was told I had strong leadership skills and that I would make a fine leader. That was not good enough for me. I felt that if I was going to be a good leader, I needed to understand what faced the people I was leading. I needed to walk in their shoes. So I became certified to teach elementary First through Sixth grade. I ended up teaching 5th grade for a year before I became an assistant principal. This was one of the best decisions I made as an educator. It gave me such insight that I never would have had, had I not pursued this! 

This happened again when I was given my first principalship and had to oversee district special education self-contained programs in my building. I did not have a lot of experience with more intense special needs. I reached out to our special education director and asked him to send me to trainings and help me to be a better special education leader. Another great decision I have made as an educator. 

This comes to play in our teaching as well. If we want to teach our students how to be better writers, we need to have a writing life. If we want them to be better readers, we need to share from our reading life. If we want to help them become better mathematicians, are we utilizing the 8 mathematical practices in our own lives? It feels hypocritical if we are not. How can we ask others to do something we are not willing to do?  This is why doing our own assignments before asking students to do them is such a powerful practice. 1) We have walked down the road before them. 2) Our metacognition about our own experience will be helpful as we understand the mental path we took to understand the concept. 3) We can anticipate mistakes and misunderstandings that might occur with our students. This practice of "living it before we teach it" makes for powerful and authentic learning experiences for our students and staff alike.  

Give 110% ~ 

I realize this is mathematically impossible. My point is, always give your very best at everything you do. Show up. Get it done. Persevere. It works better if you are having fun. Love the thing you do, or don't do it. Or if you must do it, at least pretend to love it. (Stop complaining and see "have an attitude of gratitude.")

So there you have it ~ 

This is my essence. I have accomplished several things along the way, such as presenting at numerous conferences, serving on a number district committees, getting my Ph.D., while being a wife and a mother, a bandmate and a Pound instructor. But I don't know that people will remember any of those things. I do know that my people will remember how I made them feel. And I hope you have left your encounters with me feeling valued, loved and cared for. Now please pass it on.  

Fit As A Fiddle...or a Dedication to Denise Sarver

I had a lot of fun at the gym today. No really. I had FUN. I even got up at 6:30am on a Saturday to experience said fun. But there was a time when gym and fun were not words I ever said in a sentence together.

I used to HATE exercising. I hit my late 20's and thought to myself, "Well, I better start taking care of myself." So I began sporadically getting exercise in. I went through my Tae-Bo phase, maybe-I-can-try-tennis phase, racquetball-was-fun-in-college phase, 20-minute workout phase, Richard Simmons phase (seriously), kick-boxing phase, step aerobics phase...you get the picture. But all of these things were CHORES. Not something I would call "fun." 

Finally, in my mid-30's, I decided to work out with a trainer. I went through a few until I found Denise Sarver. She challenged me with a variety of weight training exercises along with other fitness challenges. By the way, this was not really that fun either. I liked TALKING to Denise. She knows way more about my life than most people do. I liked that I was getting stronger. I liked that I was seeing results, but I still only did it because I PAID FOR IT. It was painful for my pocket if I did not show up. I also went to a few of her exercise classes...Body Pump, Cycling, TRX. These were KIND OF fun. I mean, I get claustrophobic and don't like when people are territorial. But seriously, if I didn't show up for those, it didn't hurt my pocket. They came with my membership. 

I barely hung on to working out while working on my PhD. There was only so much time in my day. But I knew my health was important. Then something magical happened. I found an exercise that had me written all over it! Pound! It is kind of like putting on a rock show! The music is fantastic and Denise tricked me! She gave me a taste of Pound on one Saturday morning at a respectful 10am. Then she only taught it at 6 in the morning! What?! I was totally hooked. So for the FIRST time in my life, I got up early and went to exercise. And then I had fun doing it!

The next thing that happened was crazy! Denise convinced me that I should get certified to teach Pound. Now I had all kinds of qualms. I do not have the perfect physique, I didn't feel like a "real" fitness person, I have a muffin top. She would not accept any of my excuses. 

So I did it! Then I began teaching! And love it even more. And by gosh, Denise did it again! She insisted that I start going to her boot camps. They are difficult, but I found myself having fun. I made friends at Boot Camp. We were all miserable together! We shared common goals! We came in all shapes and sizes! We were all at varying fitness levels. This felt real. This felt genuine. 

Why am I telling you this? Because our health is everything. Our bodies need to move. They were designed to do so and we don't do it enough. (P.S. - you should TOTALLY read the book Spark, by John Ratey & Eric Hagerman...it is fascinating!) If you are like me, you can ABSOLUTELY talk yourself out of going to the gym (or walking on that treadmill at home). You can find 100 things that you really need to do. But that was then. Now, if I have to miss my workout, I REALLY miss it. My body wants it. My heart and mind want it. And I miss my friends. (The bonus I received from this working out thing.)

So all those articles you read about working out and the tips to make it happen? They are true. Find exercise that you love, and do it. Every day. Find friends to work out with. Better yet, make friends by working out together. Sometimes you have to pay for it. If you do, you will be more likely to go. Give it 21 days to become a habit. Ok, it took me like, 21 years to make it a habit...but don't be a dirty judger! ;)

So finally, I really need to thank Denise. Yeah, sure. I pay her to hang out with me. LOL. But she inspires me. She truly believes in me. She forgives me when I do stupid things health wise, but she also gives me a dose of reality to help me get back on track. Most importantly, she has truly become my friend. Thanks Queen D! :)

Being An Elementary Principal the Day After

"Hillary is a moron!" "Hillary is a baby killer!" These words rang out through the halls this morning as I was greeting students before the bell rang. Several staff members over heard the pronouncement at the same time and looked at me with a sense of dread written all over their faces as the students filed into their classrooms. Their body language pleaded for me to do something. Anything.

It was time for the morning announcements. I stuck with the regular routine. "Today is wonderful Wednesday...our lunch choices are...Celebrating a birthday today is...tomorrow for United Way we are...Boys and girls, let me remind you of our school expectations. Be nice. Be safe. And work hard. Today in the halls I overheard some remarks that were not very nice about the the election. This is not ok and if you choose to not be nice, you will do a think sheet. Now please stand for the pledge of allegiance."

I continued my morning by conducting some observations as well as helping with a couple of students who were struggling with good behavior in their classrooms. I then went back to my office to try to catch up on some email. I received a message from a parent that was very concerned because their student was told on the bus (the day before) "I hope Trump gets elected because then you will have to go back to Mexico." Really? Really.

When I talked to the child who had experienced this, she was in tears. She related the story back to me through her tears and said, "Dr. Casey, my family is just trying to work. We are here legally. This boy does not always talk to me like this. He goes back and forth. Sometimes he is nice and sometimes he is not." I assured her that she was not going anywhere and that I appreciated her hard work and the work of her family. I told her I loved her and gave her a hug. She looked up at me with tears in her eyes and proclaimed, "you are the best principal."

Not thirty minutes later, as I was getting ready for a post observation conference, I got a call in the office. Could I please come down to 5th grade? Several students were crying and upset about the election. The teacher reported to me that some students were just having a hard time in general, some were afraid they would wake up and be deported, some were saying hateful things...the teacher wondered if they should have a class meeting...how much could she say? But the look in her eye was pleading with me to conduct a class meeting. I had ten minutes.

I asked the students to come to the gathering area on the floor. I noticed there were several swollen eyes and sad faces. I looked around. Such a beautifully diverse group. Some with families from Mexico, Sudan, South America, South Korea...They had written beautiful poetry together. They had shared intimate facts about their lives together. I bowed my head for a moment and prayed that I would have the right words that these frightened children needed to hear.

"Boys and girls, today on the announcements I reminded us of our school expectations. Be nice. Be safe. Work hard. And safe means more than new sidewalks, so we don't trip and fall and break something. It means more than keeping our hands to ourselves and solving our problems with our words, not our hands. It means our feelings should be safe, too. You have all been friends for a long time. You have shared about the world you hope for and the kind of humans you want to be. You have shared about the world you dream of. Remind me of that again."

Students shared that they wanted to be respectful, compassionate, caring and kind.  I then went on to explain, "One of the greatest things about America is that we can all have our own opinions. Yes, we have freedom of speech. But that freedom of speech does not mean that you can hurt others. As a matter of fact, we practice this all the time. How many times during number talks have you said, 'I respectfully disagree?' You are all so good at this! There is a way for us to disagree with one another, in a respectful manner."

I went on to share, "Some of you are worried that as a result of the election, you won't be able to stay here. Well you are here legally and you have nothing to worry about. As a matter of fact, nothing here at our school is different than it was yesterday. I still expect you to be nice, be safe and work hard. I expect you to treat one another with respect and kindness and I expect us to be compassionate humans."

I saw the corners of mouths begin to turn up and eyes betrayed a sense of relief. I gave them the heart sign from the bottom of my heart and they laughed as they took solace in my words. I then promptly told them to get to work...and I loved them.

Today my heart is broken, but as I look at these children, my heart is full of hope. And even when a few parents came in the office spouting off their politics as if everyone would be in perfect agreement with them, I remain in that hope. "Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them." No, we will not hinder them. We are their champions. And I still believe in a world where kindness, compassion and love win out.