Editing Isaiah - School Board Meeting Reflection Entries


The following written entries will be used for documentation and reflective purposes on my upcoming committee meetings with Aletheia’s school board to address socioeconomic disparities that impact student learning.

Some of my colleagues have attempted to persuade me to skip the meeting as opposing Aletheia’s vision is “not only foolish but asking for trouble that could be easily avoided”. Nancy, the teacher for 11th grade English Lit, told me that I shouldn’t concern myself with additional concerns, especially with the stress I’m currently under regarding my mom’s treatment plan. While I see her point, I disagree. As educators - we hold the responsibility of examining inequities preventing students from receiving the education they deserve and consider strategies for action.

Truthfully, I haven’t decided on the exact purpose for these entries or if I’ll be sharing them with anyone. In the case that I do, I’ll try to give some background information as I write to avoid confusion.

To whoever is reading, I apologize for my penmanship - I can’t remember the last time I wrote anything over 100 words by hand.

'''Meeting 1:'''

The meeting took place at the Institution of Universal Education, home to the formation of Aletheia’s board of education and their greatest creation: the Knowledge Reform Act. Shortly after I arrived, Randall let me know that the subject of concern for the day would be the eligibility criteria for the government’s scholarship. A fellow colleague of mine at Frederick Bash Learning Center, Randall recruited me into the committee months ago after overhearing me bring up some concerns with the scholarship requirements in the staff room. I hadn’t interacted with him since I started at the center (he’s more socially isolated and doesn’t really converse with other teachers), aside from a slightly sympathetic smile he offered me when doing a sudden on-call for my third-period class after mom called me explaining that she was having a vomiting episode. However, as I mentioned potential unfairness in the selection of students for the ''Aletheia Pupil of Excellence'' (A.P.E) scholarship, Randall was the only person in the room who didn’t pretend to not hear what I said. He agreed that although the scholarship is presented as a series of standardized tests that permits qualified students with lower income backgrounds the opportunity to attend the most prestigious centers in the city, selection doesn't accurately align with test scores. Instead, selected participants tend to be children of varying test results, but who each have family members considered influential in their local communities, such as program organizers, religious leaders, and long-time volunteers. 

After our conversation, Randall put me in contact with 7 other educators who work in nearby centers, and we spent the last two months tirelessly working on the goal of equitable opportunity and achievement. Following several requests sent by  committee member Sharon, the board agreed to meet with us.

The selected representative of Aletheia’s school board was Robert Coleman, an influential figure in the creation of the Knowledge Act. The meeting took much shorter than I expected and mainly consisted of our discussions on matters concerning equity. As I spoke of a proposal for a wider selection of students belonging to various communities and backgrounds, Coleman repeatedly nodded, offering words of acknowledgment in between pauses ranging from “Go on”, “I see”, and the most repeated: “Thanks for sharing”. While I hoped for more contribution from his side, I was glad that a figure whom I greatly respected, recognized my strive for a more equitable education. He let us know that our proposals will be examined more in-depth and that Aletheia will strive for a solution that favours the learning of all students.

'''Meeting 2:'''

It’s 7 P.M, and I am writing this entry 5 hours after our second meeting. The day started off on a sour note, mainly since I joined twenty-five minutes late. While mom was doing well last night, she had abdomen pain this morning, so I had to rush her to our local clinic. The process wasn’t too long - Doctor Ralph gave her some additional antibiotics and ordered her to rest for the remainder of the day. But of course, right as we were leaving, a secretary at the front desk prompted me to fill out additional paperwork for mom’s monthly payment plan. Though her treatment was technically free, the ''automatic diagnosis application'' (A.D.A) used to diagnose her skin swelling as liver disease costs thousands of dollars in extra services. Sometimes I wonder if healthcare should continue to be labeled as ‘universal’, considering newer technological medical aids aren’t insured. Before leaving the clinic, I sent Randall a quick message alerting him of the situation and letting him know that I’d be late. When I reached the meeting, he asked me the reason for why I showed up so late and I let him know that he should check his phone more often.

The subject of the meeting today was increased federal funding for up-to-date AI applications in our learning centers. This concern was inspired by conversations I had with Kemi, a former colleague of mine who was transferred to one of the top learning centers in the city. Whenever we would catch up, she would speak about the latest advancement introduced to the center, with the most recent being the AI assistants providing automatic attendance updates with the use of their updated facial recognition software. I thought about the AI assistant in my classroom, and although the system was remanufactured with the Knowledge Reform Act, the model is still the oldest in the city. During my proposal, I presented an example of how the sign language function of my assistant often glitches, resulting in one of my students experiencing difficulties following my lessons. As we neared the end of our meeting, Coleman agreed with our initiative and stated that though he can’t offer any guarantees, he will aim to authorize an allocation of funds into updated software. He also explained that each committee member would receive a personal grant as a reward for our initiative to fulfil our roles as Curators of Knowledge. As I thanked him, he wished for a quick recovery for mom and assured me that the grant should cover the rest of her payment plan. Randall continued to press for exact dates of when these funds would be distributed, as well as updates on the review of the A.P.E scholarship proposed changes, but Coleman stated that we should celebrate our win for now, and deal with the details later. In response to that statement, Randall scoffed loudly enough for each committee member to stop conversation and turn their attention to him. Coleman offered a tight smile which didn’t quite reach his eyes, indicating that he was not happy with Randall’s reaction.  

<s>In the end, I am incredibly grateful for the outcome of these meetings and feel reassured that Aletheia carried out its duty in promoting the educational rights of its citizens. The dedication to preserve and protect accessible knowledge is evidence of </s>

Wait. 

Hold on.

Did I discuss with Coleman about my issues with financing my mom’s payment plan? Did I even MENTION mom? Of course, I didn't- that would be incredibly unprofessional. But in that case, how does he know? 

Oh yes, Randall most likely informed him for me after reading my text about the emergency stop at the clinic this morning.

Wait, that's incorrect, Randall didn’t see my message and it is out of character for him to reveal that information unless necessary.

No one else on the committee knows. Maybe gossip from Frederick Bash spread, though that’s unlikely… or maybe… someone monitored my messages? 

No. That's not possible. While Aletheia has the technological means to do so, it is unwarranted and an incredible breach of privacy.  

This morning was hectic, so my mind is a bit all over the place. As I was writing, I’m incredibly grateful that Aletheia has agreed to take the time to meet with the committee and consider our proposals concerning the bridging of gaps in education for the complete fulfillment of the Knowledge Reform Act. I’m still a bit confused as to how Coleman was aware about my current circumstances, but that is not an issue to focus on right now. The committee achieved our goal, and mom will receive full access to the healthcare she requires, those two facts alone deserve my focus. 

I will celebrate my win today and worry about the details tomorrow.