Good Morning, ESMEC ! Students can talk about a future only when they can see one. Education must be an equalizer. The best for the best of students is the best for all students. - Jody Zepp, Maryland TOY 2015

Mom-Mom & Pop-Pop Tenant Farmers Poverty Dawn to Dusk Owner’s mansion glowing with electricity Economic Injustice Class consciousness / Injury of Class How Green Was My Valley Moral Outrage / Ethics

Dad & Mom From 1-Room School houses to Western Maryland College, which became my backyard full of life & academic lessons for a 4-year old girl… 1964 Political Justice Economic Justice Social Justice Access & Opportunity Equal Rights Civil Rights

…Conditioned Jody’s Lens Political Science Psychology National Women’s Law Center DOJ Co-Author GAO report School to Prison Pipeline…Now a 5 th Generation of Women MCIW Minority Majority Schools Class / Race / Economic Injustice Moral Outrage / Ethics Bridge the Achievement Gap – BUT A bridge is effective only if it touches both sides of the stream

Where is education when… 1 in 30 U.S. kids were homeless during 2013 Low income students are now a majority of the schoolchildren attending public school “The trends will be prologue for a nation not at risk, but a nation in decline.” Southern Ed Foundation Economic immobility & inequality is a systemic and pervasive problem Child poverty has reached record levels

The children speak to the CDF’s The State of America’s Children 2014 A shopping cart was my first crib. My sister and me. Our home was on the street. Finally a roof. Two beds for six. No is always on our minds. No running, no jumping, no fun. -- Shanika, age 5 There are six people in our family. But only five sit down to dinner. That’s because my mom doesn’t eat. She wants to make sure we have enough food. -- Vanessa, age 6

Teachers in Rural Communities know… Poverty is the worst form of violence. – Ghandi Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. – Mandela Have the audacity to believe that people everywhere can have 3 meals a day for their bodies, education… and dignity… -- King

…and meanwhile back in the Classroom If we have to deal with the human soul, we must meet it on its own ground—and we are bound to do so when confronted with the real and crushing problems of life. -- Jung (psychologist) One person with a belief is equal to a force of 99 who have only interests. – Mill (political scientist/philosopher) We cannot rest until each of us would be satisfied with randomly assigning our own children to any public school in the nation. – Jason Kamras (2005 NTOY)