Remembering My First Year At Brown, When Bonnie Shared MLK's Wisdom With 5-Year Olds

In 1998, Bonnie Cecil asked my seniors to come downstairs to her kindergarten room to watch a video featuring Martin Luther King and to have the older kids help the younger ones write their own "I Have A Dream" speeches. As we walked downstairs that first year, I wondered how King's wisdom would go over on such young minds, but I quickly I learned of his message's power. The young kids sat glued to the black and white screen and opened their minds, hearts, and souls to what they were hearing from a legendary speaker and sage.

In return, the seniors pulled out thick lined paper that hosted room for kindergarten drawings and guided the kids to write visions for their own hopes for the future The yearly tradition of this day became something I looked forward to every year.

But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. And so, we've come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice. (MLK, August 28, 1963)

I was born 9 years after MLK's "I HAVE A DREAM SPEECH" and now, 51 years later, his wisdom n still resonates. In retrospect of the vast majority of schools I work in, too, I'm wondering where national leaders are in relation to King's contributions and historical legacy. It seems there's a lot of talk out of both corners of the mouths of this country.  The schools named after Martin Luther King, after all, continue to lag behind more affluent and resourced suburban schools. With the continued drop out rates, the new movement of corporate chartering of urban schools, and the willingness to invest LESS in public schools, as well, makes me wonder if our politicians need to reread Martin Luther King's contributions or be called for their hypocrisy.

It's Monday. Martin Luther King Day, and I'm remembering the eyes of Bonnie's kindergarteners - the diverse medley of human beings that was the Brown School  - and recalling the dreams that matter most.

Dreams of children should always be a priority for the United States. The dreams of children.