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| so I'm a little late....
CMU, that's where! You silly child, Rigel. It's definitely the right place for me. I absolutely love it. I'm taking Calculus, Physics, Mechanical Engineering, and one Psych class by the name of Intro to Intelligence in Humans, Animals, and Machines. I have some awesome new friends, including my roommate, but I certainly cannot forget the those who I left behind in CA, or those that are attending other Universities. Occasionally I get homesick, but I'm doing pretty well. Currently, I have a cold, but I can breathe normally (thank goodness!) I'm becoming accustomed to all the stair wells and hills. The weather is random (i.e. yesterday it was 92 degrees (Fahrenheit as I've yet to convert entirely to metric) and today it is 77. Both days were accompanied by rain. I am very happy with my place in life right now, and hopefully my happiness will simply increase. :) I hope you too are enjoying life at this moment. <3
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|  No MIT for me...
Now where?
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| 'In as little as a few months we can rehire you to the district Mr. Richardson, offer you a contract,'
"what? no, I never said that"
And then she won't even speak to the man today.
Dear Human Resources and Long Beach Unified School District,
Thanks for replacing my father, whom you promised to offer a permanent contract to had his principal
evaluated him well. Thanks for going back on your word. I'd also like to thank for not letting the children attending Franklin Middle School, my dad's former students, not get left behind by hiring a credentialed teacher. Definitely papers matter more than humans, than respect for your students, than command of the subject, than personal integrity, than a desire to help students achieve their dreams, to make it. Those kids are certainly not being left behind as their former teacher, probably one of the few who made a difference in their lives, leaves them. Those that turned around,recognized this man as human, willing to help, those that changed their behavior and made an effort because someone cared, they're not being left behind at all. I'm sure they will look up to this new paper-friendly teacher with just as much respect. I bet you'll get great test scores later, proof that you haven't abandoned them in this process. No, they won't
lose faith in the system as something good walks out the door, they'll know they're not left behind.
I'd also like to take this time to thank you for living up to your name, Human Resources. This decision emanates humanity at it's best. Surely it is in the best interest of the human who has suffered for 18 months, struggled to make you realize he's great, he's worth it, to replace him with someone better, after you said you wouldn't. And it's in the best interest of those kids, to remove this human from their lives. This man's friends and family, who were sometimes without their father, sibling, friend, because he was giving his all at work, to his students, they support your actions heartily, albeit a not-at-all kind of support and broken heartedly. Thanks for seeing him as a person, who was wronged and unjustly removed from
his position, for helping him out as you promised. I'm sure you haven't crushed this man's spirits, and the hearts of those that know and love him can't possibly be breaking at the sight. Who can deny your cold, impeccable, robotic logic? Credentialed teacher equals good. long term sub equals inferior. district minus inferior long term sub plus good credentialed not-formerly-wrongly-and-biasedly-evaluted teacher equals less money to pay, higher test scores and no children left behind. And then, after having removed him from his job and his ray of hope from him, thanks for not even speaking to him, you who made the promise to help him get reinstated. Thanks for your humanity and compassion, thank you for "understanding the value of recognizing your teachers," Human Resources.
Another undeniable bit of logic, district, is your delegation of power to principals. I love how one man can be so completely biased and check one little box in order to remove a person from their reliable job, from something they love, so they can no longer inspire students, and yet another principle who hears and sees nothing but good about and from the same person, doesn't have a say when said humane department, human resources, chooses to modify his staff. Really brilliant distribution of authority there, I've gotta hand it to you for uniqueness and great planning. I'm also glad you can feel justified in reducing an educator to a day-to-day sub and at the same time create some new, extraneous, superintendent position with a 6-figure starting salary. I'm sure that person will do loads of good for school support services, whatever those may be.
As for this man you removed, I'm sure he'll to will thank you each day that he wonders whether or not he will have a job. Just Because he had to leave behind his students, who've been left behind so many times before, so that they will not be left behind any more, doesn't mean he'll worry about his own children being left behind, as one prepares to go on to college and the other readies himself to move onto highschool in your wonderful district. He won't worry that he won't be able to support those two children, children in the same district that saw him as unfit. No, he won't worry and he'll rest easily and live life happily and healthily, just as he's done for the past eighteen months through all his stress, worry, soul sickness, physical illness-directly-linked-to-stress-resulting-in-the-need-for-surgery.
And thanks for delivering such happy news just before winter break. It made for the happiest of holidays as he kept it locked inside of him for weeks so as not to burden his family. This, I'm assured, isn't painful at all, as sorrow grips his gut and those of the ones that love him. There is no emptiness to be found within these beings. They shed no tears. Why should they?
And you, as always, as I'm sure you're assured, are powerful, triumphant, and oh so right.
So, Thanks.
Much Love,
Rigel Richardson, Student of LBUSD for 13 years, Daughter of a great teacher.
Da'ee,
I'm so sorry these things have to happen to you. You are one of the people I know that is most deserving of happiness. All you do is for others and somehow the world can't seem to do one nice thing for you. Just know that you don't have to prove yourself to these people,everyone that knows you, excepting the deranged, unmentionable few, knows how wonderful a person you, and what a great teacher. You're definitely one of the best of my teachers. Thank You for being my dad. I love you very much.
Rigee, you're little girl (always)
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| On wednesday I received my first acceptance letter, to Cal Poly Pomona. Pretty cool! Hopefully that a back-up for the back-up schools. At least I know I can go somewhere!
Yesterday I was sick and worsened throughout the day, so my dad picked me up early. I didn't go today. Now I must make-up Maruna's essay and the Calc test. eh. SAT Subject tests tomorrow: Math II, Bio (molecular), and Spanish. Maybe my scores will improve from last time, I just hope the school has good sized desks.
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| Everything seems to have changed here, without me, but that's not surprising. As Xanga has become increasingly deserted, left in the dust for the alure of Myspace, forgotten in the face of pages chock-full of images perfect for instant gratification, it becomes more and more tempting to resume old habits. Thoughts that my shameless ego wishes others would bare witness to are no longer so blatantly public, leaving entries to be read by the few individuals remaining, the devoted, the serious, or maybe just the creepy. Each dawning day brings my head nearer to exploding with words unspoken. It's crowded in here, so much so that I find it difficult to think, sometimes. I've also noticed that the development of my writing skills is severely lagging behind that of the majority. I would attribute this to the my workload and oh-so-busy schedule, if that weren't just a lame, pathetic statement that resembles an excuse only slightly.
In this selfish moment, I want to write well and read in volumes as I once did. I want to produce beautiful, powerful artwork and photographs. I dream of creating gorgeous, logical, radical proofs that revoluntionize the mathematical world. I wish I could SPEAK, with words flowing from me effortlessly, seamlessly, endlessly with power and passion in every syllable. Even if it's not the astounding demonstration of verbal prowess that I dream of, I would be satisfied with the ability to string a few words together in a coherent statement. Why is that so unattainable? I don't want good. Forget profficieny. Above average is not enough. I want to belong with the few at the top, converse with them at their level. I want to be amazing, brilliant. I suppose I should face the fact; I'm not. The sooner I recognize this and stop groping at "more," the faster I will be happy with myself. maybe. Why can't I accomplish something of worth?
When everything in your life has been built around something that suddenly ceases to exist, how do you pick up the pieces and continue on? blahblahblahblahblah
NO!!1 Don't read this and because you have, forget it, it's stupid, which should be expected at this point, which is beside the point, which is a statement of the obvious. I went waaay off topic.
Suffice to say, I may or may not blog again. depending on how I feel in the future. ciao
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