Reminds me of the daughter of my dental hygienist. She went to school and got he B.A. and a Master's and got her tuition covered for Teach for America. They put her in some inner city school in Louisiana or Detroit???. The first six months the car she got for graduation had it's windows smashed twice. She tried all the educational suggestions she learned in college and even emailed her professors. They initially gave her more tips and she kept on putting more of her heart and sweat into it. They failed. Eventually, the professors stopped responding to her pleas for more suggestions and one accused her of something being wrong about her (not understanding Blacks / recognizing her failures).
The students didn't care nor did the parents. At the end of the year she had a dilemma...either pass the students that did not deserve it or give them the grade they deserve. Pressure was then applied by the admin and fellow staff. Eventually, she caved and adopted a policy of No Fail and 65% for just turning the work in with your name on it.
I have her on my Facebook and after that year she looked so defeated. The second year she had put the last of her energy into her students. She had read more books over the summer and taken more courses.
Came to the second year and dedicated herself again. All the stuff she learned in her summer programs and her books barely worked or failed. The parents could care less, I think she said six parents showed up an open house / parent teacher meeting for a class of 40. During that year her car she was gifted got its first bullet holes and her windows were smashed again for a pair of Airpods. Few students gave a shit. Again, more pressure to pass. Even more pressure to write recommendation letters for students that qualified for college. She knew they were not ready as most teachers had learned to AstroTurf their classes (and getting an A was like getting a C at a decent school) but the pressure was immense on her. At the end of the year, she wrote the college rec
At the end of the year she looked like a chemo patient. She quit and got a job in one of the wealthier suburbs in Northern California. I eventually met her at a BBQ of a mutual friend and asked her about her experience. About what made her choose that district she was in.
Alone with sangria in hand she told me, "It was away from those fucking animals and savages." I asked if she meant ghetto Blacks...all she did was smile. She then went on about how she loved her new (nearly all white and Asian) school. The parents would bring her gift baskets, they gave a shit about their kids education, the kids were respectful, the parents didn't blame the system or other B.S.
Last time I check her FB she is still teaching there, was coaching the girls soccer team, and married a lesbian cop. Funny thing is that they were both Obama supporters when they were younger but now are registered Republicans.