Dr. Maulana Karenga created Kwanzaa in 1966. It is a holiday celebrated from December 26 to January 1. There is a focus principle each day of the holiday. Although these principles are based on African values, I believe that applying them in education could improve our education system. Today’s principle is ujamaa/ cooperative economics – to build and maintain our own stores, shops, and other businesses and to profit from them together.
On Day 2 of Kwanzaa, I wrote about the Rosenwald schools, and I included the following quote by Stephanie Deutsch about the schools:
But of course the true legacy is the people themselves, not the physical structures. This is the fact that I find the most amazing. In Virginia, the African Americans who built the schools and who attended the schools contributed twice as much money, dollar for dollar, as the Rosenwald fund did. These were people who were almost universally poor. Many of them were people who had no education themselves, but they knew that this was the road forward for their children. They wanted their children to have something that they hadn’t had. They made it happen.
Today, contributing financially to your child’s school or the school in your neighborhood, outside of paying taxes, is an action many people want to avoid. We want something for nothing. Schools are struggling financially, and they need community support and resources.
When I first entered school, my family was poor, but my parents still sent me to school with supplies and made sure to pay my book rental. They would also help out when needed. My mom would donate resources or volunteer at the school.
Last year, 1/2 of the students in one of my son’s classes did not bring scissors, so I purchased 8 additional pairs and sent them in with my son. This year, my sons’ school wanted to purchase an online reading resource that it could not afford, so parents and community members, including me, pitched in to pay for the program. If we want our children to succeed, we have to put our money where our mouth is.
Related Reads:
Applying Kwanzaa Principles to Education: Day 1 – Unity
Applying Kwanzaa Principles to Education: Day 2 – Self-determination
Applying Kwanzaa Principles to Education: Day 3 – Collective Work & Responsibility
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