Dear Critics

On Thursday, January 19, 2012, Rushmore Academy saw 22 young men and women walk across the stage and receive their high school diploma. Since Rushmore Academy opened in August of 2009, 138 diplomas have been earned. This past week I received something special from one of our students who will walk across that stage in May receiving their diploma. What I received moved me so emotionally. I have edited some spelling and punctuation. However I carefully did my best to maintain the original integrity. I hope this touches you as much as it has me.

Dear Critics,

It has been brought to my attention that you have another complaint…again. What is it this time and why?

I have to ask these two questions because once again you tossed out your criticism to someone else rather than coming and talking to me or someone at my school first. I also must ask these two questions because time and time again we at our school go over the same thing. You have never once come out, stepped into our school, and observed the very people and things you criticize.

I will ask the question again. How can you criticize what you know actually nothing about?

I have another question to ask. When you criticize as you do without having no first hand knowledge, are you not doing the same thing you tell kids not to do? Spreading rumors?

But isn’t this the way of the cowardly critic? The cowardly critic throws around verbal barbs of untruth embellished only to add fodder to the self-imposed power to tear down and destroy the exact things you know nothing about.

And sadly what accompanies the cowardly critic is the posse of “pile onners”. You know who I am talking about. The ones afraid to speak up and volley their own trumped criticisms, yet they will make sure the accusations, innuendos, and lies chattered by the “lead critics” spreads like wildfire up the gossip tree.

So what do you know about me and my school? What do have against us? Why do you hate me and our school and our teachers so much?

I have learned so much since coming to this school. I’ve learned I have to work, put in my time, be in school to pass and earn my credits. Now my academics, my education are important to me.

I have also learned to not respond in a negative way to you our critics. My teachers go over with us all the time that if we lash out, we play right into your hands. That is why I am writing this letter. I have been taught and believe in a better way to handle things, especially my anger.

But I also have learned another great lesson at school, and maybe this lesson is more important than anything else I have learned while here.

I have learned to take ownership and responsibility for my words and actions.

Do you have any idea how big of a lesson this was for me to learn? And at times I am not sure I have learned it well. You see, I still have so much hurt and anger, and there are still many things I need to work out on my own. And sometimes I still don’t do very well.

This is why your undo criticisms hurt so badly. You have no idea how I, how all of us at school have worked so hard to change, to be different. You have no idea what our teachers have done to work with us, to help us.

Here is something you need to be reminded of. I am no different than any other kid you know. But then again, maybe I am.

You see, when I came to this school I was full of hate and anger. You critics out there have to understand, at 13 I was abused, addicted to pills, not homeless, I had a mattress to sleep on in a corner, but I had no real home. Most nights there was screaming and yelling and fighting. Plenty of alcohol and drugs too. There were also plenty of bruises and black eyes. Many nights I was lucky to get to sleep by 3 o’clock. Most nights my stomach burned. I hadn’t eaten since lunch at school if I had made it to school. And I couldn’t do my homework, every subject, every night. I had a baby brother and sister and my Mom was rarely home at night. Who was going to take care of them?

I missed days at school. Too many days. I had to recover. Get some sleep. And do you have any idea how embarrassed I was to have to go to school with a black eye? Having to tell what happened and risk having my baby brother and sister being taken away?

And when I made it into school, it didn’t take long until I was being called “dumb”, “stupid”, and “lazy”. How those words stung every time. But those words hurt nothing like the looks and attitudes of so many of my teachers. So many gave up on me.

Sure I lashed back. I said some terrible things I never should have. I would get sent to the office and like a part on an assembly line I would be suspended again. No questions asked. Kicked right back out into the “hell” I was living in.

So more days were missed. Falling so far behind I figured I had no chance ever to graduate. What kind of help do you think there was in my house?

Oh I would try to ask for help at school, but I didn’t know how to. I had learned to put on a pretty good front acting tougher and badder than anybody else. I was told over and over that I had a bad attitude. I did!  I was so full of rage and anger.

I am so sorry for how I acted and for what I said. None of it was ever very nice.

But no one ever asked if I needed help, some extra time, a break, or if anyone could do just anything for me. No one looked into my eyes to see and feel my pain.

So I quit school!

Now I’ve been given a chance. A chance to redeem myself. To correct my wrongs. To make something of my life. I might even go to college.

I have also learned that how school used to be is really not bad at all. I now see there were those who tried to help. The problem was me. I wasn’t making it work.

I am so happy now, and I am successful now at my school. I have a job. I work 30 or more hours a week. I need to. I have to pay the rent, buy food, and I want a home for my baby that I never had. This is why I do not get you critics who have so many terrible things to say about our school?

We have all been given a second, third, fourth, and for some many, many more chances. Sure our school does things different from the school I went to before I quit. This is good! I failed in the type of school I went to when I was younger.

I’m 19 years old now, so I see things a lot differently. I have passed all my OGTs and I will finally graduate this spring! Do you have any idea how happy and proud I am of myself? And I think my Mom is coming to my graduation!

So critics, I am asking you to give us and our school a chance. Why tear us down? We have all come so far and improved so much. We all want to be better. We want you to be proud of us.

Please just give us a chance. Please don’t say things that hurt so bad about us and our school when you don’t even know us. In fact, we all really wish you would come to our school and see what we do. It is different, but it is good. Maybe if you come and visit us you might actually want to stay for a bit and help us. We have been told over and over to surround ourselves with positive role models.

I hope, we hope we will someday make you proud of us and our school. Maybe someday I will be your neighbor!

Thank You,

Soon to be graduate of Rushmore Academy