The Freedom Writers Diary

This Freedom Writer describes his nervousness at having to teach on the first day of school. The last time he was in this school, he explains, he was condemned for bringing a pistol to school. He felt that educators were never there to help him when he truly needed their help, but only punished and judged him. Abandoned by his own government, he felt that he had the right to protect himself.

Now a seasoned teacher, he has learned to love his job because he teaches students who are just like he used to be. He considers the struggles he now faces with his students a kind of poetic justice. He believes that, while he cannot solve everyone’s problems, he can show them the right path and give them the tools to solve them themselves. He has successfully helped below-average students reach advanced levels and, every year, feels that they have become his own children. Year after year, he trusts that tough times do not last, but that tough people do, and that he can give his students the strength necessary to overcome their obstacles.