Superintendents are Excellent
at Righteous Indignation
Education politics in free verse
“We are not your enemies,” you say,
offended. By “you” I mean the powers that be.
By “you” I mean those elected or appointed
to make decisions that keep our children safe.
You are angry we are making assumptions,
that we’re not appreciating all the hard work
you are doing on your six-figure salaries, which
evidently do not pay you enough to absorb our
anger. An elementary school is shutting down
in Oakland. You construct a barricade at a school
board meeting; police arrest protestors and tear
a mother’s ACL. “We are not your enemies,”
you say. I am not in the business of hunting
witches. But tell me our real enemies, their PO Box.
Then I’ll gladly direct our concerns to them.
Author’s Note: The above poem is based on totally nonfictional events happening right now in public education in Oakland, CA. Feel free to email me at emmalaplante22@gmail.com with any questions or concerns.
