Power to Shame
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How does some shaming look right now in our small patch of God’s world? Teachers, adults in positions of power, are overwhelmed by student’s behavior and unable to control their classrooms. Without support, training, and sufficient resources they are using their cell phones to take videos of children in moments when children are acting out their frustration, confusion, and personal pain.
J is nine years old. He wasn’t doing the class assignment, copying from the blackboard into his notebook. In front of all of his classmates, his teacher singled him out, video-ed him and told him she would be showing his bad behavior to his dad. When she showed the video to his dad in front of J, they both felt shamed. On a following day when his teacher began videoing him, J lost control. He went after his teacher, his pencil was in his hand. He ended up jabbing her with it.
L is 13 years old. She returned home, to her safe place, from school one day. Her mother was there waiting for L with a video sent from her teacher. L fell on her knees and begged her mother not to send her back to her school.
K is 15 years old. He is L’s brother. He is constantly being threatened that all of his actions are being taped by the cameras recently installed in the classrooms. Feeling powerless against the constant threat and invasion of privacy, he climbed up onto the roof of the school and cut the internet cable.
We have worked with teachers, individually, and talked to the school administrator. If the environment of threat, violation of privacy, and shaming does not improve we will move to report the school. In the meantime, we are working with children and parents to understand their rights and God’s way to walk out the situation with their children and the school. Alongside parents we are evaluating current available education options.
We have 44 children enrolled at this school and we are only half way through the school year. The environment there is quickly deteriorating.
Please pray protection over the hearts and minds of our children and their parents. Pray for the teachers and the administrators of this Christian school. Pray for EA’s staff as they walk with each child and parent through the pain, fear, and feeling of powerlessness.
Our Father, we cry out to you. See your children. O LORD, you have moved to rescue them by placing Esperanza de Ana near. Now give us wisdom and clarity to know how to fight for justice on their behalf. Take out teachers whose hearts cannot find love for the children that they serve. Rescue teachers who desperately want to provide for each individual child the care that they need. Give insight to the school's administrators, too. We need to see your mighty hand and outstretched arm working to deliver today. In Jesus Name.