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Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Interview with Idaho Teacher Allison Villastrigo

Me: First, do you believe that poverty or hunger could ever be eradicated? Why/why not? Even just reading over the United Nation's report, they stated that the population is growing too rapidly to achieve the poverty and hunger goals in the time frame they outlined. This is on a global scale of course, in the most poverty stricken nations, but relates to America as well. 


Allison:  Although hunger and poverty probably can't be eliminated in a capitalistic society, I believe the problems can be counteracted with the right circumstances. For instance, some districts in with many students on free and reduced lunch serve free meals throughout the summer to anyone who needs one. A program like this could certainly be expanded with the demographic info. obtained from students. It would be easy to document families that need assistance and provide it to families through schools. In good teacher education programs, students are taught about the "culture of poverty" so that we can identify with the special life circumstances they encounter. 


Me: What can be done in the school system to help alleviate hunger on a national level? Some people have proposed school run community farming projects, etc.


Allison: We are taught try to provide social learning experiences and instill middle class concepts and values (at least at CofI, I can't speak for BSU, UofI). It sounds crazy, but many kids are unaware of what is socially acceptable until coming to school. This kind of learning can help them to hopefully break the poverty cycle. Obviously we need to greatly reduce class size in order to have an impact strong enough to reach most or all of these students. Research has proven that for decades, yet class sizes continue to rise. 

For example, I have classes of 35, 36, and 35 in the three periods I teach and about half of each class has students of lower SES backgrounds and about half middle class/upper middle. Background is the last thing I am able to consider when planning lessons because I first have to take into consideration special assignments for several special ed, many, many kids who are behind grade level, and providing a challenge for GATE kids. My classes are too big and too varied in skill level to take on poverty issues very well. I try, but certain kids lock themselves into the poverty cycle very early. 
One of my sixth grade students is pregnant this year and several of my past students should be in high school, but made other choices. Two have dropped out and three are pregnant/have babies...and those are just my past students. The teachers I work with have mastered teaching and are amazing with kids and their student success ratios are the same. That is just Middleton. We pale in comparison to the stories I hear from friends who teach in Caldwell, Wilder, and Nampa.

Me: I don't remember that being the case when we were that age. 
A good friend in Wilder told me they have to show pictures of students babies and kids at high school graduation because MOST are parents. The hispanic culture in the area embraces early parenthood and the poverty problems are severe. I guess on my tangent I have come to realize another change that would make a huge difference is better "family planning" education or more availability to organizations like Planned Parenthood. 
I think class size is very important, well-trained teachers who understand poverty and the unique situations these kids face, and better extra-curricular education to prevent teenage pregnancy. 

Me: The massive restrictions on Medicare and Medicaid don't help either. Welfare, food stamps, etc. are all being over-reformed. Sure people have to work for what they get but come on...a trillion spent on the war in Iraq...a failed war on drugs...on and on. What about hunger?

Allison:  I guess I should mention the back-pack program. I know they do this in Nampa, Middleton, Wilder, Caldwell and I would imagine others. Students take home a backpack filled with food each friday so they don't go hungry over the weekend. Unfortunately, most of the food is garbage, pre-packaged, processed, refined flour sugar, etc. In light of that, I think school run community farms are an excellent idea. One thing they would have to battle is the current culture of poverty and many kids with little experience with fruits and mainly vegetables. 

My husband was part of a program run through Terry Reily during college and he went out to rural schools and taught them how to make healthy snacks like veggies with dip, celery and peanut butter, veggies with cheese. The kids were disgusted often and would plug their noses or gag. He said most had never encountered being asked to at least try vegetables and even with a topping like dip or peanut butter many were distressed by it. I guess that means it would need to start early, in head start programs maybe? 

Me: Do you think the adaptation of a more socialist type government would help reduce the line between the richest are poorest in America?

Allison: Do I think a more socialist government would help...YES definitely. We need to pay more taxes if we want to do some of these things that will help kids and families and end the inequality we see today.

Me: I'm turning you in for your socialist views! I agree. Thanks Allison.

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