GothamSchools — daily independent reporting on NYC public schools

Congratulations to Sonia Sotomayor, a hispanic woman from the Bronx, for making an indelible mark in the annals of history. Here’s a teaching moment for many to have her speak at several public high schools of her trials and tribulations of growing up in the Bronx, and the challenges that did not deter her from reaching her ultimate goal – to bring justice to those who seek the truth. Narrowing her visits to charter schools will only bring more division to what education is truly about – finding your passion, sticking to it and believing in yourself. It’s wonderful to have all those accolades for Judge Sotomayor and to have a charter school to name a classroom in her name. However, I rather that schools that have a large population of hispanics focus on the benefits of hard work, dedication, and education. As I always tell my students, anyone with a goal and perseverance can reach their dreams even if society did not expect you to do so. She’s living proof and she must remind those students, who will come after her, to work her and this can be also be accomplished in public schools.