Letter Never Sent

I felt the need to write this out. You probably don’t remember me. I was a student of yours back at SHS. I struggled mightily, and you dismissed me as a bad student. You might’ve had a point. I did graduate with a 1.7 GPA, after all.

But my issue with you was always this:You never asked the right questions.

I was bullied in your classroom. I know you knew—considering you had a relationship with one of the students. So either she was part of it (which wouldn’t surprise me, since she laughed at it most of the time), or you didn’t care. On top of that, I was the son of a mentally ill mother, living with my grandmother, and dealing with an absentee alcoholic father. And instead of asking, you just shamed me.

Cut to a few years later: I was at BHCC, working my way toward a 3.5 GPA. A professor there mentioned you used to teach at the school. And, wouldn’t you know it—you were reported by students. I thought that was a fitting end to the story.

I aced that class. I got into Boston University.I’ve lived in Los Angeles—and noticed, this is also your new home. Though given what this country is turning into, I may just move to Portugal, where I have dual citizenship.

Recently, I’ve been thinking about becoming an educator. And I couldn’t help but remember the bad ones.Which you were.Not just in my opinion—but, apparently, in the opinion of most classrooms you’ve led.

Regardless of what ranks you currently hold, I wanted you to know this:Even if you don’t remember me, I made it through.And I still carry some harsh emotions toward you.

I think education in this country is where it is because of sycophants like you—teachers who made school feel like a job, instead of a safe space for students to learn and breathe.

I felt compelled to write this because—even though life is still hard, even though I haven’t made it yet—I needed you to understand that I’ve recovered from those dark years. And all things considered, I’m thriving.

Despite you.

I pray to God you haven’t made other students feel the way you made me feel. Though a quick Google search says otherwise.I hope—genuinely—that you’ve rebounded as a person.

I needed to write this because if I do leave this country, the people who made those years hell deserve to know:I’m still here.In the world.Trying my best to build a better future—one you didn’t believe I could ever have.

Best wishes,