Another day, another notification from the school app that a student didn’t show up. This time it’s João, who was just starting to pay attention in class, and now his mom says he’s working at a delivery hub on the weekends because his stepdad lost his job. We keep talking about education like it happens inside the classroom walls, but half my kids are out there patching holes the state tore open. I don’t need another inspirational poster about “hope” — I need textbooks, smaller classes, and a living wage for families. And while we’re at it, I’d take real police protection for teachers instead of these plastic security cards that don’t even unlock the supply closet. The kids know the system doesn’t care. I just wish the rest of the country would admit it too.
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