The Classroom Door, the Frontier

Pass beyond the academic yield and discipline, the other differences, advantages and disadvantages conditioned by economic affordability or some other type, should not trespass the classroom threshold.

In many conversations among Cubans surfaces around these days the topic of the new constitution, particularly, it’s commented the proposals of articles like that of the marriage between people of equal gender, the time in office of the president and the accumulation of wealth.

The latter, contained under article number 22 of the Draft Magna Carta, which highlights that "The State regulates that there aren’t concentrations of the property by natural or no state legal people, in order to preserve the compatible limits with the socialist values of fairness and social justice. The law establishes the regulations that guarantee its effective enforcement."

The opinions on the matter are plentiful, in consultation meetings on the constitution draft, as well as in daily interactions in streets, jobs, homes...

Regardless what is finally passed in that regard after everyone’s opinion is heard, "the socialist values of fairness and social justice" will be preserved.

Therefore, now the academic year has just started, it would be worth that especially the adults, understand educators and the student's family, and let’s behave in a more deliberate and responsible way in this regard.

If that girl’s dad - the girl that now began first grade – he works on a given job, earns a certain amount of money, lives on a lush neighborhood, that should not be reason for that girl to exhibit her possibilities and, what’s worse, that she be admired for them.

It shouldn’t be like that, but it has happened. In her flashy backpack, the girl takes to the first grade classroom - because her parents made it possible - a tablet also spectacular and a cell phone with all sort of apps. She doesn't take a laptop with her because her "luggage" would be too heavy if we take into account the soda cans and snacks she takes for her and the teacher.

It’s clear that today's world is unthinkable without the new technologies, and that these are very useful tools for certain learning. But, actually is it really necessary for that girl to take to her first grade classroom the touch screen?

The answer to that question has it, in the first place, the teacher who could suggest to the mom what is really necessary and that it only becomes an expensive "decoration", with high risk of breaking or go missing.

If the teacher chooses to advise the family or start playing with the girl's tablet during recesses and lunches, will she educate doing that or not.

If the parents choose to pay attention to the Teacher, or simply decide not to pay attention "because I give my daughter whatever I want", will they educate like this or not.

But the truth is that, mainly through persuasion, the weight of reasons, each Cuban should try to keep schools free from such "contaminations". Those where privilege and admiration are won because of the content of the school backpack and not for what the student carries in his mind and soul.

We can’t do like an ostrich and hide our heads in the ground: it’s true that worse things have happened in the reality of the Island like corruption and bribing. However, the equality of opportunities has been preserved.

It doesn’t matter if one girl has a tablet or another one has a patched shoe, both have the same right to study, to be trained as workers or professional, and also to be educated people which are the most important thing. That’s why both share today the same classroom.

Nobody should not encourage neither allow the "you are as worthy as the money you have" occupies desk in front of blackboards. Because if this happens in most schools the girls with their patched shoes could never be the best, no matter how kind and well educated they were. Everything that has been done in Cuba so far it has not been for that.