The Content of Their Character

I attended my son's holiday program at Milwaukee French Immersion School last night, December 18, 2012. I would be remiss if I failed to mention the beautiful voices and faces of the children who performed with joy, humor, seriousness, shyness, silliness, and pride. I would also be remiss if I did not mention how pleasurable it was to watch my son sing "Une Souris Verte" with a smile on his face after having been serenaded with the same song for nearly every night of the past three weeks while the boy showered.

In addition to the usual slightly chaotic wonderfulness that these holiday concerts invariably bring to those of us who are proud parents, I also witnessed something extraordinary. I saw 400+ students from every economic strata, every color, every creed singing and goofing and smiling as if this were the most normal thing in the world. I saw public servants who have been abused and accused, who by all rights out to be beleaguered and defeated, leading the kids in their performances with verve and passion and joy, indifferent to everything except their charges, to whom they gave themselves utterly. I saw our young interns from France and Canada earnestly leading songs and helping direct the kids in spite of their incipient coolness which, it seems to me, is a necessary adjunct of being young and French. I saw beaming fathers and proud mothers hugging their sons and daughters after the concert and I felt a general sense of bonhomie among what is surely the most diverse crowd in which I have ever found myself.

What I saw made me think of Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech delivered nearly 50 years ago on the footsteps of the Lincoln Memorial and I thought to myself that if anyone wants proof that Dr. King's dream was not merely a dream but is in fact possible they should come visit Milwaukee French Immersion School where they would witness the dream actualized. They would see a staff that believes in the equality of educational opportunity and responsibility. A staff that refuses to kowtow to the bigotry of low expectations. A staff that looks on the faces of their students and sees not the color of their skin but rather the content of their character. They would see a playground segregated by friendships that are unrelated to race. They would see students of every background and experience mixing together, sharing and learning from one another (more often than not in a wholly positive way). They would see what happens when a group of people share a common goal to give every kid in school the best possible education and a common expectation that every kid should be subject to the same requirements and demands.

While Milwaukee French Immersion School is not in Alabama, they would see what happens when children of every color and creed are given the opportunity to join hands. They would see what Dr. King's stone of hope looks like when it has been hewed from the mountain. They would hear what Dr. King's beautiful symphony of brotherhood sounds like in the voices of the children on the playground. And from this little hamlet in the middle of Milwaukee, Wisconsin they would see what it means to be free at last and they would see how normal that freedom is for the kids when by example and instruction we teach them to expect nothing less.