An assistant principal's perspective

Dear students:
In order to begin to understand Andre Louis’s article “Th e Persistency of Slavery,” one must put aside the simplistic understanding of dialogue as a mere technique of opinion and conversation. We must all open our minds and begin to discuss the issues that exist in our society today through our own personal experiences. On the contrary, dialogue sometimes characterizes a controversial relationship. Therefore, we should not just engage in dialogue because we like or dislike the other person, but instead to recognize the social character in the process of knowing. In this sense, I believe Andre presented his article as a powerful and indispensable component of the process of both learning and knowing through his own personal experiences.

Thus, Andre’s article is not an end in itself but a means to develop a better comprehension about his view on “modern day slavery.” It is an invitation for all students to speak out and use one of “man’s most powerful tools:” his voice. However, when such dialogue is presented, we should try to approach dialogue with curiosity. What is curiosity? Curiosity is the object of gaining knowledge and having the willingness and openness to engage in theoretical readings and discussion. In order to achieve this understanding, one must want to obtain this curiosity to gain a mechanism of learning.

In conclusion, I highly recommend that all students read Andre Louis’ article. It is well written, thought-provoking, enlightening, and informative. Moreover, it is a step towards fighting for social change and breaking the chains of “psychological slavery.”
– Ronald Richardson,
Assistant Principal