Help for kids the education system ignores | Victor Rios

翻译人员: Thelma Li 校对人员: Yanyan Hong

For over a decade,

近十年来，

I have studied young people that have been pushed out of school,

我一直都在研究那些 从学校辍学的年轻人，

so called "dropouts."

也就是所谓的“退学学生”。

As they end up failed by the education system,

当他们被教育体系视作失败者时，

they're on the streets where they're vulnerable to violence,

他们便成为易受伤害的弱势群体，

police harassment,

遭受来自警察的骚扰

police brutality

和暴行，

and incarceration.

以及被监禁。

I follow these young people for years at a time,

每次我会跟进观察 这些年轻人几年的时间，

across institutional settings,

结合制度背景，

to try to understand what some of us call the "school-to-prison pipeline."

尝试去理解我们所谓的 “学校-监狱传送模式”。

When you look at a picture like this,

当你看到这样的情景，

of young people who are in my study ...

也就是参与我所研究的年轻人们，

you might see trouble.

你也许会看到问题和麻烦。

I mean one of the boys has a bottle of liquor in his hand,

我是说其中的一个男孩 手上拿着一瓶烈酒，

he's 14 years old

他现在 14 岁，

and it's a school day.

另外，这本应该去上学的日子。

Other people, when they see this picture,

当其他人看到这个画面时，

might see gangs,

他们也许想到的是帮派、

暴徒、品行不端的流氓之人

thugs, delinquents --

criminals.

或者罪犯。

But I see it different.

但我从另一个角度看，

I see these young people through a perspective

我通过关注这些年轻人

that looks at the assets that they bring to the education system.

为教育体系做出的贡献来看待他们，

So will you join me in changing the way we label young people

所以，你们愿意加入我 来改变人们对年轻人的一贯判断吗？

from "at-risk" to "at-promise?"

他们实际上充满希望， 而非前途渺茫。

(Applause)

（掌声）

How do I know that these young people

我是怎样知道这些年轻人

have the potential and the promise to change?

有潜力和希望做出改变的呢？

I know this because I am one of them.

我知道这些， 因为我曾是其中一员。

You see, I grew up in dire poverty in the inner city,

正如各位了解到的， 我在市内一个可怕的贫民窟长大，

without a father --

甚至没有了父亲——

he abandoned me before I was even born.

他在我出生前便抛弃了我。

We were on welfare,

我们依靠社会福利生活，

sometimes homeless,

有时会无家可归，

many times hungry.

通常处于饥饿状态。

By the time I was 15 years old,

当我 15 岁时，

I had been incarcerated in juvy three times for three felonies.

我因为犯下三次重罪， 被三次送进青少年管教所。

My best friend had already been killed.

我最好的朋友已经被处死。

And soon after,

之后不久，

while I'm standing next to my uncle,

当我正站在叔叔身边时，

he gets shot.

他被子弹射中了。

And as I'm waiting for the ambulance to arrive

当我还在等待救护车到达时，

for over an hour ...

等了超过一个小时，

he bleeds to death on the street.

他已在街上失血而亡。

I had lost faith and hope in the world,

我曾对这个世界失去信仰与希望，

and I had given up on the system because the system had failed me.

我曾经放弃现有的体制 因为它使我成为一个败者。

I had nothing to offer

我曾经无可奉献，

and no one had anything to offer me.

也没有人能为我做过些什么。

I was fatalistic.

那时我相信宿命。

I didn't even think I could make it to my 18th birthday.

我甚至未曾想过 我能活过 18 岁生日。

The reason I'm here today

而我今天站在这里的原因，

is because a teacher that cared reached out

是一位给予我关心，

and managed to tap into my soul.

并且触及到我的灵魂深处的老师。

This teacher,

这位老师，

Ms. Russ ...

拉斯小姐……

she was the kind of teacher that was always in your business.

她是那种时刻介入你的生活， 会插手你的各种事情的老师

(Laughter)

（笑声）

She was the kind of teacher that was like,

她是那位总是说，

"Victor, I'm here for you whenever you're ready."

“维克多，任何你准备好的时候， 我都在这里” 的老师。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

I wasn't ready.

而我没有准备好。

But she understood one basic principle about young people like me.

然而她理解我们年轻人的 一项基本原则。

We're like oysters.

我们像牡蛎沉默寡言。

We're only going to open up when we're ready,

我们只会在准备好时，打开自己，

and if you're not there when we're ready,

如果在我们准备就绪时， 你不在这里，

we're going to clam back up.

那我们便会重新封闭自己。

Ms. Russ was there for me.

而拉斯小姐一直在我身边。

She was culturally relevant,

她能充分理解我成长的环境与文化，

she respected my community, my people, my family.

她尊重我的组织， 我的朋友，我的家人。

I told her a story about my Uncle Ruben.

我告诉她关于罗宾叔叔的故事。

He would take me to work with him because I was broke,

叔叔因为我破产 而带上我和他一起工作，

and he knew I needed some money.

他知道我需要钱。

He collected glass bottles for a living.

他收集玻璃瓶为生。

Four in the morning on a school day,

上学时，每天早晨四点，

we'd throw the glass bottles in the back of his van,

我们会在他的卡车后面 一起扔玻璃瓶，

and the bottles would break.

然后瓶子会破。

And my hands and arms would start to bleed

接着我的手和胳膊便会流血，

and my tennis shoes and pants would get all bloody.

网球鞋和裤子也会沾满血迹。

And I was terrified and in pain, and I would stop working.

那时候我很害怕， 深陷痛苦，我会停下工作。

And my uncle, he would look me in the eyes and he would say to me,

这时叔叔会看着我的眼睛对我说，

"Mijo,

“孩子，

estamos buscando vida."

我们正在寻找生活。”

"We're searching for a better life,

“我们在努力追求更好的生活，

we're trying to make something out of nothing."

我们在白手起家。”

Ms. Russ listened to my story,

拉斯小姐听着我的故事，

welcomed it into the classroom and said,

并把它讲给整个班级，之后她说，

"Victor, this is your power.

“维克多，这就是你的力量。

This is your potential.

这就是你的潜能。

Your family, your culture, your community have taught you a hard-work ethic

你的家庭，你的文化，你的组织 教会你成为一个努力工作的人，

and you will use it to empower yourself in the academic world

它会帮助你在学术研究上 取得更多成绩，

so you can come back and empower your community."

所以你能回馈社会。”

With Ms. Russ's help,

在拉斯小姐的帮助下，

I ended up returning to school.

我最终重返学校。

I even finished my credits on time

甚至按时修满课程学分

and graduated with my class.

和我所在的班级一起毕业。

(Applause)

（掌声）

But Ms. Russ said to me right before graduation,

在毕业前，拉斯小姐对我说，

"Victor, I'm so proud of you.

“维克多，我为你感到骄傲。

I knew you could do it.

我就知道你能行。

Now it's time to go to college."

现在，是时候去上大学了。”

(Laughter)

（笑声）

College, me?

上大学，我吗？

Man, what is this teacher smoking thinking I'm going to college?

天啊，这个想让我 上大学的老师在想些什么啊？

I applied with the mentors and support she provided,

我通过她提供的指导 和支持申请了一些学校，

got a letter of acceptance,

并且拿到了一个学校的录取信，

and one of the paragraphs read,

信中有一段这样写道，

"You've been admitted under probationary status."

“你以试用生的身份被录取。”

I said, "Probation? I'm already on probation,

我说：“缓刑？我已经在缓刑期了，

that don't matter?"

这样没关系吗？

(Laughter)

（笑声）

It was academic probation, not criminal probation.

只是这是学术试用， 而不是犯罪缓刑。

But what do teachers like Ms. Russ do to succeed with young people

然而拉斯小姐这样的老师做了什么

能让像我的研究对象一样的 年轻人获得成功呢？

like the ones I study?

I propose three strategies.

我认为有三个方法。

The first:

第一条：

let's get rid of our deficit perspective in education.

让我们摆脱以教育逆差的角度 看待问题的习惯。

"These people come from a culture of violence,

“这些人来自充满暴力,

a culture of poverty.

充满贫穷的文化。

These people are at-risk; these people are truant.

这些人很危险， 他们懒惰逃避责任。

These people are empty containers for us to fill with knowledge.

这些人是等待我们 用知识填充起来的空容器。

They have the problems,

他们身上存在问题，

we have the solutions."

而我们有解决问题的方法。”

Number two.

第二条：

Let's value the stories that young people bring to the schoolhouse.

让我们学会珍惜 这些年轻人带到学校的种种故事。

Their stories of overcoming insurmountable odds are so powerful.

那些关于他们如何克服

各种各样困难的奇闻逸事 很能振奋人心。

And I know you know some of these stories.

而且我知道你们 了解这样的一些故事。

These very same stories and experiences

这些十分相似的故事和经历

already have grit, character and resilience in them.

本就包含着勇气、决心 和乐观的态度。

So let's help young people refine those stories.

所以，我们应该 帮助年轻人消化这些故事。

Let's help them be proud of who they are,

我们要帮助他们为自己感到骄傲，

because our education system welcomes their families, their cultures,

因为我们的教育体制 欢迎他们的家庭，他们的文化，

their communities

他们的团体，

and the skill set they've learned to survive.

以及他们所学到的生存技能。

And of course the third strategy being the most important:

当然，第三条也是最重要的一条：

resources.

资源。

We have to provide adequate resources to young people.

我们必须为年轻人提供足够的资源。

Grit alone isn't going to cut it.

只有勇气远远不够。

You can sit there and tell me all you want,

你可以坐在那里 告诉我你想要的所有东西，

"Hey man, pick yourself up by the bootstraps."

“嗨伙计，用鞋拔子把你的鞋提起来。”

But if I was born without any straps on my boots --

但如果生来我就没有鞋拔子，

(Laughter)

（笑声）

How am I supposed to pick myself up?

我该怎么把鞋提起来呢？

(Applause)

（掌声）

Job training,

工作培训，

mentoring,

指导，

counseling ...

咨询……

Teaching young people to learn from their mistakes

教会年轻人如何 从自己的错误中学到教训

instead of criminalizing them,

而不是将这些错误判定为犯罪，

and dragging them out of their classrooms like animals.

像对待动物一样 把他们从教室中拖出去。

How about this?

这样怎么样？

I propose that we implement restorative justice in every high school in America.

我建议在全美每一所高中内 推行恢复性公平措施。

(Applause)

（掌声）

So we went out to test these ideas in the community of Watts in LA

所以我们首先在洛杉矶瓦茨 推行检验这些想法，

with 40 young people that had been pushed out of school.

实验对象是 40 位已被开除的学生。

William was one of them.

威廉是其中之一。

William was the kind of kid that had been given every label.

威廉是被贴上各种标签的那类孩子。

He had dropped out, he was a gang member,

他退了学并且是某个帮派成员，

a criminal.

他是一个罪犯。

And when we met him he was very resistant.

当我们第一次见到他时，他十分抗拒。

But I remember what Ms. Russ used to say.

但我记得拉斯小姐 过去经常说的一句话。

"Hey, I'm here for you whenever you're ready."

“嘿，任何你准备好的时候， 我都在这里。”

(Laughter)

（笑声）

So over time --

所以随着时间流逝，

over time he began to open up.

慢慢地，他开始打开心门 与我们坦诚相待。

And I remember the day that he made the switch.

我依然记得他改变的那一天。

We were in a large group

我们当时在一个很大的团队里，

and a young lady in our program was crying

组里一位年轻的小姐在哭，

because she told us her powerful story

因为讲述她自己爸爸被杀，

of her dad being killed

尸体出现在第二天的 报纸上后的故事

and then his body being shown in the newspaper the next day.

她哭得很伤心。

And as she's crying, I don't know what to do,

她在哭的时候，我手足无措，

so I give her her space,

所以我给她了空间，

and William had enough.

然而威廉不这么想。

He slammed his hands on the desk and he said,

他用手敲打桌子说到：

"Hey, everybody! Group hug! Group hug!"

“嘿，每个人！ 一起来抱抱！一起来抱抱！”

(Applause)

（掌声）

This young lady's tears and pain turned into joy and laughter

在得知她能得到互助小组的依靠后，

这位小姐的眼泪和悲痛 随即变为喜悦和笑声，

knowing that her community had her back,

and William had now learned that he did have a purpose in life:

而且威廉现在也明白 自己确实有存在的意义：

to help to heal the souls of people in his own community.

帮助并治愈那些 与他同属一个团体的灵魂。

He told us his story.

他给我们讲了他的故事。

We refined his story

我们重新整理了他的故事

to go from being the story of a victim to being the story of a survivor

让一个受害者的遭遇变成 有关一位克服逆境的

that has overcome adversity.

幸存者的故事。

We placed high value on it.

我们赋予它很高的价值。

William went on to finish high school,

威廉回到学校继续读完高中，

get his security guard certificate to become a security guard,

拿到安全警卫证书， 成为了一名安全警卫，

and is now working at a local school district.

现在在当地学校的街区工作。

(Applause)

（掌声）

Ms. Russ's mantra --

拉斯小姐的口头禅——

her mantra was always,

她经常说道，

"when you teach to the heart, the mind will follow."

“当你在引领一个心灵时， 思想会紧随其后。”

The great writer Khalil Gibran says,

一位伟大的作家哈利勒·纪伯伦 （Khalil Gibran）说过，

"Out of suffering have emerged the greatest souls.

“受苦能凸显坚强的灵魂，

The massive characters are seared with scars."

最明显的特徵就是那伤口痊愈的疤痕。”

I believe that in this education revolution that we're talking about

我相信在我们目前 所讨论的教育改革中

we need to invite the souls of the young people that we work with,

我们需要邀请那些 我们所研究的年轻人的灵魂，

and once they're able to refine --

他们一旦有机会被净化——

identify their grit, resilience and character

认识到自己的勇气、乐观 和那些优秀的品质，

that they've already developed --

这些都是他们已经拥有的——

their academic performance will improve.

他们便会在学习上有很大的提高。

Let's believe in young people.

让我们相信这些年轻人，

Let's provide them the right kinds of resources.

让我们为他们提供适当的资源，

I'll tell you what my teacher did for me.

让我告诉你我的老师给予了我什么：

She believed in me so much

她对我的信任之大，

that she tricked me into believing in myself.

大到足以让我去相信自己。

Thank you.

谢谢。

(Applause)

（掌声）