NO Child Left Behind

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Children today are growing up
In a society that preaches equality and justice
But in neighborhoods that are corrupt and broken
Their place in this world pre-written, pre-destined
By the status of their family’s social class 
The rich, the privileged, weaved into a world
Were ‘need’ is unnecessary in their vocabulary
Starting from the time they are conceived 
Until the day they retire comfortably
The poor, the undesired, who understand
The constant struggle to simply be
And whose stigma follows them everywhere
But what about those just above that poor line
Too rich to be poor, too damn poor to be rich
Or even get to taste the luxuries that come along with middle-class
 
What about those children?
 
They who see their rich friends go to college-prep preschools
And their poor friends allowed in Head-start programs
While they sit in front of their grandma’s tv 
As she smokes her seventh cigarette for the day 
Because their parents can’t afford other care
Their brains rotting, their potential spoiled
Having all the goods to be an astrophysicist 
But never given the tools to understand their capability 
These that bear this burden are the forgotten
 
But, what if we could change all that?
 
What if there was a way to teach these young things
That learning and knowledge are not only tangible
But fun and worth while
What if there were preschools 
Designed with the forgotten in mind
Teaching the lessons the rich kids take for granted
While still being something their parents can afford
So that they grow a hunger for breaking their stereotypes
And becoming the people they dream of being
What if there were such schools
That took the time to engage these kids
And teach them the foundation of a love of learning
Something that needs to be taught young
To stay consistent for a lifetime
 
I have seen too many brilliant minds fall through the cracks
Simply because they couldn’t qualify for the free programs
And their parents couldn’t afford quality care
I want to be a voice for the forgotten
Designing preschools with the premise 
That NO child gets left behind
And building up a generation of kids
Who understand from the time they are born
That they are important and worth fighting for
And to give them the hope
Their families desire for them
The hope that ALL children deserve
This is my dream
This is our future
 

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