AN OPEN LETTER: 

November 11, 2021

Towards Alumnus, Families, Colleagues and Beyond of

Dallas, Texas 

Brooklyn, New York 

District of Columbia 

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I write today from a place of deep love, gratitude, gentleness, and concern for our collective us. Our collective mission to support the enrichment of the minds of our children, provide holistic support in their development, to protect and hold sacred the opportunity for our children to have joyful and safe boyhood and girlhood, is increasingly under threat from the complexities of our changing society. Despite any differences of thought or opinion that may arise, I write today in full support of you, and your right to choose what is best for you and your family. I write in support of you being well, being informed, being healthy, and able to grasp the life you have always dreamed of for yourself and your family in holistic wellness. 

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This month, I will be transitioning away from the classroom (for now) to pursue our mission and stand in support of us in a different way. Throughout my struggle to come to this decision, I confronted extremely tough questions. The toughest being, "when or if the ends do in fact justify the means". What if the stakes are particularly high, the means have unclear consequences, the ends are honorable, and the love for my students is immeasurable. What if, what if. I’ve asked myself if I am able to adopt an idle disposition, compromise my personal ethics, or compromise my health. I've asked myself what unknown risks or recklessness I am willing to absorb, or witness be placed upon children. Throughout this flux, I have learned of myself that some compromise can be justified, and some cannot. Ultimately, my reflections on integrity has given me the most pause. Being an imperfect person that has made many mistakes, my personal view on integrity still holds the truth. When you have integrity, nothing else matters and when you do not have integrity, nothing else matters. Believing in that, I have no choice but to make decisions that reflect this virtue. 

Ten years ago, I chose to be an educator. A pathway worthy of honor and also tremendous responsibility. Educators are tasked with not only imparting academic knowledge but working in tandem with the village of us on appropriate character development for our children, with the understanding and grace that I too, learn as I go. This is the charge. I pray that the lesson that endures here, regardless of congruency of thoughts or opinion, is that in matters of integrity and upholding what is right; standing firm and tall in your personal beliefs and ethics in action - will always be worthwhile, will always be honorable, will always be an appropriate choice. Even when the stakes are extremely high, aligning yourself with the truth of your best possible judgements for what is right, good, and does not harm is what sets free. 

With an immeasurable amount of agape love that permeates time and space and infiltrates dimensions, I love you. Thank you for ten wonderful, beautiful, amazing, joyful, revolutionarily loving years. 

Read baby, Read and Wakanda Forever.  
Ms. Cornelius

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11-11 original draft

11-16 revised for print

11-17 revised for public platforms