It is an issue of private shame.
The link is not to a poem, but rather to a series of quotes about hunger and the personal shame that comes with it. Politicians use hunger and other social justice issues as talking points and not seeing it as a matter of private and public shame in countries such as Canada and the US with their wealth.
On the left, we have politicians who would subscribe to giving people something. On the right, politicians would blame those who go hungry including the children. Giving people a hand up is important and walking with them is a part of the longer journey. Solving issues such as hunger is community work. It takes neighbours helping each other in those moments of need. Regardless of what we have, we share. Wouldn’t that be a powerful learning in our schools.
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About ivonprefontaine
In keeping with bell hooks and Noam Chomsky, I consider myself a public and dissident intellectual. Part of my work is to move beyond (transcend) institutional dogmas that bind me to defend freedom, raising my voice to be heard on behalf of those who seek equity and justice in all their forms.
I completed my PhD in Philosophy of Leadership Studies at Gonzaga University, Spokane, WA. My dissertation and research was how teachers experience becoming teachers and their role as leaders.
I focus on leading, communicating, and innovating in organizations. This includes mindfuful servant-leadership, World Cafe events, Appreciative Inquiry, and expressing one's self through creativity. I offer retreats, workshops, and presentations that can be tailored to your organzations specific needs.
I published peer reviewed articles about schools as learning organizations, currere as an ethical pursuit, and hope as an essential element of adult eductaion. I published three poems and am currently preparing my poetry to publish as an anthology of poetry.
I present on mindful leadership, servant leadership, schools as learning organizations, how teachers experience becoming teachers, assessement, and critical thinking. I facilitate mindfulness, hospitality retreats. and World Cafe Events using Appreciative Inquiry.
I am writing and researching about various forms of leadership, how teachers inform and form their identity as a particular teacher, schools as learning organizations, hope and its anticipatory relationship with the future, and hope as an essential element in learning.
ivonprefontaine
Teacher as Transformer 
Wouldn’t it be nice if people cared as much about children living in poverty and violence as we do bout dogs and cats? If we worried about the homeless and mentally ill? Hugs, Barbara
Thank you for the lovely comment Barbara. It would be a great world elevate our actions.
Yea 🙂 it will be nice if people care much about the children living in poetry and violence and even the orphans, widows and the elderly.
Very well said Yoshiko.
Thanks.
That would be powerful, indeed. 🙂
It would be. Thank you for the comment Stefanie.
I only vote for those who say that they’ll help the poor. If you’re a politician and happen to be reading this, now you know how to get my vote.
Great comment.
Thanks for sharing Ivon.
You are welcome David.
Hello! I am happy to have nominated you for the Versatile Blogger Award. Please pick your award up at http://idealisticrebel.com/2014/11/04/versatile-blogger-award-8/
Thank you Barbara.
I have worked with homeless and hungry. It is truly awful that so many feel it is “their fault” of “they are lazy.” At today’s minimum wage, families cannot afford enough food and sometimes cannot afford housing. That is not their fault nor are they lazy.
I agree with your wonderful comment. Thank you Emilie for practical insight.
Wow, yes that would be powerful indeed. I am glad to have found your quality blog here.
Thank you Christy. I look forward to following your blog, as well.
the question is why will we listen to them? who are they to turn us into monsters? It is my money I will feed whoever I want!
That is a good point. When we care for those closest to us and in our community, the ripples likely move outward.
When I was in elementary school many years ago, we were graded on citizenship. We were taught good manners, good behavior, sharing, honesty, respect for our elders and our country, and socialization with others. Sadly, this no longer seems to exist in our schools. Is it any wonder, then, that kids grow up without these basic values and skills?
In Canada, it was not called citizenship, but we had something similar. Parents looked for it on report cards. For the last 15 years I taught, I was in a small school where how students behaved was important to the parents and teachers. It was not to admin.
Administrators don’t seem to understand or care that these children will have problems for the rest of their lives if their behavior is not changed in their early years. It’s a terrible shame.
I agree. It is both a school and political issue. I focused a lot on critical thinking and former students comment how grateful they are for that.
Thank you for caring about your students!