By: Shaniyah Fisher, staff writer
Just moving here from the East Coast a few months ago, seeing what surrounds me in San Francisco doesn’t shock me at all. Specifically in the Tenderloins if I’m being exact. However when you’re trying to make it to class on time and homeless people walk up to you begging for money, that ends up taking a lot of your time. Or how about when you accidentally step into poop or broken needles walking down a block because the government is too lazy to clean up the streets. No I have a better one, how about when you don’t feel like taking your car out because of traffic, so your only best option is to take the bus. That might not work in your favor either considering the fact that there’s a high chance your bus may pass your stop because it’s overcrowded with passengers.
As a student at Galileo, a lot of these issues have prevented me from getting to school on time, which happens on almost a daily basis. I find that these issues happen with a lot of other teens my age trying to get to their destination in which case is school, but things always prevent it from happening.
Based on experiences I’ve faced in school, after encountering SF street issues, there have been multiple times where teachers gave me a C or D on an assignment because I wasn’t in class on time when attendance was taken. Many teachers find that walking into class late while other students are taking a test is a sign of disrespect. I don’t find that fair. Shouldn’t teachers be happy that at least I showed up to class. I understand that all students should want a decent education for themselves, but when asked, whatever excuse I give at that moment is necessarily valid.
I could say I was late because of home issues, the next statement coming out of their mouths isn’t “are you okay?” No, instead it’s, “ I hope everything is fine, BUT did you turn in your late work? After I carefully explained why I didn’t due to the fact of the struggles I faced getting to school that isn’t good enough for them. I’m definitely not the only student at Galileo who feels this way. Teachers should really have more sympathy and realize that there are students who do try to get to school peacefully and other students who can’t because there’s always an issue. That shouldn’t affect my grade. I should be judged based on the efforts and assignments I complete in class. What should matter is that I showed up prepared to learn and better myself for the future.
Sure San Francisco is a beautiful place with great weather, variety of food selections and great scenery. But we can’t ignore the negative either. As a whole Imagine San Francisco free of the laced drugs such as fentanyl in marajuanna that pedestrians are smoking on a daily basis. Or tents hidden in dark alleys not knowing what’s being stored inside by strangers.
Unsure of what can happen on your way to school, I find it very important that not only the teachers and staff at Galileo can understand and have a little more leniency towards students. We don’t know other students’ situations or what’s going on inside their homes outside of school. You cannot want a safe school experience for students if the trip getting there can be dangerous.
