Community Essay : What’s Right With Our Schools : Asked to visit a predominantly Latino middle school, an African-American poet hesitates. But the encounter is all sunshine.

I must admit, after hearing so much about the spread of gangs, drugs, and shootings in public schools, I was apprehensive about visiting Stevenson Junior High School in East Los Angeles recently. But I had promised, Eleanor Heaphy, a ninth-grade English teacher I met on a retreat, that I would share some of my poetry with her students and speak to them about writing careers.

As I turned off the Pomona Freeway at Whittier Avenue and headed into the heart of the barrio, I wondered what to expect. Would the mostly Latino students even be able to relate to the experiences of a middle-aged African-American woman? Would I encounter hostility? Gangs? Violence? As I pulled into a parking spot in front of the school, my heart pounded and perspiration moistened my hands. The thought occurred to me that maybe I ought to turn around and run back to the safety and security of my office building. But I had made a commitment and knew I couldn’t let Mrs. Heaphy or the students down. Besides, for a long time I had preached that professionals should give something back to the community. This was my opportunity.

Armed with a briefcase full of books, poems and anything else I could think of to entertain a roomful of 12- and 13-year olds, I headed for the light tan building.

When I entered the building I was pleasantly surprised. No graffiti marred the walls. No cholos hung out in the halls.

In fact, the halls were swept clean and the walls looked freshly painted. Students walked to and from classes in an orderly manner. In the principal’s office I was greeted with a smile and told that someone would escort me to Sue Eiden’s seventh grade class.

As I walked across the campus with Ozzie, my student escort, I struck up a conversation. “How do you like going to school here?” I asked, partly out of curiosity and partly to break the ice.

“I like it,” he said, after a moment. “It’s a pretty good school.” Over the next three hours I was to learn more about the school for myself.

I was amazed to find the students in Mrs. Eiden’s and Mrs. Heaphy’s classes to be bright, alert, and eager to hear what I had to say. Several students even stayed after the third period class to ask me to critique their poems. I was impressed at how good some of their poetry was. One student read a stirring poem about her father’s death. Another showed me a short story she was working on. I was also impressed by a book of poetry Mrs. Heaphy showed me that she and her students had put together.

Because we hear so much about what’s wrong with our schools, it’s easy to ignore what’s right with them. Undoubtedly, our educational system isn’t doing all it should to educate our children. However, it is heartening to see that despite budget cuts, layoffs, and metal detectors some schools are still trying to foster an atmosphere conducive to learning. And teachers like Sue Eiden and Eleanor Heaphy are still striving to bring out the best in their students.

Winter in L.A. some say there is no winter in L.A. but i have seen winter reflected in shadows

of shapeless bundles

huddled in doorways i have heard winter’s voice talking loud along Rosecrans i have seen winter in broken houses along Century Boulevard

for Spring but found hunger all year some say there is no winter in L.A. but i have seen it here Hazel Harrison