Name: Leah Maathey

Social Justice Group: 2018-2019, Education: Dropping Out

Date of Fieldwork: December 3, 2018

Name of Organization: Michelle Fine

Person (people) with whom I met and their job titles: Michelle Fie

Type of Fieldwork: Interview

What I did:

Today we met with Michelle Fine, author and expert. We went to her office at CUNY and interviewed her about pushouts, high school education and poverty.  She told us about her time working in a NYC public school and how that influenced her career and what she was interested in.

What I learned:

We learned why some children drop out and what happens to kids in poverty who drop out. Those kids are living on the edge and if something happens to their family like disease, losing a job, getting arrested, they need to provide to their family. The main reason for dropping out of high school for children in poverty, is familial need. She also told us that it can alter their lives in ways that they can predict, wage, class and their entire life. I want to research more about the schools Michelle recommended to us which help people who have dropped out, graduate or get their GED’s. Pushouts make less money,are less healthy, and their mental and physical health are negatively affected. Each year of education someone receives, the more likely they are to make more money and it gives them more experience. Those who drop out often come back. Like everyone, they want to be respected, recognized, and want to succeed.

What I learned about Social Justice “work” and/or Civil and Human rights “work” from this fieldwork:

I learned that nothing has an easy and simple fix. Michelle told us that it’s hard to help because poverty has no quick fix. it’s about creating a foundation to help large groups of people succeed. The issue is that they can’t give people a lump sum of money and expect them to succeed, the people in poverty have to be taught to be self reliant. Donating isn’t enough, we have to help these people learn to live on their own. Although what were’re doing by interviews and donating and learning is a good thing, the only way to end poverty is to help the people in it to live on their own.