It was Career Day at America School and the classrooms were filled with an eclectic mix of students and parents. The parents were there to speak about their professions; to represent the endless possibilities on a path of valued education. A firefighter stood in-front of one classroom and spoke of the excitement and danger that he faces everyday. He shared stories of fighting wildfires, the brotherhood between his colleagues, and taught the stop-drop-and-roll. He ended his speech by addressing the students, “If you study hard, you can be anything you want to be; a firefighter like me, or even the President of the United States.” The students and parents applauded. The teacher thanked him on behalf of everybody present. The parents all nodded in agreement. Next, a doctor spoke of long shifts and difficult surgeries, but how ultimately the reward of being able to save a life makes everything worthwhile. She let the students use her stethoscope to hear their heartbeats, and concluded by saying, “if you work hard and receive a good education, you can be anything you want to be; a doctor like me, or the President of the United States.” The teacher thanked her for taking time out of her busy schedule to speak. The parents nodded in agreement. Then, the President stood up and picked up where the doctor had left off. He began by saying, “By valuing your education, any one of you can be like me, the President of the United States.” His words were met with silence. The classroom was empty. The parents had removed themselves and taken the kids with them.
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