I may be dark but I am not stupid.

What you expect based on my skin color,

Does not matter.

You need to give all your students an equal chance,

An equal opportunity.

It does not matter what has happened in the past,

Expecting history to repeat itself all the time, every time,

Will blow up in your face.

We may share melanin,

But we do not everything else.

I am different,

We are all individuals.

You need to treat me the same as you do everybody else,

You need to answer my questions just as often as my white neighbor,

And when I raise my hand you should call on me at least once,

A week.

You may think we are all stupid because,

Your dark students don't take honors classes,

Or,

Your dark students don't contribute to discussions,

But you need to open your eyes.

Maybe you,

Are a bad teacher,

Maybe not maybe,

Maybe absolutely,

You are a bad teacher.

Because we can all see through you,

While you blame us.

Maybe you should have spent that hour teaching,

Instead of discussing why,

All Black students don't try.