Injustice-violating the rights of another

Today I taught a fun lesson using the song "Where is the love" by the Blackeyed Peas as the hook. It was great except fifth graders didn't know what injustice was. They didn't know that in America we have worked to overcome injustice. So we learned...we danced..we sang..and then they started to write. Only they had to leave and change classes before they even got started good.

However, I was changed. I looked at my classes today and realized that to me the biggest injustice we commit is when we deny our students knowledge in the quest of test scores. YUCK!!!!

I think it is an injustice that this year my students have not read Number the Stars, Letters from Rifka, Charley Skedaddle, or Snow Treasures. That they don't understand the concept of "sacrificing ourselves" for the greater good of others.

I think it is an injustice that the librarian refuses to encourage reading for fear they will mess up the library shelves. Telling one of my students that she "better not read" Number the Stars or she wouldn't meet her AR goal, because it was below her reading level.?.?

I think it is an injustice that every year I have fifth graders who do not know how to read above a third grade level and no one has ever found out why.

I think it is an injustice that our students do not have a love for reading or writing.

I think it is an injustice that in order to get a student the help they really need we are required to jump through 12 weeks of hoops. Or that this process is so painstaking and has such holes in it that has turned into a process that never has an end. I feel like I need a secretary to keep up with the paper work!

So what am I going to do about it...