LM October 2015

Consuelo Kickbusch

Saying that "public education is the most concrete form of democracy," Consuelo Castillo Kickbusch delivered a passionate message about valuing diversity to an inspired audience of superintendents and other educators. Kickbusch talked about her humble beginnings as a child in a small barrio in Laredo, Texas, and how a teacher named Mr. Cooper made a home visit to reach out and help resurrect her education and her life. She went on to become at that time as a Lieutenant Colonel the highest-ranking Hispanic woman in the Combat Support Field of the U.S. Army. She called her parents her first teachers, adding "they had a Ph. D. in life" and taught her the values that still provide a moral compass and guide her today. "Many kids come to school looking for a safe place," she said, citing her own childhood as an English Language Learner (ELL) whose family battled poverty. "ELL kids live in the shadows...there is a different mindset about their potential. We shouldn't look at a child as poor, of a certain color or by what zip code they live in. Leaders live a legacy and create a culture of learning. It takes courage. If teachers don't understand cultural literacy, it causes frustration. "If we look at kids differently, they will feel

different. America is better than that. We have a moral imperative to look beyond standards and data points. It's on your nickel, on your watch and under your leadership. You are leaders and guardians. You have two opportunities. You can be dream makers or gatekeepers."

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