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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."