Felix Linden: Why is Oklahoma creating a toxic environment for teachers?
Felix Linden in a middle school ELA teacher in Oklahoma. In a guest column for The Oklahoman, he criticizes many of the recent choices of the Oklahoma legislature.
During Hispanic Heritage Month, my class always reads “Geraldo No Last Name” by Sandra Cisneros. This short story details the life of a young immigrant who came to America to work. One night, after being struck during a hit and run, Geraldo was taken to a hospital, where he succumbed to his wounds and died. Geraldo perished due to a lack of concern by the medical staff, because the only person working that night was an intern.
It’s at this point where I stop and ask my students, “If you were in an accident and your life was hanging in the balance, would you want an intern operating on you or an experienced doctor?” They all say, as I’m sure you would agree, an experienced doctor. The follow-up is always, “Why do you think the hospital didn’t provide an actual doctor?”