A Letter To My Student Who Is a Squeegee Kid

I wish that people got to know you before they judged you.

Hi Thomas,

I taught you when you were in summer school and trying to get your English II credit, and you were one of my best students who just needed to show up to class more. I appreciated you wishing me the best of luck for the school year, and I was glad to do the same for you.

I doubted I would ever see a lot of my students again, but I remember being on one of the most popular intersections of the city, and seeing a kid I recognized. Your friend came up to my car, and I asked him “is that Thomas?” and he responded in the affirmative. I called your name, and then you turned your back and ran away — you didn’t want me to see you, and in class the next day, you’d ask me not to tell anyone because it was your first day.

Anyways, I’ve seen you several more times, and I’ve always given and appreciated whenever you came up to my car and we could have a chat. I’m glad that you’re doing well in school and that you’re really working hard out here squeegeeing — and I respect the hustle because I’ve seen you out here six times or more since last summer.

But I can imagine how hard it must be. I’ve seen drivers curse kids like you out when trying to clean their windows. I’ve seen drivers run red lights so they wouldn’t have to interact with squeegee kids, and I’ve seen drivers ignore you like most people do homeless people they don’t want to see as humans beings when they pass them by.

You, however, don’t let it get to you. No matter what one driver might do, you shake it off and move onto the next one. Each time I see you out here, you inspire me because you work harder than I do on most days, no matter the conditions of heat or cold, rain or burning sun.

And yet I wonder if I’m part of the problem. I give cash every time I see you because you’re my student, and I want to support you unconditionally. But I wonder if I’m doing you a disservice, because, in most jobs in the…

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