Milo Kramer

Because I thought I was helping children. And I only gradually came to understand that I was really just a fucked up cog in a larger fucked up system.

Because I thought I was helping children. And I only gradually came to understand that I was really just a fucked up cog in a larger fucked up system.

Jason's 16, and he proudly identifies as libertarian. He's a 16-year-old libertarian. I'm kind of afraid of him.

Jason's 16, and he proudly identifies as libertarian. He's a 16-year-old libertarian. I'm kind of afraid of him.

I want to tell her not to. I want to tell her not to. You cannot study theater. You have to study math. You're good at math. You're failing math. You want to study theater? Theater doesn't matter.

I want to tell her not to. I want to tell her not to. You cannot study theater. You have to study math. You're good at math. You're failing math. You want to study theater? Theater doesn't matter.

Faith says, I think I'm stupid. I can't read. I guess I'm stupid. I get Bs. I must be stupid. I say, I don't think you're stupid. Faith repeats, I'm sure I'm stupid. If you think I'm smart, please prove it. I tell her intelligence is unmeasurable and different in every individual. Faith just looks at me and says, no. I say, yes. She says, no. She says, no, no, no, no.

Faith says, I think I'm stupid. I can't read. I guess I'm stupid. I get Bs. I must be stupid. I say, I don't think you're stupid. Faith repeats, I'm sure I'm stupid. If you think I'm smart, please prove it. I tell her intelligence is unmeasurable and different in every individual. Faith just looks at me and says, no. I say, yes. She says, no. She says, no, no, no, no.

Divya has to respond to the question, is Shakespeare's oath a low racist? In a five-paragraph essay for her white teacher by Monday. And she says, just tell me the answer, please. I have so much homework this week. I need to get this done as fast as possible. Is Othello racist? Yes or no? I'm like, have you read the play? She's like, yes, and I watched the Laurence Fishburne movie.

Divya has to respond to the question, is Shakespeare's oath a low racist? In a five-paragraph essay for her white teacher by Monday. And she says, just tell me the answer, please. I have so much homework this week. I need to get this done as fast as possible. Is Othello racist? Yes or no? I'm like, have you read the play? She's like, yes, and I watched the Laurence Fishburne movie.

I'm like, great, so what do you think? She's like, I don't know. I'm 15. I'm afraid to say the wrong thing. I'm like, same. This stuff is hard to talk about, but you've got to trust yourself, even though you've also got to constantly question and interrogate yourself. Either way, you've got to try. You've got to try. You've got to try, try, try, try, try. I'm desperate to do a good job.

I'm like, great, so what do you think? She's like, I don't know. I'm 15. I'm afraid to say the wrong thing. I'm like, same. This stuff is hard to talk about, but you've got to trust yourself, even though you've also got to constantly question and interrogate yourself. Either way, you've got to try. You've got to try. You've got to try, try, try, try, try. I'm desperate to do a good job.

Divya's Indian American mom can hear us in the next room. I do not know what to do. Divya looks at the assignment rubric to see how she'll be graded. She needs a clear defensible thesis followed by three unique body paragraphs. I can tell she's overwhelmed. I say, remember, grades don't matter, Divya. Learning can't be measured. Just trust how you feel you did.

Divya's Indian American mom can hear us in the next room. I do not know what to do. Divya looks at the assignment rubric to see how she'll be graded. She needs a clear defensible thesis followed by three unique body paragraphs. I can tell she's overwhelmed. I say, remember, grades don't matter, Divya. Learning can't be measured. Just trust how you feel you did.

She says, maybe grades don't matter if you're rich. But in my family, grades are so important. I think I thought at first that Divya didn't have the words to talk about the play in any nuanced way. But now I start to think that her understanding is deeper than my own. And she might never talk to me about Othello honestly and shouldn't have to.

She says, maybe grades don't matter if you're rich. But in my family, grades are so important. I think I thought at first that Divya didn't have the words to talk about the play in any nuanced way. But now I start to think that her understanding is deeper than my own. And she might never talk to me about Othello honestly and shouldn't have to.

Finally, I decide she just wants me to provide her with some easy answer to satisfy her teacher and get her through the semester unscathed. So I'm like, okay. Your teacher is either looking for an essay that's like, Yes, Othello is very racist. The story of the play is there's this super professionally and romantically successful black man all of these white guys are jealous of and cannot handle.

Finally, I decide she just wants me to provide her with some easy answer to satisfy her teacher and get her through the semester unscathed. So I'm like, okay. Your teacher is either looking for an essay that's like, Yes, Othello is very racist. The story of the play is there's this super professionally and romantically successful black man all of these white guys are jealous of and cannot handle.

That tension is resolved when the white guys trick Othello into murdering his wife, thereby turning him into the brutish stereotype they wanted him to be all along. That the title role was performed in blackface for centuries underscores this. Moreover, that's a good, that's kind of a transition word, Divya. Moreover, I mean, my next body paragraph will be about.

That tension is resolved when the white guys trick Othello into murdering his wife, thereby turning him into the brutish stereotype they wanted him to be all along. That the title role was performed in blackface for centuries underscores this. Moreover, that's a good, that's kind of a transition word, Divya. Moreover, I mean, my next body paragraph will be about.