Kudos for cool kids, and a pledge to get involved

Myriam Piquant participated in a discussion with fellow students at the W.E.B. DuBois Society at Harvard. (David Kamerman/Globe Staff)

Thank you, thank you, thank you for "The New Cool Kids" in the March 22 edition of City Weekly. It lifted my spirits. As an educator and an African-American woman, I have worked with students of color who would have greatly benefited from participating in the W.E.B. DuBois Society. I, for one, would definitely have enjoyed listening to students discuss literature, the arts, and society in a mature, intellectually charged setting.

I live in one of the most diverse urban sections of the city and I have experienced as a student and educator the negative feelings that many in the community have toward showcasing intelligence. It's a sad state of affairs when people whose ancestors had to create "pit" schools to learn how to read and write now regard education as a hindrance rather than a help. I have had many students during my years of teaching tell me that speaking a certain way is tantamount to "acting white," and it infuriates me.

This piece demonstrates that students of color do care about their education and future. Please write more articles that show young people of all races celebrating knowledge and their use of it. I plan to contact the W.E.B. DuBois Society to see if I can involve my students in this organization.

Shirley Jones-Luke
Dorchester