My parents in 1999. When we immigrated to the U.S.
I can count the number of times my dad came to one of my school events on one hand. The most memorable was my high school graduation. Until I saw him sitting in the stands, I hadn’t been sure he’d come.
Was it because he didn’t care about my education? He kept a close eye on my grades and always repeated, “You can do anything. You just have to want it.” Was it because his work schedule didn’t allow it? He was self-employed and so had a flexible schedule.
Like many parents of the students in our classrooms, he did not speak English. My dad never felt comfortable in the school environment, because he never became a proficient English speaker. The moment he left Ukraine and stepped foot on U.S. soil he went from being respected and competent to ignorant.