Who is to blame? Some say teachers, parents, students, or even the entire educational program, but the responsibility falls on all of them. Nilaja Sun's "No Child" successfully demonstrates that it takes more than one person to truly unlock student's potential and ensure success. Janitor Baron argued, "Hush! You don't know unless you been in the schools on a day-to-day basis. HUSH! You don't know unless you been a teacher, administrator, student, or custodial staff."(1911). Well, I know because I'm from East Detroit, a place much like the Bronx. So I understand first hand confrontation with stereotypes, racism, and all life's obstacles in what they call "the ghetto". Poverty produces chronic stress making it difficult for teens. The death of a loved one like Jose's brother or Janitor Baron can have a major effect on a student's behavior. A student may lose all interest in schoolwork when dealing with a death in the family. Some students, like Jose, step up and dedicate their greatest achievements to the loved ones. Teens living in poverty don't have access to teachers like Ms. Sun who exploit student's potential and inspire the forgotten students.
Teachers and parents have a different understanding of who is accountable for ensuring that a teen is successful. At a certain age parents only have a partial influence in a teens life. Teachers, friends, and society become an influential part in a teen's life. It's the teachers like Ms. Sun that take the initiative to call the parents or even visit the student's home to find out what's going on that make a difference. Ms. Sun tells Jose's grandmother, "Oh señora. It's parents like youthank you. Muchissima gracias por todo. Sit, sit in the audience por favor!"(1925). It's the parents like Doña Guzman who listens to their child and actually becomes interested in what their interested in that will have an impact on their success.
