Just as vines in the field snapped and slapped me in the face, the physical and symbolic ivies covering the walls of these institutions provided their own lasting sting. (Prieto, p. 8)

We live in a very egocentric society in which we often do not stop and think about other people’s backgrounds and where they came from.

It is hard enough for immigrants to settle in a new country and readjust to life without adding racism to the list. Schools, though they are supposed to have a positive effect on students, can sometimes have a lasting negative effect on them if utilized in the wrong way such as in this article. As a teacher, I cannot even begin to imagine showing any sort of racism towards students. It hurts me just to think about it, as I have built such a relationship with my students that I do not want them to be hurt in any way.

It is sad that in some ways this country has come a long way whereas in others it has not. Sadly, racism still exists in many parts of our society and this quote exhibits it. Clearly, the speaker was emotionally stung from constantly being put down in school, just as the grapevines stung her face when she worked in the fields.