Taking Care and Moving Forward with Dr. LaShaune Stitt

Untitled project from SquadCast

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dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: Welcome back to the exit interview, a podcast for black educators with your host, me, Dr. Asia. So glad to be back on the podcast. You know, folks, we're on episode 50, something, and it feels surreal because I was just taking a look at my LinkedIn and thinking. I just feel like we just started this podcast and we're down the road almost five years and it's going to be at five years in January and what a ride it's been.

You know, I think by the time you listen to this podcast, I've announced it already that we'll be recording live at South by Southwest EDU in March. Um, we'll be doing a live recording with a special guest and I won't share who that is right now, but listen to that information later. Um, but so excited for that, uh, to happen for us.

But we're not talking about South by Southwest EDU today. We're talking about Dr. LaShawn [00:01:00] Stitt. Uh, Dr. LaShawn, how are you today?

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: I'm here. I'm good. I'm hoping that we made history, you know, today. Uh, um, I'm not too sure when, when we're going to air the podcast, but, uh, my daughter is a first time voter. So that was, uh, kind of like a rite of passage. Um, I was a little overwhelmed because it was, it's been a day, but, um, you know, whenever you're in a space speaking and, and just exchanging, like we just got finished doing it was, uh, it's, it's all good.

It's all good. So I'm here, I'm ready to share whatever message comes through me. Cause sometimes, you know, I can have a plan and then. The divine spirit speaks to me and says, no, no, no, you got to say this, you know, so I'm ready. I'm ready. Yeah,

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: and it is election day today, folks, and I got everything crossed. Anybody but Trump 2024. Okay.

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: [00:02:00] that's it. We will not go back. Okay. No,

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: go back. Uh, yeah. And so, you know, you and I kind of met on LinkedIn, the place where I live. And you're like, Hey, I'm interested in learning about the show. And we had a chance to chat and find out.

Yeah. You know, we have so much in common talking about the journey and, um, you'll have lots to share with us about the ways that you came into education. And we're going to just jump right into it. Tell us about your journey into education. How did it all start for you?

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: Well, I'm gonna be very honest. Um, I was the little girl who used to set my dolls and stuff animals up and I was the teacher. Then, um, I was blessed to have a mother who was an educator as well. So that yeah. You know, has been in, I guess you could say embedded in me indirectly because my mother didn't want me to become a teacher.

Uh, we just happen to be, we happen to teach in the same school, um, for a period of time. And I was the,

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: Oh, wow.

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: I [00:03:00] was the English teacher. She was the math teacher. Um, and so that was, you know, my, I guess you could say the, the the guiding force for me going into education. Um, you know, then I got deep in, uh, I didn't realize I was just thinking, Oh yeah, you know, I'm going to be educator and I'm having my summers off, you know, that thing.

But I knew with my mother, she was always, um, summers in after school, you know, feeding this one, buying coats for this one, that kind of thing. And so that was, that was the norm. Um, and I started teaching like as soon as I graduated, um, from, I was a late graduate, I'll say that I was already a single mother and so I needed to be a little more stable cause I had a little, a young person to take care of.

Um, so I started teaching, uh, in Harlem where, you know, I always rep Harlem, Harlem world. [00:04:00] I think I was about 28, 27. And, um, yeah, cause this is year 26 in education. Um, all things education. So, you know, started as an ELA teacher in middle school. Uh, actually, no, let me go back. I was a fourth grade teacher in a private, all black owned private school in Harlem, um, called the Modern School.

It was started by, um, uh, Mildred Johnson, who is the sister to James Weldon Johnson, who, uh, we all know, right? And, um,

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: Well tell our audience who may not know.

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: Okay. I'm sorry. So James Weldon Johnson is the, the writer. I say, well, I know he's the main writer for the, what we call the black national anthem. And I didn't know, actually, I had no idea.

That was the ignorance that existed in me because I didn't know until I. I went to interview with the school and I was like, like, this is [00:05:00] historical. Oh, this is crazy. You know, this was a blessing. And, and, and so I taught fourth grade my first year. I knew that I would never teach elementary school again because it just It was a little bit too much, but it was amazing.

Dr. Asia, I got a chance to expose my students to, um, Sequoia, you know, Native Americans, and this being native, the native American, the month of the American Indian, um, I was, we learned about, uh, they read, I know why the caged bird sings and we performed. And it was just amazing. That was a time where. In our schools, you know, we had assemblies and we were able to showcase things and.

It was just, uh, it was a good, good place for me to start. And then I went into middle school and I loved it. Uh, and I stayed in middle school, then, you know, kind of worked my way through the ranks. Uh, and, uh, [00:06:00] eventually I became a, um, a lead teacher in Pomona middle school up in, uh, Rockland County. And, and then a friend of mine.

at the time had reached out to me to, uh, ask me to collaborate on a proposal for a new high school. And I was like, really, you know, I don't know. And when he explained it to me, I was like, I'm in, I'm in. It was a school for all, um, all males, black and Latino males. And we didn't necessarily know where we were going to be, but we knew that we, this was our mission.

And so, um, hence the Urban Assembly Academy of History and Citizenship for Young Men was established. And, um, that was like a turning point for me and my career because I had a lot of leadership. Um, responsibilities. I was the Dean. I was the, you know, all, all the things. Of course, you know, my cape and my boots were on.

Um, go ahead. Go ahead. I'm sorry.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: Oh, you're fine. I just wanted to pause [00:07:00] because, know, often we talk to people in the podcast who are in predominantly white schools or school districts, not always, but a lot of times, and I think you're the second or third person. that I've talked to in recent months who have started or worked in schools that were for all folks of color, specifically, or all male or African centered or a freedom school or liberatory school model. And I think that And these were folks on the East coast, right? Shout out to Kwame, um,

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: Shout out.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: who was on the podcast a little while back, who talked about how he taught at a school that was, um, focused on, uh, African American black liberation. And it was a beautiful space. Uh, and I just want to know, you know, it seems like for those of us living in the mountain States. me recording here in Colorado and other places too, that would be a dream, right? To, to be [00:08:00] surrounded by everyone who looks like you and not just folks who just look like you, but also that the curriculum, that the programming and everything is centered on you. Your wellbeing on as a student, your, um, success knowing and focusing on the, your cultural identity. Right. And I just have to pause you to stop and highlight that because, you know, and I'm not, I don't want to assume that it was the best experience you ever had,

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: Right.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: want to say that. It's really interesting that we're hearing more and more folks talk about these freedom school, liberatory school models, um, as places that they have taught.

So I just wanted and say that, but continue, please.

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: yeah. Shout us out for real. Because, um, honestly, it was a space and, and, and granted, you know, every learning environment is going to have some, um, Some challenging times. Uh, but for the [00:09:00] most part, it was that space where I was able to kind of really cultivate my leadership skills. I was able to write the curriculum that was designed for an all male population, particularly males of color.

And, um, I spent, you know, time really digging into, you know, The, the literacy, the literary works that we would be using and how I would shape, you know, the, my class in particular, and then, you know, use that as an example for other teachers also, you know, building community. And so, you know, think about it.

You have these young men and they're like high school. We're not trying to go to no old boy high school, you know? We had that mentality. We had the mentality that, um, our young men were coming in. Our scholars as we used to call 'em, they were coming in with the, you know, oh, you are not doing, you know, you, you don't do too well.

And oh, you know, we'll do this mediocre work. And it was like, nah, [00:10:00] we not settling for any of that, that.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: Mm hmm.

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: Our expectations are here and we will set the bar there. And we, we expect for you to not only perform academically. See, I think this is where the problem is. It's not just about the academics and the numbers.

It's about the whole student. So, um, we were in, uh, and I don't know if you, I don't know if you're familiar, but in New York, 20 something years ago, we had metal detectors in our high school before a lot of these high schools and middle school. Right? So,

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: from Detroit.

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: so you already know.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: know.

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: Okay? And you know how our young men were coming in.

They had to go through the metal detectors, take your belt off, take your shoes off. They were already dressed. Dressed shirt, tie, dress pants, dress shoes. So the emasculation process was taking place before they even came up and came upstairs to our classes. So you can imagine what that was like. So, um, one of my, my, [00:11:00] my colleagues, who's like my brother, I was telling you about earlier, brother, our, we were intentional about using a drum as the signal to change classes or when classes will start.

You know, our young men were in the hallways and they were dancing and so forth and so on. So it was that cultural piece that was so important. And then they needed to be in a space where their identity was celebrated. You know, um, it was just a beautiful space to be in. Um, and to be able to create that space was even more so.

I think it was the, one of the most important and impactful things that I have done as an educator. Uh, and then remember I had a, um, I had a, um, a son. So I was a single mom, so, you know, my son was in a school as well. So it was extremely important for that space to be what we, what we needed it to be for them.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: Oh, yeah. I want to know, because you're talking about the student [00:12:00] experience.

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: I'm sorry. And I was supposed to be talking about me and how I got started.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: no! This is beautiful. I just want to ask then, this, I think people want to know what it's like. They want to know the experience, probably because there probably are folks in the audience who are saying, that school's opening down the street for me.

Or I thought about sending my child to that type of school. And you're helping them to make that decision. Yeah, so. Definitely a hundred percent. That's beautiful. I'm glad you talked about it. I want to know, I'm curious to know, what was the experience like or how did the faculty and staff, like what was that like for you all to be coming from all over?

Some folks at predominantly white schools, some people in like all kinds of different settings. What was that like for you all to be building a school and to be coming together as your own community of adults? Hmm. Hmm.

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: intentions that we had, we were intentional about our staff and having our staff looked like the students that they would be standing in front [00:13:00] of and greeting every single day. So we had, you know, even though it was an all male population. We, of course, you know, I was there, we had advisory.

So all of our faculty were either a black or Latino males or from, you know, our community. Uh, that was in the beginning. I'll say that part. That was the beginning. And as you know, the system will cause you to change things, cause things to shift a little bit. And so the landscape of the faculty changed.

And so therefore our mission and vision shifted and our focus shifted. And it didn't turn out to be the way that it started to be. I'll, I'll say that much, but in the beginning, yes, we were very intentional. We had, [00:14:00] we had a math teacher who was from Egypt. We had, I mean, when I say we had it all, like we had, uh, another, um, math teacher who's, uh, you know, HBCU alum.

Um, like we, we were very intentional about having our students. Looking at folks and learning from folks and experiencing folks who look like them. That,

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: Yeah,

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: intention. Yeah.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: it's a beautiful gift. Yeah.

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: Yeah.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: Well, I mean, I saw there was some shifting happening. I think that you mentioned in our previous conversations about to open a middle school or something. So I don't want to skip ahead, but I would love for you to continue your story about your journey.

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: Oh yeah. So, okay. Getting back to the, uh, the high school. So, I was there and then, you know, of course, life happened. I, um, I had to relocate and I moved to Richmond, Virginia. And then, um, I was [00:15:00] an English teacher in a, um, And in Richmond city public schools, there was, there's a specialized high school and it's a Richmond community high school.

And it was a culture shock to me because I wasn't accustomed to my students. Yes, ma'am. No, ma'am. You know, and having students, mostly students of color, mostly students of color from the city. From what you then was low income at, you know, that kind of thing, having them in my classrooms and they were so brilliant, there was, oh man, it was such a brilliance and I was just.

Overwhelmed with like, you know, this is what it's supposed to be about. Um, but then again, Dr. Asia, I gotta tell you, I mean, I have, somebody would probably say, you know, she, she doesn't listen to what, no, I don't go with the status quo. So then when it, when, when the changing of the guards [00:16:00] happened again, I was like, nah, this is, it's not what it was supposed to be.

And so. I left and I was, uh, asked again, you know, divine, um, source was in my life and I was asked to become an assistant principal in Baltimore, um, Baltimore city public schools, and I started out at, in a high school, an alternative high school in Baltimore city, uh, when I moved to Maryland and that was another culture shock for me because I had students who were overage, undercredited, who had been formerly incarcerated.

Like it was. And I was like, wow, when do kids become truant in fourth grade? Like as a parent, how does that happen? You know, we're the babies, what's going on? And that was an experience for a lot of my students. and I just, I was having such a hard time really understanding that. [00:17:00] Um, but I will say this and not to throw shade to anyone, but the culture of Baltimore city is a little bit different than New York city.

Um, so it was, it was a lot to kind of navigate my way and then I just, My health started being affected my principal. I was fine. I found out he was taking naps while I was running around the school I was running around the school mopping floors and you know intervening and Parents coming in my office crying and still like it was it was a madhouse Me and I'm finding out that he was in there napping and I'm like, I'm having health issues.

I said What is going on? I got I Two young little ones. Mm mm. We can't do that. So I made the decision. Mm hmm. Got it? I made the decision to, um, to see a therapist and I, you know, now I'm a little more comfortable with saying that because I was like, this can't be. Like, I can't, who's gonna tell my [00:18:00] children that their mother is no longer here because she, she was giving it all up to every, you know, everybody else.

And so I made the decision to, um, To leave, um, public education, K 12 education at that time.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: Yeah. Um, there's a lot of pieces

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: I know, I know.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: like you kind of tossed it in there that last one minute and I have a lot to break

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: Yes,

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: Uh, first of all, um, this idea of our students and like you said, fourth grade being truant. And at this point, we know it's, it's a family, something's happening in the family, right? Because a fourth grader is getting to, if they don't, if they have to be transported, there's something happening, right?

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: like,

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: and that's really hard, I think, for folks of all races to know that students aren't getting the education because they just, Part of it is they can't get there or they're not getting there on time or they're leaving early. The next thing, but I [00:19:00] really, I really want to talk about

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: on.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: is you talked about two things. One, you felt your, your health was declining at the same time that principal Was in his office taking naps. I want to, I want to talk about the, the, the health part, if you're okay with

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: Yes, yes.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: like, because I feel like some folks we talk about, um, racial battle fatigue or the fatigue of teaching and education. And when I say racial battle fatigue, the education system is. Has been built in white supremacy culture. So even if you're your boss, your manager is a black person, they can still uphold white supremacy,

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: There you go.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: in their, in their work. So I need to be very mindful and make sure to say that.

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: Mm hmm. Mm

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: when we think about that fatigue, the fatigue of seeing our students not doing this best they could, the [00:20:00] fatigue of seeing people in positions of power who are supposed to be supporting us, not doing what they need to do.

It does impact our health. Can you talk about. When you started to realize like, Oh, like my health is not well. And like, what are some of the things that if you're okay with sharing as much as you'd like, some things that you were experiencing that you knew was, this is not normal. It's time for me to start making some decisions.

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: So I will, um, there were a couple of things. One, you know, we have a school nurse and, um, I think one, one day I was mopping the floor in my suit, right? Because our maintenance staff. Of two had called out. So there was no one to clean the building. And I was upstairs cause we had two floors and I was upstairs in heels and suit with the big mop, you know, that big industrial mop and bucket mopping.

The [00:21:00] floor and the parent can't, she got off the elevator because we had, you know, parents get used up. She said, aren't you the assistant principal? And I was like, uh, yeah. She was like, why are you up here doing that? And I said, this is what we do. But like, what am I going to say? You want your child to be in, in a building where it's all kinds of stuff.

Cause it was days that they didn't show up. And so, and this, we can't have this. These kids can't be in here like this. So while class was in session, I said, let me get that mom. And I just went, you know, I had another teacher helped me fill it up and everything. And I went down the hall and she was like, Like you could, it was on her face and I was like, we do, we got to do what we do.

Right. And I kept on moving, but I knew something was going on because I wasn't. And this is, you know, I wasn't going to the bathroom the way that I, like, I wasn't taking my [00:22:00] bathroom break. You know, I'm like holding my pain. My nurse said to me, missed it, because at that time I was missed it, are you okay?

And I was like, you know, I'm a little tired or whatever. She was like coming to my office. So she took my blood pressure and my blood pressure three times. She did it three, two times. She said, uh, you got one more time for me to do this reading and this blood pressure to be high like this. And I'm calling the ambulance myself.

And I was like, nah, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, we can't do that. We can't do that. She was going to read my, she read my blood pressure twice and she said, you got one more time, uh, for me to do this reading and if it's high, I'm going to call an ambulance myself. And I was like, Oh no, wait, time out, time out. Cause I had my little ones at the school as well. And I was like, wait, hold up, hold up.

She was like, did you drink water today? And I was like, I really, you know, it's in my office. I didn't. And she said, Ms. Stitt, you can't keep doing this. [00:23:00] You cannot continue to do that. At that time, my principal calls on the walkie talkie. She said, don't you answer. So she answered. She was like, Ms. Stitt is in my office right now.

She's not doing well. And whatever it is, has to wait. Or I will send her to the emergency room. And I was like, wow. You know, because We got to show up. We got to be in a space. We got to do our thing. So, that was number one. Number two, when I went to, for my primary care, you know, of course she was like, you got to go to the doctor.

Like, you need to go get this work. Found out that I had a blockage in my kidneys. And I was like, what? So my, then I had to go to a urologist, a specialist. And the urologist was like, wait, we're going to have to schedule a procedure for you. And I was like, oh, nah, we can't keep this up. We cannot keep it up.

At the same time, my [00:24:00] OBGYN Out of, just out of the blue, he was like, um, I need you to go and have this, this, um, mammogram done because you've been putting it off. And I'm like, what? You know, I'm okay. Well, I'll get it. He was like, no, no, no, no, no, no. I'm scheduling you today because it was like right after, think this happened one after the other.

And I was like, you know what, I can't keep this up. I cannot, I can't. But in the meantime. Mentally, I was in the moment, I'm trying to do it, but I knew I was real edgy with my children. I was short. My attitude was like, you know, I was nasty, you know, and I'm saying, I don't treat my children like this. I don't treat my family members like this.

I don't have this type of energy. And somebody said to me, Hey, maybe you should go talk to somebody about it. And I was like, I don't [00:25:00] do. Therapist, I'm good and my school secretary said, you should go see a therapist because we can write you out. And this is how she was like, we can write you out. And I said, Hmm, let me go see the therapist.

And sure enough, the therapist was like, Oh no, you got to be out of there. You have to, you have to do whatever you have to do to take time away. I'm going to keep you out. And I was out for two months. I was out for two months. I

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: Audience.

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: I'm sorry.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: No, no. I need the audience to hear everything that you just said. I feel like in education, we think the flex not to pee all day. I feel like we feel like we've won if we're the one mopping and turn the lights on and off at night and did shoveling coal into the furnace. And I feel like we were waiting for someone to give us our flowers. And we're just going to think we're going to keep that up. [00:26:00] And Dr. Stitt is telling you that is not the case. You had women

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: Women.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: out for you and saying, knock, sit down.

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: Mm hmm. Mm

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: get this blood pressure together.

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: hmm. Mm hmm. Mm hmm.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: to do that. advocating for you in a ways. That at that time you were not able to advocate for yourself because you were sacrificing for the students. And I'm sure that some of this is like on the back end, you're processing, like you said, with your therapist and you're like, Oh, that was madness.

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: Pure madness.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: But there are so many of us who are listening to this or who knew no educators are like, that's so awesome. You are such a hard worker. I'm sorry, students appreciate you. And. we take that and think I have to keep it up because I'm not there, who's going to mop. If I'm not there, who's going to turn the lights on my principles, taking a nap in the [00:27:00] office, which we're going to get to in a second, please know.

Cause I know the audience wants to know what I want to

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: Yes.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: Um, and so if he's not showing up or she's not showing up, I have to be the superhero.

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: Mm hmm. Mm hmm.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: and it's always to our detriment 1st, and then it's always to the community's detriment. Our children

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: Mm hmm.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: our community outside of the workplace suffers.

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: Mm hmm.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: Right and so I need the audience to hear what we are saying, because we can sometimes visualize that. People are telling us their stories in these like white schools and they're and these it's always racism at the hand of some white educator these things and not always

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: always. Not always.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: right. And I am one shout out to Stacey Brandon.

I know she's listening to this episode who. I am one who had someone tell me, girl, it's time to go, right? [00:28:00] Because I was in the same kind of space of just, just trying to hold on because the kids need me. And, but my family suffered and my community suffered when I was in that last year of teaching. Now,

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: Mm hmm.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: Let's get to this principal.

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: Hmm. Hmm. Right.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: this is cheese made folks. We go we go pause for the the tell me We want to know how you found this out that he was sleeping in his office And then like was there ever a time where you spoke to him about this? Like what was that relationship like because he sounded like he brought you over To the school and then you end up being the principal sounds

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: Right.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: principal So tell us about that, please.

We'd love to know more

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: So to give you a little bit of context, my principal, who I was just talking about, was a teacher that I hired when we opened an all male high school. So that was how that was the way we were connected. [00:29:00] Um, when he got his opportunity to, you know, become the principal at the school in Baltimore City. He reached out to me.

Um, so I was like, okay, you know, that should be good. We worked well together, you know, previously, so this should be good. Well, the way that I found out on a fast word, but the way that I found out about him napping. Was through our school secretary, because she would be like, she would drop books. She would bang the file cabinet.

She would do all kinds of things. At first she was like, why is this so quiet in his office? And then she said she peeked in and he was. Head down on the desk. I said, I know you lying now while I'm sitting up in here with, I got a parent here, a teacher here, a child, like, I know this is not happening. And she said, it is.

And so every time it happened, she would [00:30:00] bang and drop.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: Another woman.

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: Yes, another woman. I love Miss Collins. I'll say her name is Collins. Yes, she. Oh, my God. And she loved on my children because there would be days that I would be there nights, you know, evening six o'clock. I hadn't been able to take my kids home to make dinner, you know, and, and I had parents miss Michelle Michelle her out to, um, who would look out for my babies and say, Miss, did you want me to get them some pizza?

You want to go to chicken run or something like that? This was the community that rallied around me and my children. Um, but they were also the ones who were like, you can't keep doing this. Yup. Your kids need you. And I was like, Oh no, you know, again, the savior with my cape and my boots. And I'm like, no, but the school.

And then, you know, I don't, I can't specifically say who it was because it came from different places, but [00:31:00] everyone was saying like, you can't, you cannot keep it up, but you can't keep this up. You cannot keep it up. And then when it came time for me to have that procedure on my kidneys, I was like, yeah, no, I can't keep, I can't keep doing this, but it was the women that saved me.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: Yeah, you said you were out for two months.

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: months.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: Uh, did you go, you go

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: Oh, I was getting ready to tell you that. Okay. So this is what happened. So when my time was up and I maxed out because I even got another two weeks after that, I had an anxiety attack. I never knew what that was. But when I, when my therapist said, okay, so I got your paperwork. You can come pick it up. Um, I have a prescription for you.

I'm not a fan. I'll tell anyone I'm not a fan of medication. Um, and she said, I have this and I, um, I was going to, I was getting ready to call my school secretary to let her know. And I kid, like I was paralyzed and I had, my [00:32:00] heart was beating fast and I'm like, what the hell is going on? Like, I didn't understand it cause I had never experienced that before and I took, and thankfully it was on a Friday and I'm like, Asking one of my girlfriends, you have experienced that?

Like, what is that? And I'm, of course, you know, I'm web MD and myself, like, what is all it is? I was scared to go to the doctor cause I really didn't want the doctor to tell me. Oh, you know, you got a heart problem or whatever the case may be. And I know we do that too. You know, I don't want, I don't want to take that.

I don't want to accept that. And something came up about anxiety. I was like, anxiety, anxiety, what the hell is that? But sure enough, I had a full fledged anxiety attack and Monday I emailed my school secretary and I was like, I cannot do it. I said, let's use up all my sick days, whatever PTO time I have, and I went out for the rest of the year.

I just, I, I could not do it. [00:33:00] And my principal called me, he was like, you're not coming back. I was like, look, my health is at risk. My children are not getting all of me. I can't, I can't do it. So I have the time and I'm going to use my time. And then he, you know, of course he was mad, Oh, how you going to do that?

It is what it is because at three 50. He was walking out the door with his keys in hand, no children, chick, no child, nothing. And he was walking out the door. Okay. Stick. See you later. And I'm near trying to catch up on the work that I didn't get a chance to catch up because early I'm handling discipline.

I'm

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: you missed a clean.

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: hello.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: Pinesaw.

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: All, all the things,

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: Yeah.

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: and that was, that was my breaking point. That was the point. I was just like, I can't do this anymore and, and, and don't get me wrong and I'm gonna say this and I don't want anyone to be offended, but this is a revelation [00:34:00] that I came to on my own. The, the black males that I had in that was my supervisor or however you, my principal or whatever.

They have, they showed me. I can't trust you. And I honestly, I love my black men, but the positions that I was put in and the way that I had to sacrifice, My health, my Children's livelihood. It wasn't worth it. And I've been I've been tarnished by that. Granted, I have grown a lot since then. I have evolved, but I will never allow myself to be in a position where I will put my health And my mental well being on hold or in jeopardy for anyone,

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: Yeah.

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: And granted, I, you know, I walked away from some money, you know, because we talked about that earlier. I [00:35:00] had a good paycheck, right? A couple of good paychecks, but it was not worth it. And when I say the universe was moving in my favor, When I, when I stopped and I said I wasn't coming back and I was going to use my sick time, I had an opportunity to start my program, Women of the World, and I got a grant from Loyola here in Maryland.

Like, things worked out the way that they were supposed to. And, and honestly, I have not been in a full time position where I've had to clock in and clock out or be, Since 2013,

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: Yeah.

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: it's been rough. Don't get me wrong. They've been, you know, the rollercoaster ride to, to be able to my, I could go to my kids and read to their classes. I could go on field trips. I could see my children grow who are now not 19 and almost 18. I was able to [00:36:00] pause. And, and step away from an environment that was toxic for me and my body.

And I, I can see my children now, you know, that, yeah. And I was able to homeschool too. I homeschooled for two years

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: Yeah. Dr. LaChante, this reminds me so much of, um, We had a woman named Rhonda come on a while back and people had said to her, because I'm just thinking about what your principal said, um, and she, you know, like, what about, what about, you know, your work? What about the community? What about, you know, the school district?

And she said, what about my family?

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: with a bone marrow.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: need to see me. Well, my children need to see me whole. Um, this is gonna this is gonna for some people going to cause them to sit and think very deeply about a lot of things that you've mentioned the intersectionality of, um, black men in education, what it means for [00:37:00] black women and women of color to support each other and to look out for each other advocating for our health people demanding that we advocate for our health when we

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: Yes.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: to find out what's going on with us. There's a lot of pieces in this, and I'm so glad you came on show. Um, therapy, medication, the belief or not belief in it. Like, there's so many pieces I think that people need to be thinking about when they listen to your show. Um, and we have so much more to talk about, too. So, um We're going to go on a quick break

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: Okay.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: we're going to get back.

We're going to go into like you talked about a little bit what you're doing now, but we're going to dig into that second part of the show. So we'll be right back.

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: All right. Okay. Okay.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: All right. So we're back. Um, and if you're somehow catching this in the middle, I need you to go back to the beginning and listen to it with a notebook. I [00:38:00] know a high quote. Don't don't come with a notebook. That's already written here. I need you to get a fresh notebook and a pen and sit down and do some journaling and some thinking because, uh, you bringing all the wisdom today and I really appreciate that. So of course, you already started to shout some folks out, but I'm going to ask the question anyway. Are there black folks in education? That you'd like to shout out.

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: Oh, I do. Oh my goodness. You get me on the spot, right? Um, I will shout out my brother Kamau Patah because he has been a constant. Um, never wavering in his friendship, never wavering in his, you know, support for me, uh, of course I shouted out Ms. Collins. She's retired now, but, um, I love her and she loved all my children.

Uh, and when you have people that love on your children, And they good [00:39:00] to you, you know that, you know, you're, you know, you're divinely blessed, right? Um, Oh, man. Um, Oh, Dr. AJ, don't put me on the spot. There's so many people and please charge it to the head, not to the heart, but it is so, there are so many folks, um, that I have been either, you know, I'll pass.

have crossed or reconnected or they just supported in some kind of way and loved on me, loved on my babies. Um, Oh man, there's so many. So please forgive me. I can't, you know, calling folks out at the, at the time, but, uh, there are plenty, there are plenty.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: Yeah.

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: And I do have to shout out this, I'll shout out the spirit of, um, you know, cause this is, you know, of course, when we, when we're, uh, calling summoning our ancestors, um, Dr.

Kenneth Hale, whose mother's, uh, Clara Hale. I don't know if many of you knew, uh, mother Hale. Uh, he was one of my very [00:40:00] first, um, principal supervisors and he was good friends with my mom. They started a school as well in Harlem. So Dr. Kenneth Hale, of course, my mother, Carrie Lee Peyton. Um, and her spirit just rides with me every, I just, you know, sometimes she just envelopes me.

She's, you know. I can feel her. Um, and Tracy Gaskin, who has been a constant. She was a friend of my mother. She was a teacher, you know, the whole nine. Um, just so many, but the ancestors, I got to give it up to them because they, they, they definitely ride with me. They definitely ride with me.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: Yeah. I love that. Thank you so much for sharing. So the next question is, what are you doing now? been at the game, the K 12 game for a minute.

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: Yeah,

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: What are you up to? What are you doing now?

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: So I will say this, I have, you know, I'm not formally in a classroom or anything like that. I did. I was an adjunct [00:41:00] for. Almost seven years until they didn't see my value and my worth. And I had to peace out and give them, you know, the good luck to you. Um, cause I'm not going to be overlooked by underqualified and under experienced white women again.

Um,

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: will, and universities will adjunct you to death.

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: yes. You can't steal all my, you're not gonna steal all my energy, you're not gonna steal all my power, and then not compensate me or give me the, the position that I rightfully deserve? Nah, that's okay. Um, so I was in that space for a while, but I have volunteered, I think I volunteered so much. Dr Asia.

Um, my youngest is still in high school. He's in his senior year and I have been riding with P. T. A. S. And parent groups and advisory councils and all kinds of things. Um, to this day. So I do offer my services. I was a a reading volunteer for the little ones. [00:42:00] Um, and as far as what I do, you know, as far as education is concerned right now, I am contracted with New York city department of education as a consultant for the education pathways program and, um, their, uh, grow your own model.

So schools that have, um, identified themselves as an education pathway school. I offer trainings to their teachers. Uh, I've had my very first conference, PDK conference in, um, educators rising this past July, so that was interesting. I met, wow, students from all over the country who want to be educators.

And it was, oh, it was so, oh, it was like, my heart was so full to see these young people just, you know, grow. Just in a, they would just energize. They, you know, they knew their mission [00:43:00] and, and I pray that they all, they are able to fulfill their mission. Um, because it is, it's a, you, we noticed this, this field is challenging, honey.

It

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: that's why

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: takes time.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: podcast

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: know, okay, it takes a very strong, um, personality and strong continence actually to be able to do that. You know, you, it's not about just, okay, we have summers off and holidays. Like I was, you know, in the beginning I was joking about that, but it's not, it's more to it than that. You, um, You're all in.

Uh, and I think young people have an energy. A lot of them are focused and they do have that energy that they're ready to take on this responsibility. So besides doing that, um, I am, I had, I started another organization. I'm always starting something,

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: That

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: but

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: good to

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: it's right. Educate the world. Which was really geared towards, um, I started it during COVID and it was really going to be just a virtual thing [00:44:00] and it expanded to include parents and teachers and community stakeholders and scholars to offer resources and just a place where learning about cultural, culturally responsive teaching and learning and, um, You know, how do you what kind of literary literary works do you choose in your class like just whatever.

Um, but then I expanded so I provide provided financial literacy to families heart health because I'll say this my mom, you know, she did have heart issues. And, um, you know, that's an area that's That's very dear to me. So I, uh, I had a, uh, an, um, I had a parent posse check cause that's what I call it.

Parent posse chat, uh, on heart health and you know, just different topics in the community and how to engage the community. Um, I've done a lot. It's like, you know, I'm, it's a pot of gumbo. A lot of people ask, that's really [00:45:00] what it is. My, my career or whatever, whatever I'm on, the path that I'm on is a pot of gumbo.

And, you know, every once in a while, I got to stir it up a little bit and do something different. I'm very proud to be a board member of, um, uh, black, all black owned and operated, uh, organization that is geared towards. Uh, promoting food sovereignty and agricultural awareness and farming and so forth and so on to, you know, to black communities, not most specifically to black communities, particularly those in rural areas in Maryland.

Um, I'm trying to think what else. Yeah, yeah.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: I I love that You know a lot of people come on and they talk about just like the the career parts, which is totally fine And you're saying there's lots to do There's lots to do, there's advisory groups, there's hanging out with your, [00:46:00] with your children. There's also just sitting, standing around, looking outside the window and minding your business.

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: Money, your business.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: And being still, right? Yeah,

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: not still enough. That's the thing and I'm learning that also. It's still a work in progress I'm sure for many and I didn't mean to cut you off, but

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: No, you're fine.

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: we we we have to learn how to sit still sometimes And just be, and just be, and, and again, it's a work in progress for somebody who, one of my, um, a young lady, I know she used to call me busy bee.

And it wasn't, it's like, I don't want to be considered to be busy. It's not busy, you know, but I guess that's what it looked like to other people, but I was engaged and involved in a number of things. Yeah.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: Yeah. I love that. So I'm going to ask you one last question. And I, this morning I was having a conversation with someone's going to be in a podcast, down the line. And this came to me to ask this question. [00:47:00] Normally I ask the question, what's bringing you joy these days, but I'm going to change that. And the question I'm going to start asking from you to be the first one from now on is you, what does it mean to be well?

Yeah.

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: This is the message that I have to give to you. What it means to be well is to be able to. Take walks to sip on your coffee leisurely to, to get information, to, to, to receive information and to be able to deliver it in a manner that's, that's comfortable for you, whether it be in conferences, cause I've done that as well, you know, speaking at conferences, whether it's through a newsletter, whether it's through a webinar.

Whether it's through a coaching or consulting, um, business, whatever, [00:48:00] whatever it is that brings you peace, that's, that's what it is. I, I, I told you, I haven't worked a full time job where I have to go like non vibe kind of thing in 13 years. And sometimes it's rough, some months are rough, I'm not gonna lie.

But to know that I dictate my schedule, I can pencil out time. Oh, my son has a game. Oh, my daughter has a this. Oh, I need to go get my granddaughter from New York. I can, My schedule is flexible. I dictate what, how I'm spending my time, my husband and I, sometimes we'd like to go walk the dog, you know, whatever, talk, whatever, you know, Hey, politics, even though I try real hard not to, but you know, though having those moments.

Because life is very, very short, whether we choose to accept it or not. [00:49:00] I just went to a memorial for a very dear friend of mine who passed away at 52. 52. No children. He was a first responder. And it, it leveled me. And reminded me, life is extremely short. You got to love on those people that love on you.

You got to take care of yourself. If it's a cup of tea, cup of coffee, like I, and I say, and one of my, my talks, say just a Tiva, whatever works for you to bring you peace,

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: Ooh,

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: whatever it is,

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: or sativa and Colorado folks know what that

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: You already know

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: but yeah,

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: that's, that's what it is. We're spiritual beings having a human experience. And this is a beautiful experience if we allow ourselves to fully engage in it.[00:50:00]

And that's what I've learned. That's what makes me smile. That's what, you know, brings me joy. That's wellbeing. That's my wellbeing.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: Well,

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: I don't have it. I'm going to say this. This is the disclaimer. I don't have it together every single day. Some days I have to check myself. And some days we go on overdrive, we do, but like you, Dr. Asia, you have some flexibility. You can work when you need to. You put in and you can pull back if you need to.

But if that's what brings you peace in your household and your husband's like, okay, I can deal with her today. You know what I mean? It, you can't put a price tag on it.

My two cents.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: [00:51:00] I'll take it. That was that, that was giving a strong 20

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: All right.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: Don't, don't, don't sell yourself

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: Don't blame myself short. Right.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: sell yourself short. Uh, Dr. LaShawn, thank you so much for coming on the podcast. has been a fantastic conversation. We appreciate you. Um,

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: you.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_11-05-2024_154753: yeah, folks, uh, you need to be finding Dr. LaShawn on LinkedIn, connecting with her, taking those notes, like I said, thinking about your own journey in education or whatever field you're, you're thinking about.

If you're a person, administrator in education, and you are, Supporting Black educators, think about this. Think about what you need to be doing to remove some of that invisible labor from folks who are already experiencing more than you could ever know. and we're going to leave it like that. And you all, we'll see you next time. Have a great day. [00:52:00] Peace.

dr--lashaune-stitt--she-hers-_1_11-05-2024_174753: you.

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