1. OctOber 11, 2013 19
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Cover story
Tiffony Jacobs will come to Rothesay this month to share the story of how she and other
troubled students in California were inspired by a teacher to rise above drug abuse and violence
k
Photo: Kâté Braydon/telegraPh-Journal
Students at Rothesay High School get a copy The Freedom Writers Diary just after the book was announced as the choice for this month’s Big Rothesay Read.
is-me kind of person.”
All 149 Freedom Writers from
Ms. G’s classes went on to gradu-
ate, avoiding pitfalls such as teen-
age pregnancy, drugs and violence.
Many, like Jacobs, completed de-
grees at U.S. colleges. Some joined
the military. But they all became
published authors and catalysts for
change, many of them touring the
United States as part of the founda-
tion’s activities to talk to students
and teachers.
Recently, many of them got
together for a family fun day, bring-
ing with them their spouses and
children.
“It was such a blessing to see every-
one grown up,”Jacobs said,“and all
of their kids, who 15 years ago, their
parents didn’t even like each other.
Now their kids just come together
and play together. It’s a beautiful
thing.”
*****
Jacobs is excited about visiting
Rothesay at the end of the month.
Although she’s travelled across
the United States speaking to high
schools about the Freedom Writers
and the foundation, this will be her
first trip to Canada.
“I’m so excited. I can’t wait. I hear
it’s beautiful up there, especially
this time of season.”
She is especially thrilled to speak
to the students at Rothesay High
School because it’s the first time the
book, translated now in 15 different
languages, has been distributed to
an entire school population at the
same time.
When it was first released in 1999,
the book was banned by some U.S.
schools for its language and hon-
est writing about difficult subjects.
Teachers were even fired over intro-
ducing the book to their students.
“It definitely sparked a lot of con-
troversy,” Jacobs said, “but I think
after so many years … there has
been a change for the better. A lot
are seeing that kids aren’t too young
to understand the stories that are in
SuBmitted Photo
Tiffony Jacobs, right, with another Freedom Writer.