Quamiir Trice was a 15-year-old high school sophomore with a report card full of F’s when his time as a Philadelphia School District student abruptly ended: Arrested for selling crack, he was banished to the city’s juvenile justice center.
Last week, his career as a School District teacher began. Trice completed his new-educator orientation Friday. In a few weeks, he steps before a class full of fourth graders at Bethune Elementary in North Philadelphia.
Quamiir Trice (Twitter Photo)
“I’m not running away from my past,” said Trice, 23, whose astonishing rise came complete with mentors, personal pep talks from President Barack Obama, and multiple college degrees. “I’m using it as a teaching tool.”
Superintendent William R. Hite Jr. recruited Trice as part of a push to attract more teachers of color — specifically, black male teachers. For the school system, he is an astonishing catch, as he was recruited aggressively by districts around the country. More….