An Oral History of Mr. Duany
Mr. Duany is the principal in the Heritage School in Spanish Harlem. He has a wife and a son. Before becoming a pricipal, Mr. Duany was a math teacher. He is Puerto Rican and Cuban-American. This
K: What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you?
D: I can speak French fluently. I lived in Paris and would love to live there again.
Mr. Duany is the principal in the Heritage School in Spanish Harlem. He has a wife and a son. Before becoming a pricipal, Mr. Duany was a math teacher. He is Puerto Rican and Cuban-American. This
K: What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you?
D: I can speak French fluently. I lived in Paris and would love to live there again.
K: What is one accomplishment you are most proud of?
D: The accomplishment I'm most proud of is being a father to my son. It's an accomplishment because it takes work to be patient, to help my son. And when you get home and are tired from working a long day, and he is running around, it's sometimes a bit of a challenge to be patient. My biggest accomplishment is when I do that, which isn't every day, but when I do I feel very accomplished.
D: The accomplishment I'm most proud of is being a father to my son. It's an accomplishment because it takes work to be patient, to help my son. And when you get home and are tired from working a long day, and he is running around, it's sometimes a bit of a challenge to be patient. My biggest accomplishment is when I do that, which isn't every day, but when I do I feel very accomplished.
Kenny: What do you think about Obama becoming President of the United States?
Duany: I think it is an exciting and historic moment. The people of the United States saw a person for their inside. People in many places of the country got over their traditional attitudes of African-Americans and were able to hear his message of unity.
K: How important do you think voting is? Why?
D: Voting is very important. I always fight with my family about wanting to vote. I've voted every time I can. It's a privilege, in many countries people don't get the right to vote. Unfortunately in the United States, presidents get elected with half the people voting. It's extremely important for any democracy. You can't complain and then not go to vote, and that is what many people do.
K: As a principal, what do "American Values" mean to you?
D:I think values that are important in the United States, and many other countries, are individual freedom, like freedom of speech. The value of initiative and capitalism, that you can start a business and make money quickly, in some countries that is valued in the same way that it is here in the United States. Democracy and voting for a representative are not as important in other countries, like Cuba, as they are here. Choice is another important American Value. In other countries, for example, you may be limited in your choice of careers. But here, you have many choices.
As a principal working in East Harlem, it’s important that I help students understand that these American Values apply to them. [These values] are not just for people with money, and not just for people outside of East Harlem. The value of choices is very important for our students. Young people in this country should see that you have many choices here that you may not have in other countries.
Duany: I think it is an exciting and historic moment. The people of the United States saw a person for their inside. People in many places of the country got over their traditional attitudes of African-Americans and were able to hear his message of unity.
K: How important do you think voting is? Why?
D: Voting is very important. I always fight with my family about wanting to vote. I've voted every time I can. It's a privilege, in many countries people don't get the right to vote. Unfortunately in the United States, presidents get elected with half the people voting. It's extremely important for any democracy. You can't complain and then not go to vote, and that is what many people do.
K: As a principal, what do "American Values" mean to you?
D:I think values that are important in the United States, and many other countries, are individual freedom, like freedom of speech. The value of initiative and capitalism, that you can start a business and make money quickly, in some countries that is valued in the same way that it is here in the United States. Democracy and voting for a representative are not as important in other countries, like Cuba, as they are here. Choice is another important American Value. In other countries, for example, you may be limited in your choice of careers. But here, you have many choices.
As a principal working in East Harlem, it’s important that I help students understand that these American Values apply to them. [These values] are not just for people with money, and not just for people outside of East Harlem. The value of choices is very important for our students. Young people in this country should see that you have many choices here that you may not have in other countries.
K: How important are American Values in raising your son?
D: The value of choices is very important, to know that he can make choices. He already knows about the voting process. I’ve taken him with me to see how you vote. With initiative and capitalism, I’m not so concerned about teaching him how to make money, but I do teach him how to save.
K:Who is a person who you think shows good American Values and why?
D: I’m thinking of Caroline Kennedy, the daughter if President John F. Kennedy. She is all about choices. She respects people who speak out and may not agree with her. She sometimes goes against what is not expected and does something unprecedented. For example, she thought about becoming a senator but decided not to and now she is working with schools. I respect her for that.
K: Why did you decide a principal and teacher?
D: I decided first to become a teacher because I like young people. I felt that I could help young people understand math. When I was a young person I would tutor my friends. From helping them, I decided I wanted to this for all of my life. I did other things in the middle because my family thought teachers were too poorly paid. I did other things, then decided that my heart was in teaching. I did that for 14 years. Then I decided to try to become a principal, because I wanted to not just help students but also teachers. I wanted to build a community around the values we talked about before. I thought that I had leadership; I was good as listening and bringing people together. So I became a principal. It’s very hard, and sometimes I don’t do it well, but I’m trying
K: What do you like most about being a principal?
D: This, I enjoy being able to talk to students, parents, and teacher. I like that every day is different and a challenge. Even as a teacher, although it’s a very excited job every day things change. I felt that I was doing the same math lesson year after year. I wanted to do something different, so I like the challenge and the change.
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