You got to the heart of why I teach the kids I do. I have no doubts I could have completed my PhD and taught college. Instead, I have spent my entire 35 year career teaching inner city "at-risk" students, students who have been told since their birth that they, and indeed their entire race, is not good enough. Teaching kids that they are good enough, and that they deserve the things they want, is what I do for a living. The rest is just filler.