In 2014, the Abu Dhabi Education Council in the United Arab Emirates called Bailey with an offer to help support them in their education reform efforts. On Thanksgiving Day 2014, Bailey left Western Pennsylvania to embark on a new beginning and resurrection of his life. Prior to his move to Abu Dhabi, Bailey refused to compromise his integrity and become part of a failing system that subjugates and pipelines his demographic into the legal system and prisons. Due to his experience in diverse educational settings around Pittsburgh, many viewed Bailey as a tenured and successful administrator. However, Bailey was not fulfilled and felt like his work or presence was not valued in Pittsburgh.
“I am a living sample or case study of the challenging demographic who the public school system is pretending like they care about,” Bailey said. “If I am not valued or respected for my passion and for who I am, then I am certain my students are going to be further harmed in these schools. I have witnessed a lot of harm to students in (public) schools, and I was shunned each time for exposing it. I could no longer remain in those leadership positions and watch it any longer. I am not a poverty pimp.”
Now, in his third school year living and working in Abu Dhabi, Bailey seeks to expose as many people as he can to various global perspectives and ideas about world cultures. Since his arrival, he has visited Thailand, Morocco, Sri Lanka and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where his wife is from. He was recently married on Sept. 8, 2016 to Elfaz Melesse and had a double ceremony on March 18 in Dubai.
Bailey has a lot to share and would like for the people of Pittsburgh to hear more about the Middle East. He is intrigued about how the world views the Western culture of world dominance, Americans and particularly, Black Americans. He claims that there are many other areas of human activity around the globe which he has explored since leaving Pittsburgh.
“It is simply fascinating!” Bailey said.
Despite having to leave home, Bailey is now fulfilled as a global educator in an area of the world which, Bailey said, values him.
Like us at https://www.facebook.com/pages/New-Pittsburgh-Courier/143866755628836?ref=hl
Follow @NewPghCourier on Twitter https://twitter.com/NewPghCourier
About Post Author
