--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One thing I wish I'd been told in school…" description: "\"One thing I wish I'd been told in school is that my language is valid.\" — Jason Reynolds" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f73/jason-reynolds-7298_been_one-thing-i-wish-i-d-been-told-in-school_2363865.jpg" --- # One thing I wish I'd been told in school is that my… ![“One thing I wish I'd been told in school is that my language is valid.” quote by Jason Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f73/jason-reynolds-7298_been_one-thing-i-wish-i-d-been-told-in-school_2363865.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f73/jason-reynolds-7298_been_one-thing-i-wish-i-d-been-told-in-school_2363865.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f73/jason-reynolds-7298_been_one-thing-i-wish-i-d-been-told-in-school_2363865.jpg) > “One thing I wish I'd been told in school is that my language is valid.” [Jason Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reynolds/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Education should affirm students' linguistic identities, recognizing all dialects as legitimate. **In simple terms:** School should validate every language. Key Takeaway Support diverse language expression in learning. Themes education language inclusion Mood inspirational thoughtful Type policy educational When to use this quote - classroom curriculum design - teacher training - student empowerment Key Concepts sociolinguistics identity formation Questions to Reflect On - How can schools celebrate linguistic diversity? - What impact does language validation have on confidence? A Different Perspective Standardized curricula often marginalize non‑standard dialects. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Been](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/been/) [I wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-wish/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Language Valid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language-valid-5798141/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [School Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school-language-5798142/) [Spanish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spanish/) [Told School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/told-school-601808/) [Valid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/valid/) [Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish/) ## Related quotes > [I was writing from the age of 10, and I was never really into going to discos and dances and stuff. I never told…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-bush/i-was-writing-from-the-age-of-10-and-i-was-never-really-into-going-to/) [Kate Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-bush/) > [“As a Facebook summer intern once told me, “In my school’s computer science department, there are more Daves than girls.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/as-a-facebook-summer-intern-once-told-me-in-my-school-s-computer/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [“Got it. You're fourteen. I'm proud you can count that high. It's a testament to the modern American education system. But I should probable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon-invincible/got-it-you-re-fourteen-i-m-proud-you-can-count-that-high-it-s-a/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon Invincible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon-invincible/) > [I've told myself when we go back to school I'm going to be happy all the time and not to care what anyone thinks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-ve-told-myself-when-we-go-back-to-school-i-m-going-to-be-happy-all/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I was always being told off at school. The teachers would say: 'Everyone's talking, but you're the one I can hear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-ditto/i-was-always-being-told-off-at-school-the-teachers-would-say-everyone/) [Beth Ditto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-ditto/) > [I never liked being told what to do, so even in school plays, I never liked being an actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjay-leela-bhansali/i-never-liked-being-told-what-to-do-so-even-in-school-plays-i-never/) [Sanjay Leela Bhansali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjay-leela-bhansali/) > [I was always told at school that you had to have a back-up plan, but all I ever wanted to do was act. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-was-always-told-at-school-that-you-had-to-have-a-back-up-plan-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I told her about school and how I sat on a wall there and felt stories and words move through me ...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/i-told-her-about-school-and-how-i-sat-on-a-wall-there-and-felt/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [When my daughter, Clare, was 4, she told me that a school friend had told her what I did for a living. Clare asked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bergman/when-my-daughter-clare-was-4-she-told-me-that-a-school-friend-had/) [Peter Bergman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bergman/) > [“Because it is psychological. I see the boys in the park, the young boys, smoking and playing basketball when they should be in school.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-yung-shin/because-it-is-psychological-i-see-the-boys-in-the-park-the-young-boys/) [Sun Yung Shin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-yung-shin/) > [I think anyone who has been bullied finds it life-affirming if you live to tell the tale. I just wish someone told me at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zawe-ashton/i-think-anyone-who-has-been-bullied-finds-it-life-affirming-if-you/) [Zawe Ashton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zawe-ashton/) > [Nobody wanted me. Scouts told me to go to school, to forget baseball. Coaches said, 'You're never going to make it.' I appreciated their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-piazza/nobody-wanted-me-scouts-told-me-to-go-to-school-to-forget-baseball/) [Mike Piazza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-piazza/) > [Very valid, pithy, succcint, and on point. WD.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gatsy/very-valid-pithy-succcint-and-on-point-wd/) [Gatsy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gatsy/) > [Many young people now end a discussion with the supposedly definitive and unanswerable statement that such is their opinion, and their opinion is just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-dalrymple/many-young-people-now-end-a-discussion-with-the-supposedly-definitive/) [Theodore Dalrymple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-dalrymple/) > [I felt uneasy, but sometimes, like I said before, I believed in Col. North and there was a very solid and very valid reason…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fawn-hall/i-felt-uneasy-but-sometimes-like-i-said-before-i-believed-in-col/) [Fawn Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fawn-hall/) ## More by Jason Reynolds > [“AND YOU KNOW it's weird to know a person you don't know and at the same time not know a person you know, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reynolds/and-you-know-it-s-weird-to-know-a-person-you-don-t-know-and-at-the/) [Jason Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reynolds/) > [“And I'll never go asleep again believing that touching them or anything of his will lead to an arm around my neck. But it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reynolds/and-i-ll-never-go-asleep-again-believing-that-touching-them-or/) [Jason Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reynolds/) > [I love, loved, loved 'We Real Cool' by Gwendolyn Brooks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reynolds/i-love-loved-loved-we-real-cool-by-gwendolyn-brooks/) [Jason Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reynolds/) > [Be not afraid of discomfort. If you can't put yourself in a situation where you are uncomfortable, then you will never grow. You will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reynolds/be-not-afraid-of-discomfort-if-you-can-t-put-yourself-in-a-situation/) [Jason Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reynolds/) > [The truth of the matter is that chess is not the game of life because life does not ever happen the way you strategize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reynolds/the-truth-of-the-matter-is-that-chess-is-not-the-game-of-life-because/) [Jason Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reynolds/) > [The idea of the mask in any scenario has always fascinated me. Not only does it protect identity, it also allows one to hide.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reynolds/the-idea-of-the-mask-in-any-scenario-has-always-fascinated-me-not/) [Jason Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reynolds/) > [“AND EVEN THOUGH his face was wet with tears he wasn't supposed to cry when he was alive, I couldn't see him as anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reynolds/and-even-though-his-face-was-wet-with-tears-he-wasn-t-supposed-to-cry/) [Jason Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reynolds/) > [Rappers are the white authors of our generation. They know me, my language, my codes, my family, my block.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reynolds/rappers-are-the-white-authors-of-our-generation-they-know-me-my/) [Jason Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reynolds/) > [“I SWEAR SOMETIMES it feels like God be flashing photos of his children, awkward, amazing, tucked in his wallet for the world to see.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reynolds/i-swear-sometimes-it-feels-like-god-be-flashing-photos-of-his/) [Jason Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reynolds/) > [My relationship to comics isn't nearly as strong as some people's. Ha! I mean, I grew up with a comic book fanatic. My older…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reynolds/my-relationship-to-comics-isn-t-nearly-as-strong-as-some-people-s-ha/) [Jason Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reynolds/) > [“Shawn turned back toward me, eyes dull from death but shining from tears, finally spoke to me. Just two words, like a joke he'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reynolds/shawn-turned-back-toward-me-eyes-dull-from-death-but-shining-from/) [Jason Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reynolds/) > [I just want young people to read my books and feel cared for, feel safe, feel like there's someone else in the world who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reynolds/i-just-want-young-people-to-read-my-books-and-feel-cared-for-feel/) [Jason Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reynolds/) > [I would go to the store, I would buy cassette tapes, and I would read the liner notes and sort of subconsciously creating the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reynolds/i-would-go-to-the-store-i-would-buy-cassette-tapes-and-i-would-read/) [Jason Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reynolds/) > [Hip-hop saved me. It gave me permission to use language in a certain way. It validated my community and my friends. It gave our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reynolds/hip-hop-saved-me-it-gave-me-permission-to-use-language-in-a-certain/) [Jason Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reynolds/) > [I have a hard time with people who say they write for children but they don't really like children. I love children. I love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reynolds/i-have-a-hard-time-with-people-who-say-they-write-for-children-but/) [Jason Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reynolds/) [Explore all 92 Jason Reynolds quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reynolds/) ## More Been quotes > [When I was trying to come up with a stage name, I thought 'Lord' was super rad, but really masculine - ever since I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorde/when-i-was-trying-to-come-up-with-a-stage-name-i-thought-lord-was/) [Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorde/) > [I once told someone I could act. They totally bought it. I've been getting away with it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-once-told-someone-i-could-act-they-totally-bought-it-i-ve-been/) [Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/) > [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/) [Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/) > [Here's the reality. The image of a white Jesus has been used to justify enslavement, conquest, colonialism, the genocide of indigenous peoples. There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wise/here-s-the-reality-the-image-of-a-white-jesus-has-been-used-to/) [Tim Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wise/) > [I would have done well as a gypsy child, I think. A circus baby. I coulda played a great street urchin or ragamuffin. Or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-lyonne/i-would-have-done-well-as-a-gypsy-child-i-think-a-circus-baby-i/) [Natasha Lyonne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-lyonne/) > [A lot of people have been saying 'The 100' reminds them of 'Lord Of The Flies,' 'Lost' and 'Battlestar Galactica,' and all of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-avgeropoulos/a-lot-of-people-have-been-saying-the-100-reminds-them-of-lord-of-the/) [Marie Avgeropoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-avgeropoulos/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) > [Well, I've been politically involved for a really long time. Growing up in the segregated South, it was a very painful experience for me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cybill-shepherd/well-i-ve-been-politically-involved-for-a-really-long-time-growing-up/) [Cybill Shepherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cybill-shepherd/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [I have always been a big meta guy because I think the way journalism is practiced in Washington, and the way everyone sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/i-have-always-been-a-big-meta-guy-because-i-think-the-way-journalism/) [Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/) > [Windmills and solar cells are carbon-free sources of electricity. But they are costly. If you've been investing in those, give it up. That game…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-fisher/windmills-and-solar-cells-are-carbon-free-sources-of-electricity-but/) [Kenneth Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-fisher/) > [Once I committed to acting, this has been it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-hudson/once-i-committed-to-acting-this-has-been-it/) [Ernie Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-hudson/) > [I have never been in, nor have I had any strong particular desire to be in, what is termed a costume drama, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/i-have-never-been-in-nor-have-i-had-any-strong-particular-desire-to/) [Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/) > [There has always been a feeling with people that they love my singing but not always the choice of material.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-moyet/there-has-always-been-a-feeling-with-people-that-they-love-my-singing/) [Alison Moyet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-moyet/) > [I've always been a believer in research. It's great to have an instinctual human reaction to a character, too, of course, but it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiwetel-ejiofor/i-ve-always-been-a-believer-in-research-it-s-great-to-have-an/) [Chiwetel Ejiofor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiwetel-ejiofor/) [Browse all 13,699 Been quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/been/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "One thing I wish I'd been told in school is that my language is valid.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jason Reynolds" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reynolds/one-thing-i-wish-i-d-been-told-in-school-is-that-my-language-is-valid/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Been" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reynolds/one-thing-i-wish-i-d-been-told-in-school-is-that-my-language-is-valid/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f73/jason-reynolds-7298_been_one-thing-i-wish-i-d-been-told-in-school_2363865.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f73/jason-reynolds-7298_been_one-thing-i-wish-i-d-been-told-in-school_2363865.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f73/jason-reynolds-7298_been_one-thing-i-wish-i-d-been-told-in-school_2363865.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“One thing I wish I'd been told in school is that my language is valid.” — Jason Reynolds", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Jason Reynolds", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reynolds/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "One thing I wish I'd been...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reynolds/one-thing-i-wish-i-d-been-told-in-school-is-that-my-language-is-valid/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reynolds/one-thing-i-wish-i-d-been-told-in-school-is-that-my-language-is-valid/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```