“James Baldwin always said, ‘If you’re not angry, you’re not paying attention,’ so I want my kids to understand that you’ve got to get pissed off because there are a lot of folks who aren’t treated fairly,” African American and Latino Scholars Program  Director Christopher Vick said.

Vick adopted Baldwin’s philosophy into his own teaching, teaching angrily because of inadequacies within the schools and the raw deal that kids of color often receive.

“If a kid has the absolute right answer, I am going to challenge him, I’m going to push them until they can fight me off because that is how the world is going to be. You have to prove to folks why you’re right, so I teach angry; at the same time, it’s caring, compassionate, humane aggression, and I always endeavor to help my kids to be confident,” Vick said. “It can be a little off-putting at first, I imagine, but I think that is why my kids know me and hopefully know that I am very much there for them and know that I am going to push them and challenge them.”

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What kind of impact has Dr. Vick had on you?

Gigi Gray, senior

“He knew that I can do better than what I was doing before.”

“He’s like more than a teacher, kind of.”

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Out of class, Vick is very easygoing and relaxed, striking the perfect balance between strict and friendly with his students, according to senior Alejandro Brown.

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Miles Morris, senior

“He is an incredibly smart African-American man, so as a role model to, I think, everyone in the Scholars program, he’s pretty incredible.”

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“Dr. Vick is also very honest and straightforward, and students thus don’t feel that they need to behave as a certain false or watered-down version of themselves when speaking to him,” junior Sophia Vos said.

Vick said he tries to be the teacher he wanted to have in high school.

“One of the things that’s best is for kids to see that I am just as human as they are and that I am still learning. So I say, just because I say something does not mean it’s gospel,” Vick said.

Vick’s door is always open, and he greets students that he has not taught with a friendly smile when walking down the hallway.

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Calvin Thompson, senior

“When I need help, it’s Dr. Vick. When I need someone to talk to about a certain thing, it’s Dr. Vick.”

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He devoted three days a week beginning mid-October to coach the senior girls’ Powderpuff team.

“I’ve always believed that kids are always going to have a hard time learning from someone they don’t like, don’t respect and don’t trust,” Vick said. “So I think even more important than the finite things hopefully that kids are getting from me is that hopefully they know I’m an advocate. I’m on their team, and I will go to the bat for them.”

According to senior Tahira Saalik, Vick helped her throughout her high school academic career as well as acted as a support system through the college process.

Vick watches out for his students and cares greatly for their success, Vos said.

“And if I do my professional job well,” Vick said, “I am able to inspire, empower and motivate a lot of the kids I have here to come back and teach.”

Sarah Olafsson can be contacted at [email protected]. Alex Johnson contributed audio reporting to this article.