An Open Letter To Rich Wood

(Rich wood WAS an instructor at De Anza)

Rich! If you actually read this, I'll be surprised, and extremely pleased. let me just first off say-- I'm really pretty sad you're not at De Anza anymore. i bet you're not too happy about it either, but then again, you could be stoked.
You taught me so much. you taught me that it was not only ok, but the best possible way to look at the planet, and its inhabitants as just what they are-- people. you taught me what kind of love there was out there, and how hate is truly a man made creation, and a difficult one at that. your incredible commitment to your craft blew my mind twice a week. 4 or 5 or evern 8 chalk boards covered in notes, mostly coming straight from your head, I'm sure. constant fact, and fact checking, and SOURCES! not that i really ever wanted to argue with you, but if i had tried.... you would have killed me I'm sure.
But not just that. you taught me what education is, and what it can be, and what it (maybe most importantly) SHOULD be.
You taught me what it means to be a teacher. not someone who gets paid to talk to a class, but someone who has wisdom and knowledge, and wants to pass it along.
You should see the notes i took on the first day i was ever in your class. I remember you canceling class 3 years running to go to the war protest, and seeing you there all 3 years. I don't know that march 19th will be the same without seeing your face on market street, but then again... If you're there, you have no idea how happy I'll be to see you there.

Amanda told me you had gone to Canada. I can't say I haven't contemplated it myself. She told me why you took off, and again, I can't say that I've not contemplated it seriously, and i can't say that the decision I made is permanent. I'm honestly vacilating between being very proud of you, and just a little bit disappointed, but having said that, I know it doesn't matter what I think about it. Amanda never said where in Canada you were, I don't know if she knows, but I'd really love to run into you some time. I'd been looking for you on campus, just to stop by and say hi, probably sit in on your classes every once in a while, and I couldn't find you.
Hope you're doing well, and peace, love, and good luck to you and yours. De Anza is a lower quality place without you, and many of us are feeling it.