Today I visited my wife's 5th grade classroom. Since it was Cinco de Mayo I brought everything necessary to make pico de gillo, guacamole, and fried corn and flour tortilla chips. I spent about 2 hours and $40 preparing this snack for 18 "high risk" children. I tried to inform, entertain, and just make them all feel special. I wondered if I got through to any of them. I hoped that just one of the minority children would notice that I was treating them as an equal. Maybe one of the girls would notice how I treat my wife and decide that they are going to insist on be respected rather than doing anything boys expect in return for attention.
Near the end of my time with the class, while my hands were dripping with lime juice, a young girl came and put a folded piece of paper into my shirt pocket. I didn't realize it at the time, but that letter would be one of those things I'll always cherish.
Dear Sir:
ReplyDeleteI just read your website and I was much impressed. What startled me the most was your impression of your wife's fifth grade class. Perhaps it was your wording to emphasize that the children were minorities and high risk, that caused my blood to boil within my veins. This was not a very "nice" way to define these children and use yourself as an example of such a "great" person; since you so easily "judged" them. It is individuals as yourself that are so "eager" to think that these children are not in "quality" home environments ... I hope that the letter that the child gave you has changed your vision of what "minority high risk students" are really like ... they have hearts too!
well it certainly seems to me like A. T. Hill just might have been a judging Mr. B. Maybe just read the entry next time and don't add your own inferences about another's thoughts to it. Blood boiling in veins is maybe symptomatic of large chip on shoulder? maybe blood in arteries is ice cold? hmmm
ReplyDelete, thanks for judging."
ReplyDeletePlease give me a break!