It’s All About Perspective
Today, we had a kid at my school who is going to be suspended and most likely expelled. He’s a smart kid with a terrible temper. And was on the bus, got sucked into a little vandalism and since he was on his last chance anyway, he’s gone. It’s a shame really. Overall I like the kid – he just has no ability to see past his moments of madness. He’s always very sorry when he’s finished – or at least walks the I’m sorry walk and spews the I’m really sorry talk – but still.
But today, Elijah and Isaiah were with me at school the last few minutes when the whole set of events hit the fan. And he wanted to know what happened. I told him that some kid was being very ugly. This kid broke the bus and wouldn’t be able to ride the bus anymore. And this same kid would probably not be allowed to come back to school. Elijah’s eyes got very round! His mouth turned into an “O.” That bad kid won’t be able to ride the bus anymore? And he’s going to get kicked out of school too! He won’t be able to go back to school anymore?
And I felt a sigh of relief course through my body. There is little that Elijah can consider worse than not being able to on the bus and go to school. How wonderful is that? And I realize that there are many kids his age who consider school to be an amazing thing – a wonderous thing – a place better than being at home with a television. And how lucky I am to have one at my home. And what an awesome responsibility it is to make sure that he maintains that same sense of value for his school.
One of my students told me that I had to make sure that Elijah didn’t ever have to go to Eleventh Street. And I responded that I was going to do whatever was in my power to make sure that didn’t happen. And because of my experiences with them, and the stories that they told me of their evening and weekend adventures, Elijah’s teenage years were sure to be dull and dreary things. And that may indeed be the case – but I’d rather they be dull – if by dull you mean not drug-induced, careening under the influence down some country road, having unprotected sex with the local loose girl. There’s not a thing in the world wrong with that as far as I can tell.
