Write a memoir post about a memorable school trip.
Two by two the 'like' children walked towards the school bus and I thought to myself with a bit of sick humor 'kinda like the Ark', but oh how this is such a different story. And as I took my seat with my grandson and his buddy I couldn't help but reflect on how I had came to be on that bus.
"Oh you'll love this teacher, she looks like the old women in the shoe," my daughter said describing my grandsons teacher.
All sorts of images popped in my mind, my daughter was recruiting me for a school trip to the pumpkin farm with a my middle grandson . She and my son in law were working so I gladly stepped up to the task; I just love hay rides; certainly not as much as love being with the grandchildren however.
I showed up at Emmanuel's classroom at the appointed time and the classroom was abuzz with excitement. All the children milling around full of energy ready to get on the road. I introduced myself to the teacher and found out all the other chaperons were moms and dads I was the only grandma in the bunch, but hey that was fine by me!
The teacher proceeded to break the kids into groups; two children with each adult, their own child and one other child. She paired the white kids with white kids, Hispanic children with Hispanic children, and children of color with children of color. The only exception was ours the group that gave her no choice; you see my grandson is bi-racial my daughters husband is African American and we're white and she assigned me an African American child.
I was troubled by the racial pairing. It wasn't my child it wasn't my place to ask but why didn't she mix the races? If I were a parent I would have asked. I was troubled, if he were mine.
I was troubled by the racial pairing. It wasn't my child it wasn't my place to ask but why didn't she mix the races? If I were a parent I would have asked. I was troubled, if he were mine.
When we arrived at the farm we went about our day enjoying the festivities and it was clear that the children had their own ideas about who they were going to pair up with. Kids are amazing even at the youngest ages, they know who their friends are and who they want to play with. Friendship has no color it surly is blind. It was good to see that there was a patchwork of girls and boys of different ethnic origins rearranging the teachers pairings with the chaperons changing places with one another so that they could be with their friends.
Teacher learn your lesson, these children can teach you a thing or two about race and friendship.... were you paying attention?
Teacher learn your lesson, these children can teach you a thing or two about race and friendship.... were you paying attention?
I adore the social commentary here and I so, so want to ask the teacher what her thoughts were, what her plan was.
ReplyDeleteThis line? "a patchwork of girls and boys" is perfection.
I was thinking the same thing too! I remember thinking to myself Galit; what is she thinking?
ReplyDeleteI so loved to see the children; their joyfulness as they broke free of what her idea was ( whatever it was) and just played with their friends.
This is a creative take on this prompt. I agree this was a odd way to pair the children. Good thing the children were more open.
ReplyDeletelogyexpress,
ReplyDeleteOdd for sure, what she did was based on race yet I would never say she was racist.
She was rather sweet like my daughter said.I still sometimes wonder what her thought process was. Maybe it was just as you say just a lack a openness as the children were or what my son in law thinks happens with some older folks; a resistance to change.