Wednesday, September 03, 2003
Plurality
So I was running a couple weeks ago . . . ten miles. Not a workout, but a good, solid, little-faster-than-normal ten miles. Hot day, sun beating, park benches filling up all around me, and power in my legs. It's probably every few weeks or so I'll think to myself, "NOW I'm in shape." I know damn well I've been in shape for a while, but there are still those times when it feels like another door is opening in front of me. That run a few weeks ago -- that was one of those times . . . .
. . . . until, that is, I was passed. A high schooler zipped by me, shirt off, bandanna waving. I thought he was gunning for me, the way he moved, and the timing of his, "How's it goin?" Yes, folks, humility's still cheap.
And then there's this education class I'm in . . . one of these things that's been keeping me from here. And we talk for . . . well, it wasn't two hours as much as it was TWO HOURS . . . about plurality and values and diversity and equality and loving every child we ever come across in the classroom. OK that last bit was a bit of an exageration, but TWO HOURS! Then they spent all of 20 minutes telling us about our schools we'll soon be visiting, the teachers we should contact, how to contact them, when to contact them, what our responsibilities over the next two months are or else we're FUCKED. Nice, liberal education: Give me two hours of touchy-feely bullshit and then rush through the important information I might need to get my job done.
"Ohhhhhh, it's the first week of school, and he's juuuuust gettin' started."
. . . . until, that is, I was passed. A high schooler zipped by me, shirt off, bandanna waving. I thought he was gunning for me, the way he moved, and the timing of his, "How's it goin?" Yes, folks, humility's still cheap.
And then there's this education class I'm in . . . one of these things that's been keeping me from here. And we talk for . . . well, it wasn't two hours as much as it was TWO HOURS . . . about plurality and values and diversity and equality and loving every child we ever come across in the classroom. OK that last bit was a bit of an exageration, but TWO HOURS! Then they spent all of 20 minutes telling us about our schools we'll soon be visiting, the teachers we should contact, how to contact them, when to contact them, what our responsibilities over the next two months are or else we're FUCKED. Nice, liberal education: Give me two hours of touchy-feely bullshit and then rush through the important information I might need to get my job done.
"Ohhhhhh, it's the first week of school, and he's juuuuust gettin' started."
