I Read Banned Books

Approximately 314,403 students attended schools in Las Vegas as the district began its 2007-08 school year in the pouring rain today. It rained consistently from about 2:00 AM until 10:00 AM and flooding ensued. I have had the Roseanne Roseannadanna ‘do to prove it all day. It was a relatively calm day for me compared to last year’s first day of school antics. I dealt with three difficult female students over the appropriateness of purple hair, a nose piercing, and a lower lip piercing. There were no fights between students, but two teachers nearly came to blows over a desktop fan I was auctioning to the highest bidder. We had no air in most of the building all day, and it was hot and humid enough to generate “boob sweat.” Only four students missed the afternoon bus, and the four blind children made it home safely this year. The funniest thing I heard all day was a female SLD (Serious Learning Disability) student tell her teacher: “You sure are funny-looking and have a lot of nose hair.” To which he responded, “You sure do make accurate observations.” One first-year teacher drove in from Michigan only two days ago; he was looking pretty haggard by the end of the day, stating that he was moving into an apartment after work the next two days. As she left the building, another first-year teacher proclaimed: “I love this place!” I am not sure if it was the scent of the white board markers or the power of the joy of not seeing some of the most difficult students return for the first day, but I left feeling invincible today. I guess it was comforting to know that 31 years ago I went to my very first day of school and survived that life-changing experience. I knew from the very moment that I met Mrs. Mary Joubert, my kindergarten teacher, on her very first day as a teacher that I wanted to be an educator. I am sure that she would be proud to know that I think of her every year when I go back to school. I guess all you really need to know about life you do learn in kindergarten. Robert Fulghum encouraged us to “live a balanced life.” Part of my own balance this school year is to write everyday. That means my regular readers need to “play fair” as I “share everything” about being stuck in the middle. As I enter the school each day, I watch out for at-risk teens. We might have to continue to “hold hands and stick together.”