| disappointed
I teach middle school in what is considered an inner city. 44% minority. 10% speak little or no english. I must be decent, because I've had offers from the suburbs, but my response has always been "They don't need me out there."
Last week we took our 8th graders to the high school they will attend. The kids got to meet their future teachers and were introduced to some of the clubs and groups they will have the chance to participate in. Great opportunity.
At the end, just before we got back on the buses, one of my students was jumped by several kids from another school.
I corralled my kid and stayed with him.
When we went to make a statement, my kid had a knife on him. He said he took it from another student to keep her from getting in trouble. She had it for the previous two days and said she got it from another kid who had it for two days before that. So for four days, a knife was in our school.
All three kids have been suspended for 5 days, but I think the two kids who brought the knife and had it at school should be expelled. Our school administration thinks that those two should be allowed back in school sooner and want to suspend the fighter.
The fighter told me he didn't take the knife for the fight and I believe him. My wife, my teacher friends and the admin says I'm being naive and that he knew just what he was doing.
I love what I do and where I do it, but I'm really considering the offer from the suburbs. |