The Flag

my first monday morning at my current school, a student giving the announcements began to lead the Pledge of Allegiance.  this was unexpected to me and as it began i panicked for a moment, looking around the room for students who cannot stand for the Pledge due to religious or other issues.  i needn't have worried.  since i started in February, and i'm teaching high school instead of middle school, students who are uncomfortable with the Pledge already know their rights.  the entire class stood.

today as i was walking into church, two 12-year-old boys were raising the flag.  a grandpa was walking ahead of me.  when he saw the boys and their process, he set down his briefcase and put his hand over his heart until it was complete.

perfect example of reverence.

The Beauty Pageant

wasn't really a beauty pageant. but i failed to inform my friend Trishelle of this when i invited her to go with me to see one of my students compete in the Mr. Utah pageant. so when we saw the contestants through an outside window, and they were wearing just about nothin', she was delicately surprised.

whoops. i was likewise surprised when i saw, through described window, my student Eedee wearing only a little black somethin'. i think i am not supposed to see students like that, so it was a bit embarrassing. i slid back quickly instead of waving.

Eedee is the third from the right. anyone think the guy on the far right is worth a chuckle?

here is Eedee, later, clothed.

everyone was surprised to see each other on all levels.

the note

the other day, lucy came to class dead.  she was representing a life taken by gang violence, so was going throughout the day wearing all black with her face painted white.  she could not speak to anyone, including teachers.  

she also came in with a new hair-do.  her waist-length black hair was bleached up to about 8-inches of the ends.  imagine a paint brush dipped in orange paint.  yeah, it's bad.  

i was happily ignoring her.  eventually she passed me a note.  

"does my bottom hair look funny?"

"it looks artistic.  what did you do to it?"

"i just mix some stuff and then i bleach it and then i foil it for 25 minutes."

oh, that's how you do it!