The Winds

Wind whipped through Toulouse all day and all night yesterday.  I walked around town anyway because, as a true wind stan, I'm happy to let wind push me about any day of the week. 

 

But here's the sad part. While I walked I listened to the latest episode of This American Life, School's Out Forever, which focuses on how the pandemic messed up the schooling of 2 students. I sympathize with these girls and their families.  I cringed and tsked and shook my head as I stared out over the River Garonne, listening to their sad stories about their significant school disappointments as the wind almost made me lose my favorite scarf, which I bought in Kabul. 

 

Since age 6, I've attended school in one form or another. (I skipped kindergarten because I think my parents forgot to enroll me). That's 55 years of schooling and I can't help it. I love the place.  I can't wait to get back to school in August.  I know school can do better and be better, but many people of all ages are school positive and we need to get these people out there ringing the school bells of freedom. (What?)

 

Because we're in France this year, I have not had to endure the third year of pandemic disruptions with my students, so I know I have a skewed view of the whole shebang.  And yet, I want to believe that school is where good people hang out to read and write stuff, discuss big ideas, make collages about social justice issues, solve math problems, sing songs, learn our country's history and sometimes do a science experiment or two (honestly I could do better with the science education truth be told and I promise I will). 

 

I'm willing to make changes, but let's not throw the baby out with the bathwater.  There are great things happening in our public schools.  My school just tweeted out examples of how the Jaguars are learning about Ukraine and how they've taken actions for peace.  That's what I'm talking about.  

 

So, in conclusion, How 'bout we Give Schools a Chance, This American Life?