tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5738534444392348639.post7618632862833196122..comments2024-03-27T05:22:54.254-04:00Comments on Two Reflective Teachers: Day 9: #SOL16- On Basketball Games, SAT Chants, and Social JusticeMelanie Meehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15771712134098949362noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5738534444392348639.post-48075972247422970052016-03-10T18:03:07.672-05:002016-03-10T18:03:07.672-05:00I'm so sorry about this. Team sports can get ...I'm so sorry about this. Team sports can get so ugly. I don't have any solutions, but I do believe conversations need to happen. Real ones without blaming, but with some logical solutions. Keep us informed. Margaret Simonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04434866104385187658noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5738534444392348639.post-14377587827498259712016-03-10T01:06:28.170-05:002016-03-10T01:06:28.170-05:00Well, wow. I agree completely that a principal'...Well, wow. I agree completely that a principal's office visit and a forced apology is not enough. It is challenging to give advice from afar. I will say that I think it is very important that when you have that feeling that something needs to be done, act on it. trust your instincts and get conversations started. You won't be able to let things go. And they shouldn't be left. This is an opportunity for learning and change.Carrie Gelsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08416480940951200461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5738534444392348639.post-48434271810408842632016-03-09T22:02:41.192-05:002016-03-09T22:02:41.192-05:00>Maybe we should have day exchange programs and...>Maybe we should have day exchange programs and reflections about those experiences. <<br /><br />This is a brilliant idea, absolutely so! This would be a great suggestion to pass along to your administration, just to see if they'd be interested. I think anything to work on helping students walk a mile in someone else's shoes will only help. <br /><br />I'm sorry that your daughter's season ended on a note like this, when the game itself sounded like a blast to watch! Thank you for sharing this slice with us all and making us think!Darin J.https://www.blogger.com/profile/18367255888486292535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5738534444392348639.post-56555505049103096132016-03-09T21:48:38.514-05:002016-03-09T21:48:38.514-05:00So, so unfortunate on all levels. Honestly, I fee...So, so unfortunate on all levels. Honestly, I feel like this type of behavior stems back to even the young athletic programs today! What has happened to good, clean competition?Lynnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12593604647570046795noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5738534444392348639.post-55400944372122944442016-03-09T21:03:46.655-05:002016-03-09T21:03:46.655-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.Tarahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13626451110946889157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5738534444392348639.post-28341614767855021372016-03-09T21:03:20.996-05:002016-03-09T21:03:20.996-05:00We talk about race relations in our sixth grade cl...We talk about race relations in our sixth grade classroom all the time. Recently, my kids unpacked a cleaned up version of Macklemore's White Privilege II in class and dug deep. We've talked about the Black Lives Matter movement, and the school to prison pipeline. I think conversations like this need to happen in all classrooms as much as possible. I live and teach in very affluent towns, this is where the conversations most need to take place. Ta-Nehisi Coates writes about this so eloquently in his latest book, and I believe that he is right. The problem lies in a white society that chooses not to change, not to progress in meaningful ways, so that problems and prejudice are perpetuated. Okay, getting off my soap box for now. It seems to me that it's time for some real conversation in Farmington. Tarahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13626451110946889157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5738534444392348639.post-65834634985921823892016-03-09T20:56:03.734-05:002016-03-09T20:56:03.734-05:00I don' thing I have any suggestions, but I agr...I don' thing I have any suggestions, but I agree that this is such a sad story and a sad end to what should have been a triumphant (if still heartbreaking) moment for your daughter and her team. I think your suggestions are great! Unfortunately I think race is so complicated, and so many of our kids think they live in a "post-racial" world, that it's really hard to address a problem like that. Good luck and keep us posted!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5738534444392348639.post-45155538648226092712016-03-09T20:11:27.850-05:002016-03-09T20:11:27.850-05:00So sad. I love your book club idea, or anything to...So sad. I love your book club idea, or anything to help the kids get to know each other. This reminds me of when I was in college, and we (the Ohio State Marching Band) went to an away game at Northwestern. OSU was winning by a lot, and the Northwestern fans started chanting "State School, State School" at the OSU team / band / fans. Like really? You think you're better than us because you're a private school? Come on!JenniferMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09603450967368808356noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5738534444392348639.post-91299255182158219232016-03-09T20:10:35.392-05:002016-03-09T20:10:35.392-05:00Sad all around, sad for the players, sad for those...Sad all around, sad for the players, sad for those who watched and saw. Lots of interactions may help the bridge building. How about starting with the teams and the cheerleaders and/or pep squad and cheer band (if there is one). Perhaps with their love of the sport, they could begin good connections, and start the rest of the year and next year positive. Just a thought. I like that there might be interactions. Sorry for this, Melanie, and for your daughter. Linda Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14983144542632353870noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5738534444392348639.post-52592738311068043892016-03-09T18:35:22.905-05:002016-03-09T18:35:22.905-05:00What a sad story this is indeed and the implicatio...What a sad story this is indeed and the implications are rippling outward I am sure. Your suggestions sound sound as the issue most likely stems from deeper problems beyond the students. Th one idea that resonated with me was the book study. You'll probably be preaching to the proverbial choir, but you have to start some where. Keep us in the loop.Christine Baldigahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15899850758427664073noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5738534444392348639.post-30849610036971185772016-03-09T18:33:26.941-05:002016-03-09T18:33:26.941-05:00Yes, very sad. And no, they don't have good ro...Yes, very sad. And no, they don't have good role models. This is why I think it's so important, so imperative, to do something. Melanie Meehanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15771712134098949362noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5738534444392348639.post-73877385923901442372016-03-09T18:23:53.607-05:002016-03-09T18:23:53.607-05:00Wow, what a sad way for Julia's team to end th...Wow, what a sad way for Julia's team to end their season. I think all of your ideas are great, and would be meaningful first steps. Unfortunately, in the current political climate, these kids don't have great role models on the national stage. Maybe the programs should include parents.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5738534444392348639.post-21934886800756341302016-03-09T18:19:28.746-05:002016-03-09T18:19:28.746-05:00Oh my goodness. This took me straight back to hig...Oh my goodness. This took me straight back to high school in the mid 1980s, when my white, suburban school was known to chant "That's alright, that's okay, you'll be working for us someday," when we were losing to "cross-town" schools. When we proclaimed that "smart" schools had good soccer teams while "dumb" schools had good football teams. (Guess which ours had?) When terms like "scuzz-ball" and "scummy" were tossed around casually to describe kids of a lower socio-economic level. I wish I could claim to not have been part of that, but only the first one struck me as offensive at the time. My point, if I have any, being that high school is often about "us" and "them," and limited life experience leads to rampant snobbery and false superiority. I'd see this as a teachable moment rather than a permanent indictment of the character of those who were participating. Then again, there are plenty of adults in our society who hold those kinds of beliefs, so it is URGENT that the teaching does happen. <br /><br />I don't have suggestions at the moment--this will take awhile to digest, even from this distance. Thank you for being so reflective and looking towards solutions instead of just bemoaning the problem. Your district is lucky to have you there. Wendyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06296827820807569574noreply@blogger.com