Well after a few days hiatus from this wonderful activity I sit down to tell you that a teacher from the banned school called tonight, just now actually, and asked if I could work for her tomorrow. Sadly, I told her I certainly could but that the principal had said I could no longer work at their school and I was sure that one or both of us would be shot if I showed up!

We had a very interesting commiserating conversation in which we discovered we thought the same about children manipulating the system and not wanting to try very hard to "get along in the world." Let someone else fix this for me. Even tho I am only in first grade I don't have to comply.

A few years ago I had the opportunity for the umpteenth time to sub in my friend's kindergarten class. The morning went along nicely for about an hour when a young man said to me "Could I call my mom?" "Don't you feel well, Adam?" "Oh, I feel ok. But my mom told me that when you are the teacher I don't have to be at school." Well, I called the mom and told her the conversation and she said, "That's right. Would you please send him out to the flagpole?" I told her that I could not do that. The school rule was that the parent had to come in to the office and check the student out. Ok was her reply and that was the end of my school relationship with that child, who thinks he doesn't have to try to understand people, or tolerate situations or simply learn to get along. Good for mom. I wonder if she really is the winner.

We all have "crosses to bear." I have so many that it's a wonder on some days I can move across the floor let alone across the driveway to my car. In fact all the crosses wouldn't fit in my car! But I do see the value in teaching children to tolerate, to understand, to get along with "outsiders." What am I thinking! I guess I should be shot.