E is for Education

Okay, I have to admit, I didn’t see this one coming, either, as it were.

Education is my life. You’d think I’d had seen this topic like I see the walls holding up the ceiling.

And I live to write, so, well, time for your education, my friends.

I could go on and on about my work, but, well, let me recall about my teenage years. Having to sit in sex ed classes with my brow furrowed, as if studying quantum physics for some kind enlightenment. Everything they talked about made sense, but then they talked about reproduction.

Wait. You lost me there.

Where was the guy with guy action stuff that’s going on inside my noggin?

From an early age, my thoughts did not match the world around me. I learned, quite quickly, that I was supposed to love women, not men. I didn’t learn this intrinsically. It was just from day to day life and the people I was with. They paired off. They dated.

But it wasn’t clicking. My education on myself was forthcoming. Thank Fate for the library.

If only google had been around then.

Now, believe it or not, I’m not bitter. I get it, things were different then; things are different now, and I have no concern about it. What’s done is done. Now? When I speak, my actions, I come to the world as openly as possible. Because, well, if I can show one kid that “it gets better” (to quip from Dan Savage’s terrific campaign), that’s one life saved.

Here is today’s topic brought before me-you may want to read it to see how it ties everything together:

All Out

A petition to not tell lies. I didn’t know this was going on in Alabama. I knew about Tennessee's stupendously idiot, “Don’t Say Gay,” bill, so I might have had my attention elsewhere. But I think about being a youth in middle school and high school, without role models, desperately aching for information about myself. Why I was different. Why all the controversy.

And the teacher, then, probably could say positive things way back then-but I didn’t ask. But think about it, even from being an awesome teacher, you still have squelch any moment of clarity for that student, gay or straight.

Oh. It’s in Alabama. What was I thinking?

I went to this presentation about the Body Farm once and the presenter made the quip, “well, as you can see, they didn’t have any teeth and the eye sockets were truly uneven. We figured them to be from the South. We were right.”

“I can’t believe he said that! That’s not how we be in the South!” Said the toothless woman next to me.

I was really surprised. If you don’t want to be seen that way, don’t be that way. Works out.

I digress. No coffee this afternoon, been giving me heartburn, so I’m rambling.

But my point? Education is several factors, many of which we cannot control. But, as educators, we need to lead kids to their future, not impart ours. Our true purpose is help everyone to seek their potential. This lie will provide for no one, telling them that their mere existence is illegal.

*) I fantasize a situation where a student raises his or her hand and I’m teaching the birds-and-the-bees. “Now what about homosexual behavior?”  “Oh? Well, the state requires that I tell you the lie that it is illegal to engage in homosexual acts in Alabama.” “Oh,” they’ll reply and then think,”that’s a lie?” “Yes, the state requires I tell you the lie and I just did that. Now, as for homosexual acts, what’s your question?”

Of course, my act of civil disobedience, I’d be thrown into the slammer and sit and rot. “I’m in here for murder one. Whadda you in here for?”

“Honesty.”

They back away.

Education is in turmoil, let’s not add to it. Let’s get this bill moving.

Peace,

Roo