That’ll learn ya
Her Kindergarten education complete it was the big day; my daughter was to start Primary School. Practically lost in her enormous new school uniform and carrying a schoolbag bigger than a Military Tactical Backpack, we walked her just five doors up the street to St. John the Baptist Primary School, Maitland. I held her hand and kept it light and hoped she wouldn't pick up on the sheer terror that shot up and down my spine surprising me with its intensity.
School. I do not remember one day I enjoyed in it. Most days were filled with dark fear, anxiety and sadness as I experienced myself or my school mates beaten up or ridiculed, shamed or assaulted by angry frustrated adults. Seating was organised like this; the two brightest students sat in front of the teachers desk and it snaked down to the end of the tail at the back of the class, where I sat with my fellow ‘disappointments’. I smoked cigarettes at school and on my final day I walked out slowly to the front wall and lit my very last one (to date). I sat and looked back at the building that housed the system that showed me I was a lousy piece of shit. For life. I remember flicking the butt onto the grass and walking away.
Now here I was almost thirty years later leading my child up to school. I wanted to grab her and run. But I couldn't. She would need to learn a few things. But my primal animal remembered it all. It was all still stored in me. Well I did it anyway. I left her there for the day and she loved every minute. Three days later I was picking her up and I watched as she walked happily across the playground. Some of the senior children on the balcony shouted to her and smiled and waved and she smiled and waved back. She had two designated 'buddies' that she could go to at any time she needed and they showed her around and comforted her and made sure she had support until she found her feet.
Every week I would ask her if there were any fights. No! Why would there be fights? Oh I don't know but only every week I watched as school mates beat each other dumb from frustration and rage. In all the years she went to that school and all the hours I spent up there I never heard a teacher raise their voice, never mind strike a child. Our teachers carried leather straps and sticks designed for the purpose.
Just last Saturday I was booked to play music for the teachers of St John The Baptist as a couple of them were retiring. I got to tell a few once more how much I appreciated their dedication and skill and how much I admired their trade and the vast improvements that have been introduced in the last few decades. Teachers today are our greatest allies in raising the consciousness of humanity. Just take a look at how the Taliban in Afghanistan treat education and you'll see how powerful a good teacher in a supportive system is. It terrifies them.
Where we live we are surrounded by schools and last week I heard a commotion outside my kitchen window. I opened it up to see two parents decorating a car. Balloons, tinsel and gliter. I asked what was up? Well Edith was their daughter, it was her birthday and coincidentally her final day in school and her final exam and it was her car. She would be coming around the corner any minute and they would make a scene, embarrass her then whisk her away to a family picnic. I hooked up the Bluetooth speaker out the window and lined up The Wiggles singing Happy Birthday. The craic was on. She's coming! Press play. Sing loud. Embarrassing 😳 Jesus Mum!
Finally in my letterbox this week a couple of restaurant vouchers to thank me for pitching in. No problem. I'm happy to celebrate school and scholars and educators and parents and kids. My grandparents were both teachers and they were on the good side. People still tell me how they made a difference in their lives. My Grandfather threw a Bishop out of his school one day and we still do not know what for but that was no small act back in Ireland in the fifties.
Support your teachers. They are the people holding the reins of our future.