I was watching Oprah earlier this afternoon as is not my usual routine for many reasons, however, her guest today included Bill Cosby. He spoke on the plight of the dismantling of the African American family in urban America. It seems that he felt that he needed to justify remarks he made a couple of years ago, when he blasted the parenting skills or lack thereof for the mess some of our Black youths are facing. Why the need to defend comments? I see no need. As a high school teacher in a predominantly Black school (I have to take in account that we do have approximately 30 hispanic students), I understand what Dr. Cosby is speaking about. I get depressed some mornings just watching the students enter the halls for first period. I watch boys with shirts to their knees (clearly against dress code). Their pants meet their shirts as they come no futher than the young mens' knees. I watch them enter class with their hands in their pockets-no paper, no writing utensils, nothing. Just attitude and a recipe for pissing the teacher off.
Just the other day one of my female students had the gall to ask me if I had PMS on Mondays. I probably should have been offended but it was just to damn comical. I said "No, Sweetie." I shared with her that I did not climb out of bed with the intent of coming to work to do battle (physical or mental) each and everyday. I looked at her and thought about how the times had changed. What would have happened to me if I would have posed that question to my high school teacher. I really don't believe her reponse would have mirrored mine. I would have been marched or sent to the principal's office with my fresh mouth and home I would have gone. Well, maybe not. I forgot about the big paddle that the math teacher kept near to his heart. It hung just above his desk.
Oh, but today is a different time. And different times demand different actions. So--I thought about it and decided it might be easier to explain my episodes of morning sickness. I explained that it was like entering a battle zone. And one thing I know about battles, I know if your enemy has a strong will and is committed to his or her beliefs, it has the potential to be very long and cumbersome. As a matter of fact, I truly believe that while my gray hair may not appear to be coming in at an alarming rate that on my head turns more gray with each days' confrontations. So now I look lot a cotton picking zebra.
