In a country where education is highly valued and nearly everyone attends public schools, this private system benefits primarily members of the upper class and provides one of the foundations for the old- boy and old- girl networks that will be with them throughout their lives.
– G. William Domhoff
Since I have been volunteering at the library, I have notice myself in some of the children situations, I saw my friends from grade school acted out again by the children I teach, I see the same tricks and hear the same insults and promises that children give to one another. It seems my childhood is flashed before my face at times. Today I felt as if I was in sociology class. Only thing, it was real life.
Hi Miss Lilly!
Hi, Children. How was school?
I said to no one in particular. All the children seem to be in groups. I didn’t know who to go to first. The children sitting to the far left made eye contact and were smiling shyly at me. They were in uniform with their books still in their backpacks. They were doing what we all do, sneakily eating candy.
Hi.
Hi, Miss Lilly!
Miss Lilly, I don’t think I know you. Do I?
No, hun. I don’t think I ever saw you before.
After meeting my students friend. I talked to them about starting their homework.
You all already did your homework?
No.
Then-
Miss Lilly, how come you looked mad when you first came over here?
I am not mad. I was just watching you. Watching this here bare table without any books.
Okay, we gonna do our homework!
Indeed I was watching them. I was watching all the children in the library. I notice a huge separation between the students who attends public school and those who attended private school. Granted that they all go to different schools, both schools are not to far away from each other and most of the students are neighbors who know each other; yet, they barely talk to one another. They often sit at different tables and ignore each other. Even though I try to get the children to interact with each other when doing their homework, it is hard for those from the private schools to be kind to those from the public schools and vice versa. They are all in the same grade for the most part and some may understand the material more than others but no one wants to be humble. As if to make my observations more vivid a known bully from the public school walked up to me while I was talking to the private school children.
Hey. Hey. He said tapping me. They were bothering us. Saying things.
Well, what did – I couldn’t even finish my sentence
That’s because you started first!
Yeah, Miss Lilly. He started first!
Well, –
No! I didn’t! He ran away smiling and screaming. Shut up! He continued. Calling them names.
That’s why my school has better standards than your school! Said a student from the private school table.
The little bully didn’t answer. I am not sure if he even heard him. He was already at the public school children table looking over a kid shoulder at a DSI also sneaking food.
I walked over to the middle table in between both tables which consisted of children ignoring both their public school friends and their private school frienemies. They were a handful of girls trying to finish up their homework.
Hi Miss Lilly. I have lots of homework today.
Well, I notice. Let’s Read.
Like this:
Like Loading...