So, You Get a Phone Call

[tonysam]

Last night I received a phone call from a former student who was in my 6th grade class in 1973-74. He had just been released from a NY State prison after serving 27 years for murder and was in a shelter (not a good thing) until he finds a place to live. We stayed in touch all these years and I visited him twice in various prisons (he seemed to be in just about every state prison possible). He has been denied parole at least 6 times and he was somewhat shocked when it was granted so suddenly on the 7th try. He was released with just about nothing and with little time to notify people (though it turns out that the weird phone numbers popping up on out caller id were from the prison).

His family was even more shocked when he turned up at their door. Why he is in a shelter? It seems the family basically forgot he existed.

I knew lots of people in his family. I taught his brother and his nephew and knew his older sister, who was a political activist associated with the Progressive Labor Party. In the 1975 teachers strike, she came with a bull horn to rally community support for us.

Much more



This teacher would have been canned long ago if school districts had been infested with NCLB/privatization mantra.

[tonysam]

1. David Pakter's comment at the end of the post

is also worth reading.

[Dinger]

2. That Is A Moving Story

I often have students who tell me that one or both of their parents are incarcerated. They are not bragging, they just need to tell someone. It is heartbreaking to see them when there are family nights, special programs, and other similar events at school. And for Parent's Day, it is especially difficult. Some ask me if I will sit with them at lunch in place of a parent, and it warms my heart when I see other parents offer to be a temporary "parent." Little moments like those are one of the many rewards of teaching.