Now that Lianna, my grandaughter, is in school I thought about my school days back when.
I remember that at the start of fourth grade I was looking forward to seeing my old friends again. But when I got to school I found that most of my friends from last year would not talk to me or want me around. I was confused, what did I do?
Then I saw that all the brown kids were at one end of the school yard and the pale kids at the other end. I learned about "us and them". Discrimnation. No one had told me that after the third grade we were suppose to play apart from each other. No, it was not a hard fast rule. It just was. I have never forgotten that. As the years passed and I went to Jr. Hi. things were a little different and in high school we started to break down the walls on that kind of stuff.
Now, thinking of those day I made a little slide show called school day. I would like to know what you think of it. I hope it carries a message.
The other slide show, child of God, uses most of the same pictures and a few other but I like the message better. Again, what do you think?
To my sister Grace, who just read my blog for the first time the other day, Hi Grace!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
both slide shows are a powerful message - and in many ways the same comment -- good job Lee -- and your grandchildren are absolutely adorable!
Carrie (aka cutenana) from ourcopd
I really appreciated you sharing this with us.
When I was in grade school, I attended what they called a "segregated" school. Although, what that means is, that they divided up the classrooms so that there were the very same amount of white kids and tan kids per class. The each were bussed from their neighborhood schools so that racial even-ness was procured.
Over all, this meant little to me as a kid. In second grade I boarded a bus and was taken to another part of town to attend school.
I did not have a concept of the politics of these requirements. I was aware, that half my friends stayed and half of them came with me.
We always made new friends too. My best friend, Yolanda was a "tanny" her, father was a Federal Court Judge.
My father, would not allow me to play with her and pulled me OUT of public schools, because he felt I was unsafe. He was wrong, and grew up in a very sad generation, where bigotry was prevalent.
I am glad, "we" have come a long way in this crazy ole world. I am grateful that my kids have friends who come in all shapes and sizes. AND colors.
On a totally different platform, I have a child who is disabled. I feel like he is not treated fairly or justly and that folks don't understand or except him.
I can't imagine what a world- it was for you, and I hope.. that it is a much improved place.
I think you're grand.
Post a Comment