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THE LIGHT
How to Teach During a Hateful Time
Part 5 — Acceptance
We’re finally here. Acceptance.
We still don’t like it, but I have noticed a shift.
My students have accepted that DJT will be the next President of the United States. They have accepted that the next four years will be chaotic and full of hate. They have accepted that half of the country thinks that anybody different is evil. They have accepted that life will get harder for people of color. They have even accepted that the environment, the economy, healthcare, and education will suffer as a result of an administration that is at best clueless, and at worst dangerously clueless.
To be clear, they are not all at acceptance. For those that aren’t I’m still counseling, but that has become a smaller number allowing for more focus.
For those who are, we have actually been able to smile and laugh about the situation. Lots of jokes have been told, and many off-color comments expressed about our soon to be neighbor on 16th street. Many of these are on the margains of what is usually allowed in a high school classroom. Several have gone way over that margain.
I say what the hell.
If this is how they get through it then I want to hear it. I’m human, occasionally…
