Into Night

Today I defended my right to teach history. Just in case someone wants to interpret the teaching of the history of Jim Crow, or the fight to integrate school as negating someone else's American History, I can only say that if you hear a story and immediately identify with the negative traits of the antagonist, then maybe you are the one that needed the lesson most of all.

I digress...

Today I made the bold claim that what makes the students of Cypress Bay so successful may also be what holds them back. As a product of the corporate mill that grinds creativity into careers of suburban mediocrity, I speak with some personal quarrel with my own situation. If we do not do the brave thing, but choose the sure thing, perhaps we will still achieve greatness, but perhaps we would have if we had chosen the brave thing also. Some people need college. Some probably need the desperation of an artist to become successful. I have been teaching at Cypress Bay for almost 20 years. I hope at least one of you mentions me in a speech as you achieve your award someday. Is that too much to ask? When I mentioned this in class today someone asked if I was going through a mid-life crisis. No. I survived that. Unless I live to 110 this is just one of my everyday crises. I keep a collection of them for various occasions.