View previous topic :: View next topic |
Author |
Message |
BigBlue Super Member
Joined: Jan 16, 2006 Posts: 1108 Location: Lehigh Township, Pennsylvania
|
Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2014 3:19 pm Post subject: Earn The Right |
|
True story!
In September of 2005, on the first day of school, Martha Cothren, a History teacher at Robinson High School in Little Rock , did something not to be forgotten. On the first day of school, with the permission of the school superintendent, the principal and the building supervisor, she removed all of the desks in her classroom. When the first period kids entered the room they discovered that there were no desks.
'Ms. Cothren, where are our desks?'
She replied, 'You can't have a desk until you tell me how you earn the right to sit at a desk.'
They thought, 'Well, maybe it's our grades.' 'No,' she said.
'Maybe it's our behavior.' She told them, 'No, it's not even your behavior.'
And so, they came and went, the first period, second period, third period. Still no desks in the classroom. Kids called their parents to tell them what was happening and by early afternoon television news crews had started gathering at the school to report about this crazy teacher who had taken all the desks out of her room.
The final period of the day came and as the puzzled students found seats on the floor of the desk-less classroom. Martha Cothren said, 'Throughout the day no one has been able to tell me just what he or she has done to earn the right to sit at the desks that are ordinarily found in this classroom. Now I am going to tell you.'
At this point, Martha Cothren went over to the door of her classroom and opened it. Twenty-seven (27) U.S. Veterans, all in uniform, walked into that classroom, each one carrying a school desk. The Vets began placing the school desks in rows, and then they would walk over and stand alongside the wall. By the time the last soldier had set the final desk in place those kids started to understand, perhaps for the first time in their lives, just how the right to sit at those desks had been earned.
Martha said, 'You didn't earn the right to sit at these desks. These heroes did it for you. They placed the desks here for you. They went halfway around the world, giving up their education and interrupting their careers and families so you could have the freedom you have. Now, it's up to you to sit in them. It is your responsibility to learn, to be good students, to be good citizens. They paid the price so that you could have the freedom to get an education. Don't ever forget it.'
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
radar Super Member
Joined: Oct 01, 2008 Posts: 1109 Location: North Island New Zealand
|
Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2014 3:34 pm Post subject: Re: Earn The Right |
|
WOW! That is a lesson in freedom! For once a teacher with a gift.
_________________ People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.
George Orwell |
|
Back to top |
|
|
gelandangan Super Member
Joined: May 07, 2006 Posts: 6396 Location: Sydney Australia
|
Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2014 3:39 pm Post subject: Re: Earn The Right |
|
100%
_________________ A straight line is the shortest distance between two points.
A smile is the shortest distance between two people.
Do - Not try!
gelandangan.weebly.com/ |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Pumpkinslinger Super Member
Joined: Sep 22, 2007 Posts: 5001 Location: NC foothills
|
Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2014 3:58 pm Post subject: Re: Earn The Right |
|
Fantastic story! That should be repeated with every group of kids.
_________________ Mike
"I ain't no better than anybody else, and there ain't nobody better than me!" Ma Kettle |
|
Back to top |
|
|
dhc4ever Super Member
Joined: May 26, 2011 Posts: 2944 Location: Ipswich, Queensland Australia
|
Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2014 4:37 pm Post subject: Re: Earn The Right |
|
Snopes agrees.
www.snopes.com/glurge/nodesks.asp
Nice story and an effective point maker.
_________________ Pete
Dont do anything you wont like explaining to the paramedics.............. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Suzanne Super Member
Joined: Jun 27, 2009 Posts: 3323 Location: Eugene, Oregon
|
Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2014 5:21 pm Post subject: Re: Earn The Right |
|
Makes you wanna cry, that no one suspected the slightest idea. A testament to our take-for-granted world in the US. What do they teach in civics and history class? who made the first tennis shoe?
Suz
_________________ May the moon keep you centered,
May the sun keep you dancing,
And the stars shed light on your dreams. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Vince Site Admin
Joined: May 25, 2005 Posts: 15704 Location: Brisbane AUSTRALIA
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
Ominivision1 Super Member
Joined: Sep 20, 2010 Posts: 2984 Location: Iowa
|
Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2014 2:19 pm Post subject: Re: Earn The Right |
|
Wow, Kudos to the teacher.
_________________ Regards
Limitations are but boundaries created inside our minds. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Elvis Super Member
Joined: Jul 27, 2008 Posts: 9239 Location: south island New Zealand
|
Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2014 11:26 pm Post subject: Re: Earn The Right |
|
great story.
_________________ You shot it You pluck it !
Them who eats the most duck eats the most feathers! |
|
Back to top |
|
|
|