Saturday, September 12, 2009

9th Grade Gangsters?

I am teaching 9th grade for the first time this year. Actually, it's not too bad. They came to school the first day more prepared than my 11th graders ever have (ex: notebooks and something to write with). They seem earnest, but they are definitely goofy, as in the kid who asked me if you pee on yourself when you give birth--to which I replied, "No, but you poop on yourself" and the whole class erupted in hysterics. Ha. Hope I provided some birth control with that one.

But on Friday I had them write a letter to their future graduating selves and I got one from a quiet kid in the back corner who has been hiding under a hoodie all week and is very reclusive. It reads (an edited version):

Dear (student name),
You idiot, you loved a girl but you let her go. Your dumbass self abandoned being with her just for a fracking gang. You idiot did being in that gang pay off? Your a low life, what's next? Your going to sell ola just for cash? You scum...


After high school you better get used to begging for money in Mexico because you'll never be any good...but damn...you really loved (girl name)...well to bad...you could never be with her even if she feels the same for you now because of the danger to her...that's what you get for getting with the Bloods....idiot.

(signed student name)

Shit. Already? Upperclassmen don't really tell you on the THIRD DAY OF SCHOOL that they're a Blood. You usually find out later from other students or from them if you become close to them--then you get their Blood family history. We are undeniably a Blood school, but I guess I never thought of these little 9th graders are already being inducted into these gangs...It really freaked me out. Why I am okay with a 16 year old being a Blood but not a 14 year old is beyond me.

So, on day three I had to xerox this letter and give it to the guidance counselor because, as corny as it sounds, it seemed like your prototypical "cry for help" from an "at risk youth." The assignment read, "I WILL BE READING THE LETTER SO DON'T PUT ANYTHING IN IT THAT YOU DON'T WANT ME TO SEE" and I emphasized that in the directions. And I got this.

How's that for first week excitement?
Poor kid.

2 comments:

  1. i've missed your posts about teaching. welcome back to the profession!

    ReplyDelete
  2. This is a bummer. Hope he figures it out before he's in jail or worse. Sigh.

    ReplyDelete