Girl Fights, Sex, & Homelessness

Now if that title doesn't get pique your interest, than I don't know what will. If read this blog then you probably know that those three topics pretty much summarize my school year this year. The ninth grade girls fight like feral cats. If they aren't beating the bejesus out of each other, they're either having sex in the stairwell (no lie), getting pregnant (we have six pregnant freshmen), or talking about sex. And, lastly, there are a large number of students who are currently homeless, or, also orphaned and being fought over by siblings for the social security check that comes with a minor who has lost a parent. It's intense.

I have never worked so closely with a guidance counselor as I have this year, and thankfully our ninth graders have the best guidance counselor our school can offer. But, one woman is not enough.

With all these issues in mind, I have created a unit around the book pictured above that deals with all these situations of adolescence in a forthright manner. I keep getting asked questions that pertain to sex, fighting, loyal friends, bad friends, dead parents, etc, and it takes up class time. While I'm not a stickler to sticking to the curriculum when I feel the students need a topic addressed, it would be nice to have a few books that deal with these issues.

So I wrote a Donors Choose grant here. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE give money so I can get these books for my students and conclude their final year with a unit that will hopefully give them a forum to discuss, read, and write about some serious topics young people face.

Many thanks.