Well the high point of this day is that I get to be the one to take Punkin to Babies and Books at the library, instead of my mom taking him while I’m at work. It feels like such a treat! (Usually it’s the school librarian’s child being taken to another librarian’s story hour by grandma cause momma is reading to other people’s kids…).
Mr. Jim, the children’s librarian at our public library does such a wonderful job. He really gets a kick out of making silly noises and working the crowd with puppets and songs as well as stories. The parents have as much fun as the kids. Today he read one of my favorites; Piggies by Don a

I have also been reading some more of the Jonathan Kozol book Ordinary Resurrections. He is describing the children in the after school he visits. He tells little stories about their families, their pets, their homes. The chapter I read last night he was telling about the public school he visited where some of the kids attend. It is heart breaking to read about. This is in the south Bronx in the late 90s, so it is real life right now. The school is understaffed and under-funded, and the teachers and administrators there are trying to do the best they can but they are frustrated and overworked. He describes sitting with the kids he is friendly with while they wait to go to lunch. They start down the hall at 12:15 and finish up recess (and a fire drill) at 2:00. In all that time they spend about 15 minutes eating and 15 minutes running around at recess and the rest of the time waiting. The teachers are just herding and managing them all this time. The halls are crowded and noisy and there are so many kids in the school the cafeteria can’t seat them all in a reasonable time. No kid should have to spend their time like this when they could be learning to read! This is an elementary school and Mr. Kozol also talks about where the kids go next. It turns out the middle school is even worse and their chance of getting into one of the good city high schools is minimal. Out of something like 1300 high school students around 65 graduate from the school most of them end up at. The rest give up in despair or think they can do better on their own without school. It is horrifying to think of what these kids are loosing, and all of us with them as they miss their potential to contribute and create and solve problems. I have taught really poor kids and really rich kids and it just kills me to see and know the difference in opportunity and resources available, depending on your economic class.
The Bible readings for this week that I am doing are from the prophet Habakkuk. He is asking God why a loving, good God can allow oppression and abuse to happen to his people. I am finding it fits right in with the Kozal book, as I wonder the same thing.
Habakkuk 1
I am Habakkuk the prophet. And this is the message that the LORD gave me.
Our LORD, how long must I beg for your help before you listen? How long before you save us from all this violence? Why do you make me watch such terrible injustice? Why do you allow violence, lawlessness, crime, and cruelty to spread everywhere? Laws cannot be enforced; justice is always the loser; criminals crowd out honest people and twist the laws around.
1 comment:
You know, I never thought of it that way, but I guess that's why I like spending vacation time at home too, when I can. I, too, look forward to playing SAHM. :)
Snuggle Bug goes to Baby Story time at our local libraries at least twice a week. He loves it!
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