Et al.

Groan

We're all overwhelmed, of course, by the tragedy unfolding at Virginia Tech. My students wanted to talk about it, briefly, although their comments were more condemnatory and distancing than thoughtful or profound. I know, however, that it is too much to expect profundity in the face of the inexplicable. But I had hoped for some glimmer of insight into the fraying fabric of society, the pressures--emotional and intellectual and social--of college life, the increasing fragility of our students.

Nope.

After it was clear that we weren't going to get past the "what a pscyho!" sound byte, I asked if anyone had a segue from the tragedy of the world at large to the specific tragedies of the novel we were reading.

"I do," offered one student. "Next week my sorority is selling designer jeans for our philanthropy project. They will cost much less than usual." [Picture me, mouth hanging open. Making designer jeans available to the campus community, whose students are spending some 30K/year to study here, and who almost invariably drive a nicer car than their professors, is considered philanthropy? God help us.

I retain sufficient composure to ask, "Which organization does this benefit?"

Student [names national organization for girls which, to my knowledge, has no particular focus on the halt, the lame, the blind....or the poor, for that matter.]

"Well, okay then," I say, haltingly. "Let's start by turning to page...."



{Snick, remember that we are thinking of you all the time}

Labels: classroom moments, Kids today, speechless

posted by Unknown @ 6:34 AM