Wow. It has been awhile since I have had a chance to leave my thoughts here. I was really surprised to get an email asking when my next update was coming. Here's the thing: since school started back, I have been just overwhelmed with things that needed to be done in my classroom. Sadly, the poor blog was put on the back shelf.
Until today...
You know how people say things and in your mind you wonder if they really meant it the way you heard it? Happens to me all the time. Lately, it has been happening a bit to often. Many times I just don't say what I am thinking back to the person. I have my mother's tongue and over the past 10 years I have really tried to curtail it as much as possible. The sad part with this is that you can see that I WANT to say something all over my face. Unfortunately, that tends to get me in a lot of trouble also.
In my mind I believe that in a past life I was a power to the people, Afro wearing, Angela Davis, fist in the air, black jacket wearing Black Panther. Now if you know your BP history, you know that they were known for being radicals. They also set up some of the most successfully run community programs in African American neighborhoods back in the 60's and 70's. Sadly, they became known more for being radical and this is often not looked upon too well by the government. They had some really great ideals, but I think how they went about saying what they needed to say was taken in the wrong context many times because of their tongue and because of the expression they tend to have on their face. Hence, I would have been an excellent BP (not to mention I have always wanted to sport the fly Afro).
I say all that to say this...I have had some conversations over the last week that have caused me to put on my Black Panther face and walk away (and I have had some problem controlling my tongue also). I submit this conversation and see if you see when the face came.
So the teacher that is in the room next to me gets a new student. An adorable cherub faced little Caucasian girl. Now race should not be a big deal, but it is crucial to the story. Anyway, I guess she has a pretty good day. Toward the middle of the day I see her teacher in the hall (TIH) and has this look on her face.
Me: You OK?
TIH: Um...you know my new student.
Me: Yeah?
TIH: She has LICE!
Me: Aw DAYUMN!
Now, truth be told, Black folk tend not to get lice too often. I am really not to sure of the reason, but you rarely hear of us getting lice. It could be all the products we use. It is my belief that it would be hard for any creature to live in an environment where lye products or a hotcomb are involved. But hey, who knows/
I have never had lice nor been around kids with lice so I kinda panicked inside. I proceeded to spray my classroom and the door that connected me to her room with Lysol. Now, I know deep inside that this really was not helping anything, but the medicinal smell of the Lysol was calming to my nerves. All I could think was that I was about to get some bugs in my hair and would have to cut all my hair off. I know that is not the lice procedure, but remember folk, I was in panic mode.
So later that day as we often do, a group of teacher s were standing in the hall. (TIH), Teacher Across the Hall (TAH), Teacher Down the Hall TDH and me. Conversation goes like this;
TIH: I can't believe that kid had lice. They sent her home.
Me: Good. I am out of Lysol.
TAH: It is a mess when that stuff starts to get around.
Me: I have never had it. As a matter of fact I don't remember that in any school I have been in. You rarely hear about that with black students.
TAH: I know. It was one of the perks of coming to this school.
OK for whatever reason, I did not make the face here. Because...well, I guess that could be a good reason. No lice is a perk...Imma let you have that one. Anyway:
Me: Where do people get that from anyway? It can't just spontaneously hatch in your head. Where does it start from?
TDH: Well, it happens because they like clean hair?
Me: Who?
TDH: The lice.
Me: So you are saying that the lice are attracted to CLEAN hair?
OK. You are so right...this is where the face came in, because I KNOW this chick is not saying that black folk don't get lice because they have dirty hair. I said it twice thinking that she would catch on. I am holding my tongue because I NEED this damn job, but dammit had I hit the lotto last night there would be some colorful words being used right now!! What's funny is that she did not catch the face and the conversation continued. The other ladies did because you will notice you will not hear any more from them:
TDH: Yes, they are attracted to clean hair.
See hold on...I can't let this go. This chick has said this blasphemy again and is obviously ignoring my face and the shocked and bewildered faces of the other women in the hall. I am sure that they usually keep this type conversation behind closed doors. Really? Is she standing here telling me that black kids have hair that is always dirty? I really was taken aback that you could say this to a Black Woman. And one with VERY clean hair at that!! And contrary to her thought pattern, I have worked in a school where a good chunk of the population was from the islands and the children wore their hair locked. Which tends to hold a good amount of oil and sometimes dirt. NO LICE. What the hell does this chick mean?
Me: OK. I don't understand how that can be true.
TDH: The lice tend to like to get into clean hair and scalp. That is how they attach.
Inside I had enough. So here comes:
Me: What you are saying can't be true.
TDH: It is. What do you mean it can't be true?
Me:Well, if they are attracted to CLEAN hair, why is it that you always find them in dirty little WHITE kids?
Game over. She went to her room
I love my job!! Happy New Year!!
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